Owen Jones writes for the Just Wood Premier Division.
Swadlincote Snooker Centre A carried on their good form with a 7-1 victory over Stapenhill A. Andy Goldingay got them off to a great start by taking both frames from Chris Sheldrake. Mark Satchwell then followed suit by winning both frames against Andy Gretton. Steve Ayre got the higest break of the match, knocking in a 38 on the way to defeating Carl Jeffcote. The final game saw Chris Dewey share the frames with Steve Ford as the whitewash was avoided.
A closely fought match was played out at Ashby as Ivanhoe B overcame Alrewas B. Stuart Tagg and Carl Poulton fought out two scrappy frames to share the spoils. In both frames the high colours went safe but Tagg potted the crucial balls late on in the first and Poulton did the same in the second. Ian Hiley fought back against John Skellett who also shared the frames. Skellett taking his first frame of the season against an in-form Hiley, who took the second comfortably. Bren Mattley and Colin Kinsella also took a frame each. Mattley potting well in the first to open up a sizeable lead that Kinsella couldn’t claw back and Kinsella potting some great balls at the backend of the second frame to leave it all square. The final game of the night was the decider with Jason Pickering taking on Alrewas legend Dave Trueman. Unfortunately for Trueman there was no fire in his cue arm, and not even the chess club could save him, as Pickering took both frames easily to sow up a 5-3 win.
Ivanhoe A picked up a thumping win away to Alrewas A. Will Sherratt opened proceedings against Mick Kirk. It was Kirk who took both frames to put the visitors in front. John Sharpe then got a creditable draw against Any Marriott to grab a frame back for the hosts. That was as good as it got though as Ant Moore and Daniel Blunn did the business against Alan Wilson and Roy Sherratt respectively to leave the final score at 7-1 to the visitors.
Rileys A hosted another side who will be thereabouts come the end of the season, Belmont A. Wayne Brewin was in no mood to mess around as he knocked in breaks of 40 and 54 to take both frames from Ade Harper. Fran McInulty then also won both frames against Nigel Tomlinson. Mark Stirling shared the frames with Mark Press as both players potted well at key times. Tom Elliott flew into a big lead against Ian Archer only for the visiting player to claw it back to a black ball game. With the black at his mercy, Archer missed a straight pot which then subsequently rolled over the opposite pocket to hand his opponent the frame. Archer then made amends however as he wont the second.
Tony Coleman reporting on the David Wain Insurance Division 1
SDSC E maintained their rise up the table with a home win against Willington D winning 5-3. On table one the match between two of the most consistent players in the division Nick Harcombe and Dave Budworth of Willington ended as you would expect in a stalemate. Nick played well in the first frame to win fairly comfortably and the opposite happened in the second with Dave winning it. On table two Adi Millington put the Power Boys 3-1 ahead at the turn with a solid performance in beating Tony Mitchell. Not for the first time this season have Willington let their lead slip and this was no different. Andy Jefferies played some nice snooker as he beat fisherman’s friend Brian Alford whose safety play was not up to his normal high standard. Ray Stretton got the two frames SDSC required in a high quality match with Stephan Williams in which there was a number of quality pots.
The match between Willington C and Burton Cons C played at the Willington Arena was a tight match which you would expect from two teams who are third and second respectively in the division which ended honours even. Steve Lane got the A38 boys of to a good start in taking both frames off the unlucky Steve Castledine who is not having the best of runs at the moment but Steve Lane did pot well. The master break builder for the Cons Mick Buckland was again in good form as he beat Taylor Richardson with Mick knocking in a fine 32 break. This put the scoreline at 2-2. Another one of the Cons floating players Stuart Roberts who has stacks of Premier experience showed the difference as he won both frames fairly easily in beating Bradley Williams. Steve Butterworth got the draw for the home team in two tight frames with Ian Shrieve. Both players made valuable contributions in a good game of snooker.
The match between Alrewas C and Ivanhoe C was certainly a game of two halves with Alrewas storming into a 4-0 lead at the turn round and did not expect the Ivanhoe to come back like they did to win the last four frames for a thoroughly deserved draw. John Richardson got the ball rolling nicely for Alrewas with a great potting display against Darren Wilson to take both frames with some good potting which included a 44 break. John was well supported on the other table by Karl Hancox who was also in a potting frame of mind as he took both frames off Gaz Dolman which also included a nice break of 35 that included some good long pots. After that it was Ivanhoe’s turn. The revival was started by Graham Measures Ivanhoe’s captain. Who put in a battling performance to beat Tommy Wright with a mixture of good potting and safety play. Jerry Cook put in a cracking display and managing to hold his nerve as he won both frames against Colin Wood who tried extremely hard to get the win for Alrewas but to no avail.
SDSC D had a terrific win at home to the in-form Newhall A 5-3. Star player for SDSC was David Wain who was in great form to take both frames off Martin Hicks who has been in superb form all season but Dave with his own style of safety play and long potting was too much on the night although Martin did get some nice pots. Spurred on by David’s performance Brian Bloor shared the frames with Callum Gray with both players in good form. SDSC were 3-1 ahead at the turn and they managed to hold onto the lead to the end. Andy Bloor with a solid all round game was too good for Carl Glover as he won both frames for the win. Newhall’s Mark Anslow added some respectability to the scoreline as he won both frames fairly comfortably against Garton Bloor. Mark made a well constructed 33 break and with a little more run it could have been more.
