2014-15: Week 2

Owen Jones writes for the Just Wood Premier Division.

Week 2 of the Burton and District Snooker League Premier Divivsion saw Ivanhoe A pick up a good 6-2 win at Alrewas B. First up Colin Kinsella took on the league’s number one player Andy Marriott. After a great 43 in the first Marriott sealed the frame comfortably. Kinsella fought back in the second and should have taken the frame after a couple of opportunities, but Marriott held his nerve and took the frame on the final black. Ant Moore also took the first against Adam Walton with a nice 42 but the second was a different affair. Walton looked in control after some great long potting but some unfortunate run allowed Moore back in and he held his nerve again to take the game in another final black. Ian Hiley and Rennocks played a high quality match and shared the frames. Hiley’s long potting should have seen him to both frames but Rennocks clawed his way back in the second and won it on the colours. Finally Carl Poulton and Mick Kirk shared the spoils in a tight game. Poulton always ahead in the first got himself ahead but Kirk found a way to win the second frame even after Poulton’s steady 31 break.

Ivanhoe B began their first home game back in the premier division in great style. Ivan Birkin playing John Chambers, played very well to take both the frames, including a 33 break. On the other table Stuart Tagg played some of his best snooker knocking in long pot after long pot, putting Ivanhoe into an amazing 4-0 half time lead. A big win looked on the cards when Jason Pickering won the first frame in no time against Mark Stirling helped by a 35 break. On the other table Nigel Tomlinson took both frames against an out of sorts John Skellett. It looked like 6-2 after Jason Pickering knocked in another 30 break in the second frame, but Mark Stirling worked his way back into the frame and eventually won on the black for a 5-3 Ivanhoe win.

Burton Cons A got back to winning ways against Swadlincote Snooker Centre A. Matt Milnes began strongly against Steve Ayre, taking both frames including a 43 break. On the other table, Owen Jones was also in fine fettle against Chris Dewey, winning a close first frame and then knocking in a 33 in the second to put the hosts 4-0 up. The second half began with Stuart Roberts knocking in a 34 in sharing the frames with Andy Goldingay. Floater Mike Buckland then lost his first premier league frame to John Davis, but potted very well to earn a draw and leave the final score 6-2 in the champion’s favour.

Swadlincote Snooker Centre B were on fire against Willington A taking all the frames in an 8-0 whitewash. Henry Thomas, Mark Satchwell, Ben Davies and Pete Maguire defeated Bill Stewart, Wayne Pereira, Daz Lester and Alan Davies respectively in what was a great win on the night.

Belmont B claimed their first victory of the season against Tutbury A. Josh Gebbie defeated Dave Mabbott, and Michael Lomas also took maximum frames against Pete Shaw to put the home side in command. Arron Vaughan clinched the victory for Belmont by taking a frame against Steve Mabbott. Chris Mabbott took both frames from Miffa Smith for the visitors but the match was won 5-3 in the home side’s favour.

Stapenhill A and Alrewas A shared their match. Steve Ford won both frames against Will Sherratt to put the Stapenhill side in front. Phil Marklew responded by beating Carl Jeffcoate to level the scores. Chris Sheldrake drew with Alan Wilson and Mark Waldron drew with John Sharpe to complete the tie.

Tony Coleman Reporting on David Wain Insurance Division 1

Promoted SDSC E started their season in great style in beating one of the fancied teams for promotion this season in the shape of Swad Cons A winning 6-2.  Nick Harcombe shared two high quality frames with Andy Grainger with both players getting some good pots.  Tony Mitchell also did his bit sharing the honours with Lee Wood with the safety play of both players good at times.  Andy Jefferies played exceptionally well in beating Paul Slater in a couple of close frames.  SDSC star player was Ray Bancroft who was in tremendous form in taking both frames with a mixture of good safety play and potting as he beat Simon Mansfield.

Burton Cons B have had a great start to the season with a fine away win against newly promoted Willington D winning 5-3.  Brian Alford and Ian Shrive shared two tight frames with Brian taking the first.  Ian squared the frames by potting a good pink and black. Another close match on the other table was between the undefeated Adi Millington and the Cons charismatic James Jennings.  Adi by the sound of it had the best of the running in both frames.  In the first he doubled the black the length of the table for the frame and to win the second again on the black.  This time with a cocked hat shot which made Jim smile!!!  Simon Grace was most unfortunate to have to play Mick Buckland who at the moment is in a rich grain of form.  Mick in the first knocked a superb 45 break with a number of difficult pots.  For good measure he knocked a 27 break in the second.  Steve Castledine just managed to beat Bill Davidson in a close first frame.  In the second frame Bill must have thought he was home and dry as Steve required two snookers and also forty points behind but Steve battled on and remarkably won the frame and match for a delighted Burton Cons.

