Owen Jones writes for the Just Wood Premier Division.
Ivanhoe A picked up a good 6-2 victory as they visited Swadlincote Snooker Centre A. Steve Ayre played out an even draw with Daniel Blunn. Chris Dewey found Ant Moore too good on the night. Andy Goldingay played Ian Rennocks and they shared a frame a piece with Rennocks knocking in a lovely 73 break to take his frame. Finally, John Davis played the top ranked player in the league Andy Marriott. The visiting player lived up to the billing as he compiled breaks of 30, 32, 50 and 58 to win both frames easily and complete the scoring.
Willington A hosted Belmont A in what turned out to be a close match. Bill Stewart and Ian Archer won a frame each, as did Alan Davies and Josh Gebbie. Daz Lester and Fran McInulty followed suit as they also shared the frames. The decisive encounter saw Gaz Barker beaten by Wayne Brewin to seal the win for the visitors.
Ivanhoe B welcomed the league leaders Burton Cons A. The visitors went away with a 7-1 victory. John Skellett faced in form Matt Milnes and it was Milnes who took both frames, aided by a 31 break. Bren Mattley found Darren Coady too strong as the Cons player knocked in a 37 break on the way to victory. Jason Pickering lost 2-0 to John Shilton but the frames were closer than the score line suggests. Ivan Birkin knocked in a lovely 54 break against Owen Jones that could have been more. Jones responded to take the second frame with a cracking long blue to close out the match.
Belmont B hosted strugglers Stapenhill A and picked up a good 6-2 victory. Arron Vaughan drew with Steve Ford and Shaun Gebbie also shared the frames with Mark Waldron, who knocked in a lovely 22 clearance to win his frame. Rich Goldby won both frames against Chris Sheldrake despite the Stapenhill players excellent safety play, compiling a 38 break in the process. Miffa Smith also won both frames against Andy Gretton to complete the scoring.
Tutbury A won a close match against Alrewas B with three black ball finishes and two pink ball frame deciders. The only match without a tight finish had its own drama. Colin Kinsella took both frames off Steve Hathaway but that was after three frames had been started. The second frame ended in some push and pull to the pack and both players decided on a re-rack. Dave Powell potted a great long blue and a fantastic pink with the rest to take the first against Ian Hiley but Hiley hit back with the second in relatively comfortable fashion. Chris Mabbott took both off Carl Poulton in a scrappy but tight affair. The first was on the final pink after Poulton had been ahead most of the way and the second on the final black after a good long pink from Mabbott. Adam Walton must wonder what he’s done wrong after losing two frames to Dave Mabbott each on a black ball finish. The first saw some good snooker with Walton needing to sink a pink to take it only to see it jaw and leave Mabbott the simple clearance. The second, an almost identical affair, with Walton again having a chance on the pink but leaving Mabbott with the clearance. An unbelievable night for Alrewas, but a successful one for Tutbury.
Tony Coleman Reporting on the David Wain Insurance Division 1
Burton Cons B had a fine win at home to Woodville S&S A winning 5-3. Simon Smith won both frames against Jim Marcer and this was the difference between the two sides. Simon and Jim’s first frame started off with very little between them then Simon got into the potting zone leaving Jim needing to take all the colours to win and he was let in and he potted the first three colours only to go in-off on the brown this led to the end of the frame to Simon. In the second frame Simon was in superb potting form and missing very little such that Jim conceded early on the colours. Dave Shipton made it 3-1 at the turnaround as he shared the frames with Tony Coleman. The first frame was very tight thanks to some good potting and safety play by both players. Tony won the first frame with a nice brown to black clearance. In the second frame Dave was very determined to win it as he made a number fine pots leaving Tony needing snookers on the brown. What a first frame between Jason Anguish and Alan Orpwood. Alan started off very well making some nice pots throughout the frame building up a nice lead on the pink which meant that Jason required two snookers on the pink. After a period of time he managed to get the snookers required and with Alan going in-off a couple of times leaving Jason requiring only the pink which he gratefully potted. The second frame started off a bit scratchy with both Jason and Alan making a number of good pots with Alan just creeping in front and getting down to the pink with Jason requiring a snooker which much to Alan’s relief he failed to get and this gave him a deserved frame. Tom Egginton and Pat Ryan shared two well contested frames with Tom the more dominant in the first frame and it was Pat’s turn in the second. Both players made it an enjoyable match to watch. Acting captain Dave Shipton still has a 100% success rate.
Willington C who are in second place are gradually opening up a gap between themselves and third placed team Burton Cons C after their fine home win at the Arena winning 5-3. Tim Hodgkinson and James Wilkinson shared an honourable draw with both players making some fine pots with Tim making a nice 28 break to win his frame. At the same time as Tim was making his 28 break on the other table Loz Kennerson was also doing the same against Rolleston captain Joe Docksey. Loz also won the second frame to beat an out of sorts Joe. Steve Lane got the all important two frames for the home side as he beat Bobby Cliff with both players at times making some great safety shots. Tony Rushton for Rolleston was in electricifying form as he continued his great spell of form from the previous week when he beat Andy Grainger this time it was Steve Butterworth’s turn to feel the wrath of Tony’s potting. Both players made a number of small breaks but with Tony always having the upper hand. This was a well contested match.
Swad Cons A slipped up at home to Ivanhoe C losing 5-3. Both of these teams could still get into the promotion places. Lee Wood shared the frames with Graham Measures with neither player being at their best. For the Cons Andy Grainger got back to something like his best form as he won both frames with some stylish potting to beat Darren Wilson who made some valiant attempts to stay with him. The Ivanhoe star players were Jerry Cook who was in fine form in taking both frames against Paul Slater who was not at his best. The other star was Gaz Dolman who played two cracking frames to beat Mark Hadley which also included a 32 break to take one of the frames. Mark also played his part in the match with some solid pots.
