Malew climb as Peel and St Olaves beaten

Handicap reviews to take place this week

Malew 2 shot up the table in week six of the 2018/19 Macs Builders Merchants snooker league, as the top two were both beaten.

Peel Legion had a tough trip away to Finch Hill 'Rockets', losing 3-2 – despite twice going ahead.

Mike Crook put them 1-0 up, before Marek Kenny levelled for the 'Rockets', then Geoff Hall put the league leaders 2-1 up – but Graham Ashton and Doug Kinrade sealed a big upset.

Jamie Wilson was the star individual performer of the week, with his break of 43 helping Douglas Snooker Club 'Newbys' stun second placed St Olaves.

Zain Abideen and Ste MacDonald also won to make it 3-0 despite a break of 24 for Sean Corkish, before a break of 22 for James Kerr helped stop the rot, but Simon Gardner beat Paul Smyth to make it 4-1.

The other player to score heavily this week was once again Peter Kirkham – he had breaks of 27, 21 and 20 in a single frame to register 119 points in his frame victory over Eric Drinkwater.

His Finch Hill 'Mob' lost, though, with Steve Oates the team's only other winner as Nick Crouchman, John Faragher and Tom Collister (despite a break of 20 for Pete Crellin) all won for Malew 1 on home turf in Ballasalla.

Malew 2 had a chance to capitalise, therefore, and capitalise they did – Alec Oates, Tony Pring, David Quayle, Mark Quinn and Paul Bridson all won to seal a comprehensive whitewash of bottom-of-the-table hosts Port St Mary Legion.

Elsewhere, Douglas Snooker Club 'Wannabes' recorded a valuable home victory over Finch Hill 'Musicians' after wins for Steve Cowin, Fred Corris and Steven Harvey – Mike Doherty and Vinny Dale got the points for the visitors.

Finally, Finch Hill 'Young Guns' won 3-2 at home to Douglas Snooker Club 'Hurricanes', after good performances from Calum Gardner, Brendan Clague and Nick Stephens – Chris Dagnall and Nigel Kermode were the winners for the 'Hurricanes'.

As six weeks have passed, the Isle of Man Billiards and Snooker Association will review players' handicaps this week, so scorecards may look very different next time out.

To see the league in full, head to: https://iom2011.leaguerepublic.com.