Woodville S&S A continued their start to the season with a very good away win at Ivanhoe C winning 5-3.  Steve Cockerham in the first frame was in excellent potting form against Alan Orpwood to take the frame and was a little unlucky to lose the second frame going in-off after potting the black although to be fair Alan deserved the frame for potting a very good brown and blue.  On the other table we had two marathon frames between Gaz Dolman and Jim Marcer both players who normally get on with the game got bogged down in both frames with Jim winning the first frame on the black and the second on the pink.  This put Woodville 3-1 ahead at the turn.  This soon became 4-1 as Tony Coleman took the first frame on the pink with a fine cut into the green pocket against Jerry Cook.  The second frame was also decided on the pink ball this time in Jerry’s favour which was a fair result.  For the second week running it was down to Pat Ryan to get the winning frame as he drew with Graham Measures in two good frames of snooker. The first frame Pat should have won after potting a cracking blue into the yellow pocket but he fluffed his attempt on the easy pink to let Graham take the frame.  The second frame was the complete opposite with Graham well in control and appeared to be cruising to victory until he went in-off trying to play safe.  This gave Pat the opportunity to get back into the frame which he did to take the frame and match for Woodville.

Newhall A won their first match of the season against Willington B winning 5-3.  Their cause was helped immensely by Willington only turning up with three players.  The team of three battled very hard to overcome the loss.  Mark Anslow got Newhall off to an excellent start by winning both close frames with Lee Cooke.  Both players got some cracking pots during the frames.  Steve Butterworth then got Willington on the score sheet as he won both games against Lee Sherratt who was playing his first game of the season.  In the first frame Steve missed very little.  Martin Hicks managed to get Newhall over the line but only just as he drew with Steve Lane who made Martin fight all the way the some telling safety play.  Callum Gray put his feet up for his two frames.

Willington B  had a very good first win of the season as they hammered SDSC D 7-1.  John Chambers got SDSC’s only frame of the night as he drew with Dave Mawhinney with both players making plenty of pots to make it an entertaining match to watch.  Trevor “Hot Shot” Heath rolled back the years with a very good display of potting that the unfortunate Brian Bloor could only sit back and watch.  Tony Clements back in the side this week took two close frames off Garton Bloor.  Steve Gaunt played some of his best snooker for quite a while as he took both frames off an out of sorts Andy Bloor.  This win should help the Willington boys get over being relegated last season and become one of the strong favourites to go straight back up.

Mark Vaughan writes for Forever Mobility Division 2

Tutbury B got off to a slow start with Dave Brady a touch unlucky to lose the first to Alrewas’s Tom Smith who was helped by a “ball in hand” moment from Brady following a Smith foul proved to be a bit of a head scratcher for the referee, but it was all settled amicably and ended with the Tutbury man taking the second as well. Colin Bell won 2 frames, Brian never really got into top gear and Bell rode his luck to take the first comfortably. Eccleston rallied in the second frame and Bell again went for his shots and getting them to win with brown, blue and pink. Jeff Siddles and Shaun Tubbert had two good frames. Both potting well, in the end it was Siddles experience potting the important balls and stringing breaks together when it mattered to take 2 frames. Paul Atterbury went on last against Alrewas’s Dave Riley; Riley flew out of the blocks in the first frame to take the first with Atterbury needing snookers on the colours. With the rest of the matches done and the score at 4-3 it was a complete role reversal in the second frame. Atterbury took the initiative and got himself an early lead. Riley again potted well but Atterbury wasn’t going to let it slip and with Riley needing snookers himself this time on the colours and Tutbury ran out 5-3 winners.

Swad Cons B hosted Belmont D in an entertaining match, Bob McInulty went on against Tom Holland and took both frames with solid play off an out of sorts Holland, on the other table Belmont’s Micky Morris took the first frame comfortably off Matt Newbold with Matt coming back strongly to give the home team a 3-1 lead, Jack Turner got some good pots but it wasn’t enough as Belmont’s Ross Hollis took both frames, on the other table Belmont’s Brett Craddock won the first frame to give the away side the lead with one frame to play, Colin Cope took a lead and only required one colour to win the game but Craddock took ball after ball and potted the black to take the match to a re-spotted black, after several attempts Colin Cope took the black with an excellent pot in the middle pocket to earn his team a draw.
Burton Cons D teams Al Munnien got off to a good start against Stapenhill B’s Stan Piechowicz winning the first frame and then narrowly losing the second while on the other table Colin Britton defeated Paul Brooks, Burton’s Ian Protheroe striking back to take two off Stapenhill’s Tim Knopik levelling the match leaving John Sheriff go win the two frames against Simon Malpass for a good 5-3 Stapenhill win.

Swad Cons C teams Dan Petcher got them off to a good start by beating Rolleston C teams Paul Clarke, Ade Owen coming back for the visitors against Pete Fearn, Jon Petcher then drew with Kev Norris leaving the match result on the last pairing of Ron Kendrick against Rolleston’s Bob Sanders, it was the Rolleston player that took both earning his team an away win.

Rolleston B hosted Swad Cons D which ended in a draw, Swad’s Gaz Ward took two frames as did Rolleston’s Aaron Doyle with all other players drawing.

Woodville B got off to a good start at home to Ashby Ivanhoe D with Jim Gardner winning two frames against Tim Bale with the help of a 27 break, This was as good as it got for the home team as Ivanhoe’s Jack Gallagher, Warner and Jason Collins won all their frames for an impressive 6-2 victory.