SDSC D had a nice win of 6-2 against a depleted Burton Cons C who could only field a side with three players. Andrew Bloor got the home side off to a good start in taking both frames against Ian Shrive which included breaks of 24 and 23. Floating player Pete Maquire then shared the frames with Jim Jennings in a couple of entertaining frames with both players getting in some nice pots. This put SDSC 3-1 ahead at the turn and they had also won the match as the Cons had to concede two frames for not having a fourth player. Garton Bloor managed to put his feet up although he would have much preferred to have had a game of snooker. Brian Huckerby an occasional player for the Cons did really well to draw with John Chambers.
Alrewas C are having a great second half of the season as they beat fourth placed Newhall A 6-2. Newhall at the moment seem to have lost their early season promise. Karl Hancox had to make somebody pay for the loss of his two frames the previous week and unfortunately it was Martin Hicks. Karl went 20 points behind before he slipped into gear and knocked in breaks of 32 and 37 respectively to win the first frame. Karl won the second frame fairly comfortably without making any sizeable breaks. On the other table Rob McMeecham had little trouble in winning both frames against an out of sorts Mark Anslow. John Richardson at the moment is in great form as Sam Hicks would surely agree as he won both frames fairly easily with breaks of 30 and 36 in the first frame. Newhall’s captain Carl Glover improved the situation a little as he beat Colin Wood. Carl played some solid snooker to win the first and took the second thanks to a superb long pot on the pink.
SDSC E slipped up at home to a rejuvenated Willington B losing 5-3. Nick Harcombe and Andy Jenkins shared two entertaining frames with both players getting some nice pots to win their frames. For Willington Trevor Heath’s cue was smokin’ as he was in awesome potting form as he took both frames fairly easily against Phil Maddocks. Andy Jefferies retrieved the situation for the home side with a very good performance in beating Tony Clements both players making some valuable contributions to a entertaining match. Steve Gaunt got the vital two winning frames for Willington as he beat Ray Bancroft with both players at times struggling to get into their potting rhythm. Willington’s steady improvement is gradually moving them away from the relegation zone.
It was great to see Warner Collins aka the Dancing Queen back playing snooker again at the Ivanhoe on Monday evening hopefully he will be back in the team soon.
Mark Vaughan writes for the Forever Mobility Division 2
Stapenhill are edging closer to promotion and put on another good display against promotion hopefuls Tutbury B, Andy Tomlinson got them off to a great start by defeating Tutbury’s Dave Brady backed up by the Stapenhill captain Greg Britton who drew with John Peto, the second half was all Stapenhill as Tim Knopik and John Sherriff won all there frames for a comprehensive 7-1 win, Tim being the first man this season to take two frames off Paul Atterbury.
Rolleston C currently second in the league as the race for promotion hots up and this week faced Alrewas D a team capable of beating anyone on the night, Rolleston’s Rob Sanders, Kev Norris and Rob Tubey all drew but the difference was Lionel Lewis who took two frames to win the match for Rolleston to keep them on course for promotion.
Belmont D took on Swad Cons C at home and had a great match, Brett Craddock faced Swad’s John Griffin and in the first both players potted well and the frame went down to the final black ball which Brett thought he had played safe, John came to the table with the white behind the baulk line and the black two inches below the middle pocket which he took on down the rail and potted gaining him a round of applause from all players, the second frame went much the same to give Swad cons the early lead, Tom Holland who has not been at his best for the last few weeks had a tussle with Pete Fearn, both players making small breaks until the end when Pete took the last four balls to win the frame, the next frame was all Pete and Belmont thought they were going to be four nil down, Tom slowly pulled back into the game and required pink and black to win it, he had a bit of luck fluking the pink in the middle bag and then took the black in the other for a 3-1 Swad lead, Micky Morris then went on for the home team and played solidly to get Belmont level in the match, both captains faced each other Mark Vaughan took a tight first frame but played well to take the last frame to give his team an unlikely victory against the likeable Swad side.
Ivanhoe D have turned a poor start to the season into a charge for promotion and this week came up against another side who look good to make the jump to division one, Belmont C. Ashby’s Jason Collins took on Terry Bosworth and two good games ended as a draw as did Tim Bale against Belmont’s Mark Press, Jack Bale put Ashby Ivanhoe in front by beating the Belmont stalwart Dougie Lees. This left Tony Tredger to try and win the match for Ashby, but as so often this season the immense Brian Cutting came out and saved his team winning both to earn Belmont a valuable draw.
Burton Cons D faced Rolleston B in a close encounter, Dave Bentley came from 26 behind in his first frame against Burton’s Simon Malpass, the Burton man clinching the second on the Pink, Arron Doyle then played solidly to give Rolleston the lead by taking two frames off Nathan Brooks, Paul Brooks took the first against Neil Cheadle, With Neil potting better in the second finishing with a good 22 clearance. The match was wrapped up by Rolleston’s Steve Atkin who made sure of the win taking his first frame with some fine potting against Ian Protheroe, Ian taking the second with a more tactical approach.
Woodville SS B took on Swad Cons B, Mark Gallagher got the home team on the scoreboard by taking a frame against Bob McInulty, Wayne Allen then came up against Swads Matt Newbold with Matt potting well including a 25 break to win both, Swad’s captain Paul Hollis then won the match by beating Bill Hunt and it was wrapped up by Jake Mole who drew with Terry Eyley for a 6-2 scoreline. Swad Cons D won 6-2 against Riley’s B, Kate Stirling winning two for Riley’s against Andy Boam.