2013-14: Week 3

Owen Jones writes for Just Wood Premier league 
The third week of the snooker season threw together two derby matches, with both Alrewas and Ashby sides facing off against each other. The matches finished as rather one sided affairs, favouring the A teams of both clubs. It’s been a while since the Alrewas Legion hosted a Premier league derby and the two teams didn’t disappoint. The 7-1 scoreline doesn’t reflect a close match in which the A team just managed to stay ahead in most games. Alan Wilson started off on fire in the first frame but Ian Hiley managed to claw it back at the death. A neat early 31 in the second saw him home 2-0. Phil Marklew showed what a great player he is with a frame winning 39 in the first against Carl Poulton. Poulton bit back in the second with some excellent long potting although a fluked blue at the end saw him over the line for a draw. Colin Kinsella and Will Sherratt played a couple of scrappy frames. Kinsella got home in the first after some neat play at the end. Sherratt could have taken the second but didn’t take his chances and Kinsella mopped up 2-0. In the showpiece game Sharpe and Trueman battled it out in fine style. Who needs to pot when you can play safety all night? After close exchanges in both frames Trueman built a lead that Sharpe couldn’t get back and ‘Fiery Fred’ returned to winning ways. 
Over to Ashby now where the A team got off to a great start with Andy Marriott winning both frames against George Cawkwell, aided by breaks of 39 and 53. Ian Rennocks then followed suit by taking the frames against Darren Wilson, with breaks of 40 and 41 to put the A team in a commanding position. Graham Measures then restored a touch of pride by taking the first frame against Mick Kirk by rolling in a lovely pink along the baulk cushion to land perfectly on the black to take the frame. Kirk then took the second to tie the score. The match finished 7-1 with a solid performance from Ant Moore defeating Jerry Cook, helped by a 34 break

Swad Snooker A hosted defending champions Burton Cons A and the away side got off to a great start with a classy performance by John Shilton beating Steve Ayre, knocking in a lovely 64 break in the first and then clearing the colours in the second to put the Cons 2-0 up. On the other table, Chris Dewey took the first frame against Matt Milnes, with a very slow table catching Milnes out to allow the home side player to take the frame by clearing the colours. The second was a different story however as Dewey let Milnes in at a crucial time and he responded with a brilliant 55 clearance to level the score. Andy Goldingay then faced Darren Coady, with Goldingay showing what he can do with a cracking 44 break to take the first frame. Coady then responded to grind out the second frame and draw the game. Finally in form John Davis went up against Owen Jones. Davis will be disappointed with how he played as he gave Jones too many chances and he took them, including a 31 break to clinch the 6-2 victory for the away side. 
Belmont A hosted Swad Snooker Centre B, with the home side winning a tight match 5-3. Fran McInulty made his home debut, but Adam Harrison upset the party taking a frame from him leaving the first game a draw. Ian Archer then returned to winning ways with a convincing win against Harry Farrell, which included a 36 break to put the home side 3-1 up at the turn. Pete Maguire took both frames from an out-of-sorts Graham Bailey to level the scores at 3-3. The game was won for the home side by Mark Press who beat Henry Thomas. 
Willington B helped themselves to a 5-3 win against Riley’s A thanks to victories from Andy Jenkins who played Adam Bridges and Tony Clements who defeated Mark Stirling. Andy Spears took both frames against John Hardy to keep the Riley’s side in it, but the final nail in the coffin was provided by Steve Gaunt who played out a draw against Ade Harper to complete the match. 
Finally, Tutbury A and Willington A played out a draw in a closely contested match. Steve Mabbott came back well to pinch the first frame on the final black against Bill Stewart, and then played solid snooker to take the second. Steve Hathaway won the first frame easily against Alan Davies, but not to be denied Davies came back well to win the second. Wayne Pereira did well to take both frames from Chris Mabbott. Dave Powell then took the first against Daz Lester, but Lester came back well, aided with a couple of flukes, to earn the away side a share of the spoils.
Mark Vaughan writes for David Wain Insurance Division 1 
This week saw what i thought was going to be a close match with Burton Cons B hosting Swad Cons B, the home team got off to a great start with Dave Plunkett and Dave Shipton winning the first two frames which could have gone either way. The next two were more open but ended with the same result, Dave Shipton making breaks of 25 & 38 against Paul Hollis to put the Burton side 4-0 up. Swad then sent the talented Matt Newbold on against the Burton captain Tom Egginton, Matt took no time in taking the first to give the Swad team a frame, The revival was short lived as Tom hit back taking the second, whilst on the other table Simon Smith played well to take two from Colin Cope with a thirty break in each frame for an emphatic 7-1 win. 
SDSC C have started the season well and came up against another team in good form in the shape of Newhall B who played out a draw with Swad’s Simon Orpwood making a 35 break.
The Stapenhill A&B teams played what looked to be a tight game with the A team winning 5-3, Carl Jeffcote and Steve Ford winning 2 frames each and Chris Sheldrake getting the fifth for the win. Swad Cons A are a strong side on their own tables and started off with Andy Grainger winning his first frame with breaks of 37 & 28 and will rue the blue he missed against Wayne Brewin to end with a draw, Simon Mansfield for the home team lost his first to Swad snooker centre’s Andy Rice as did Paul Slater against Rob Press, both Swad Cons players hitting back and taking the next two frames leaving Lee Wood to play South Derbyshire Snooker Centres veteran league player Ryan Gilmore, although not at his usual best he did enough against the luckless wood who must have felt he had trodden on a robin before the match to give the away team a good 5-3 win. 
Ashby Ivanhoe C continued a great start to the season with another good win, this time against Willington C, Jason Pickering and John Skellett winning two frames each and Bren Mattley and Stu Tagg one each for a 6-2 win to take them to the top of the table. 
Tony Coleman writes for Rileys Division 2