Swad Cons A shared an enthralling match at home to Woodville S&S A. The match seemed to have everything – bad luck and good luck. Great sportsmanship and tension. Andy Grainger who has been in superb form all season continued in both frames against Jim Marcer. In the first frame Jim conceded on the green which showed how well Andy was playing. The second frame Andy was not so hot but still too good for Jim. Some of Andy’s potting was very good. On the other table l don’t believe Lee Wood can understand how he lost both frames to Alan Orpwood after being dominant in both frames and in front until the black ball. Lee was potting all of the first frame then Alan potted a great long brown into the black right hand pocket he then potted blue and pink and after a bout of safety play Alan potted a simple black. The second frame followed a similar pattern to the first with Alan keeping his nerve to pot the black. Simon Mansfield shared the frames with Tony Coleman with only a sheet of Bronco between them. Tony potted solidly but missed frame ball blue and Simon took his chance by potting the blue and a long range pink after a bout of safety play he also potted the black. The second frame Tony went into a 38 point lead but gradually Simon clawed his way back into the frame with some good potting and snookers. Tony potted the pink to make it that Simon required the black to tie which he did. During a good safety spell on the black Simon unfortunately feathered the black which was sportingly declared by Simon this was applauded by both teams. Paul Slater and Pat Ryan had a real fight on their hands in a close match with very little separating both players throughout the game. Paul managed to get Pat in a couple of good snookers which led to Paul winning on the pink. The second frame was just as tense with very little to separate the players. Pat potted the blue to make it that Paul required a snooker after a spot of safety play where Paul got the cue ball close to the black ball which hampered Pat’s cueing and caused him to hit across the cue ball and miss the pink. Luckily for Pat Paul’s attempt at potting the pink failed leaving a relieved Pat an easy pot for the draw. A very enthralling match played in great spirit.
In the battle between the bottom two teams Willington B and Rolleston A it was Rolleston the away side who came away the happier as they won 5-3. Willington started off the better with Tony Clements who was in fine potting form as he comfortably won both frames against Richard O’Dell which included a well made 42 break. Tony Rushton brought Rolleston back on level terms by taking both frames in a very close match with Trevor Heath with both players making some nice pots especially Tony. James Wilkinson helped the Rolleston cause by taking both frames in some style to beat Dave Mawhinney. James made a number of small breaks in both frames for the win. Captain Joe Docksey got his team over the line as he shared the frames with Steve Gaunt who did not have the best of running in the match.
Mark Vaughan writes for Forever Mobility Division 2
League leaders Stapenhill B turned on the style against Alrewas D, Greg Britton won the first easily and was in front in the second but in potting the green went in off giving Tony Trueman his chance, which he took potting the colours down to the pink to leave snookers, which was enough to give Tony the draw, while on the other table Stan Piechowicz got lucky in the first frame when Alrewas’s Brian Eccleston went in off on the black, the second frame was all Stan who took it for a two nil win. John Sherriff then had a great battle against Brian Aldridge and was made to fight all the way for his two frames, the match was ended by Andy Tomlinson winning a close first frame and then cruising the second for a good 7-1 home win to open a six point gap at the top of the table.
Belmont C have a game in hand and are looking like promotion candidates and this week felt they put on a below par team performance against Burton Cons D, Belmont’s Brian Cutting potted well to win the first frame and then got sloppy to lose the second to Nathan Brooks, Terry Bosworth fared better feeling fortunate to defeat Burton’s Paul Brooks, next up for Belmont was a hobbling Glen Mathews who wasn’t at his best, but managed a draw against Simon Malpass, the last two frames were shared by Doug Less and Ian Protheroe for a 5-3 Belmont away win.
Belmont D hosted the Riley’s B Snookettes, Kate Stirling went on first against Tom Holland and took the first frame to the black ball with some excellent long potting, Tom left a difficult pot on the black which Kate took on and bobbled it in the jaws of the pocket and then had to watch as the white went in off to give the frame away. The second frame was better and Kate potted superbly to win it. Micky Morris took on Gilda Horvath and despite some stubborn resistance Gilda went down two nil, Brett Craddock then played Yvonne Spendlove and won two frames with some excellent play. The final match between Mark Vaughan and Claire Roulstone was over quickly with the Riley’s team just not getting to grips with the fast Belmont tables to give the home team a seven one win.
Rolleston B played Swad Cons C in an entertaining match, Swad’s Reg Shorthouse played two good frames that were decided on the last few colours with Neil Cheadle winning both for the home team, this was matched by Steve Atkins who had all the run of the ball to beat Swad’s Roan Bartholomew, Dave Bentley won his first frame for the home team win against Dan Petcher and John Ward had to rue his hard luck against John Petcher losing both frames when a draw would of been a much fairer result which made the score a more respectable for Swad Cons C, losing five three.
Swad Cons D got back into the groove against stable mates, the B team, and won in style, Kieran Dadley and Marc Egan won two frames each for a four none lead, the B teams Matt Newbold showed his skill by beating Dave Bodie but it was the D teams Gaz Ward who put his stamp on the match winning both his frames for the team victory 6-2 and making the divisions highest break so far with a 42.
Woodville B have been putting some good results together over the last few weeks but were brought back to earth by high flying Tutbury B, for the home team Jack and Mark Gallagher drew with John Peto and Colin Bell respectively Colin knocking in a 32 break in the frame he won but it was the damage inflicted by Tutbury pair Jeff Siddalls and Paul Atterbury who won all there frames for a 6-2 win to move them into third place.
Ivanhoe D also had a hard night at home to second placed Rolleston C, Tony Tredger taking one off Rolleston’s Rob Sanders as did Tim Bale against Ade Owen, the second half though was all Rolleston with Lionel Lewis and Kev Norris winning all four frames for an impressive 6-2 away