Swad Cons D won their first match of the season against Rolleston C 5-3. Rolleston at the moment seem to be struggling to get a settled side as in this game they had three floating players. For the Cons Marc Egan shared two frames with Lionel Lewis in a match where neither player got going. Gaz Ward looked as if he was going to take both frames against Dave Hilton but Dave managed to take a share of the spoils. With experience built up over a number of years this helped Bob Birch share his match with Richard O’Dell. Star player for the Cons was Scott Gee who was in fine form as he took both frames off Tony Rushton who does not lose many frames in a season.
SDSC F was another team to get their first win of the season as they beat Swad Cons C fairly convincingly winning 6-2. Ashley Beard did well to draw with John Griffin in a couple of scrappy frames. Henry Carlton who seems to be playing with a lot of confidence this season showed Pete Fearn how good he is playing by winning both frames. Alex Glover another promising player for SDSC won both frames against a Cons player Roan Bartholomew making his first start of the season in a match that could have gone either way but it went in Alex’s favour to give SDSC the win. Ken White then drew with Jon Petcher.
Burton Cons D did very well to beat Tutbury B 5-3. Tutbury at the moment do not appear to be firing on all cylinders and that is not to take anything away from the Cons. Graham Smith got Tutbury off to a good start by winning both frames against Paul Brooks with some good potting especially from distance. The Cons came back well thanks to Ian Protheroe who was playing too well for Jeff Siddalls with Ian taking both frames. Al Munnien played some very good safety enabling him to win both frames against Tutbury’s captain John Peto. Young Nathan Brooks shared two good frames with Gary Hall. That frame gave the Cons the win. 
Belmont C slipped up at home losing to SDSC E 5-3. SDSC were given a great start thanks to first Nick Harcombe who was playing steady snooker to take both frames against Dougie Lees which included a nice 27 break. Then Tony Mitchell continued the good work as he beat Brian Cutting to put them 4-0 ahead at the turn. Terry Bosworth for Belmont continued his fine start to the season in which he has not yet lost a frame as he won both frames against Andy Jefferies and to put Belmont back into the match. Unfortunately for Belmont Dave Press could only draw with Ray Bancroft in two tight frames. 
Rolleston B had a fine win 5-3 away at Alrewas D. Bob Sanders making his first appearance of the season for Rolleston was well worth the wait as he was in superb potting form as he beat Brian Aldridge with something to spare. Dave Riley of Alrewas with some good pots took the first frame against Dave Bentley but Dave came back well to take the second. Brian Eccleston and Steve Atkins shared two highly competitive frames with neither player deserving to lose. Neil Cheadle took the valuable frame as he drew with Tony Trueman for a Rolleston victory. 
Willington D severely dimmed Ivanhoe D lights as they where thrashed 7-1 by a rampant Willington side. Dave Budworth and Trevor Heath set their stall out from the beginning as they put their side 4-0 to the good at the interval. Dave took no prisoners with a cracking display of potting against Jack Bale. Not to be out done “Hot Shot” Heath was also in a rich vein of form as he beat Eric Avins. Bill Davidson had to dig deep in his first frame with Tim Bale after going 38 behind. He did well to comeback and snatch the frame from a disappointed Tim. Bill took the second frame more comfortably after a spell of good safety play by both players. Willington’s new signing Simon Malpass showed early indications that it was going to be a bit of a demolition of Ivanhoe but he did not take into account the resilience of Warner Collins who dug deep to take the first frame but lost the second to Simon. This was Ivanhoe’s first defeat of the season and the win keeps Willington at the top.
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