Snooker: Co-league leaders all win again

Three teams still locked together at the top

Report by Mike Crook:

Peter Kirkham of Finch Hill Mob produced a vintage performance in this week’s Mann Crane Hire Snooker League. 

Elsewhere, the three co-leaders going into week nine of PSM Legion, Blinders and Hurricanes all won.

Malew 2-3 Port St Mary Legion

Report by Alec Oates:

Tony Pring 38-46 Marc Morley - The standard wasn't great, just five points in it going onto the colours. Marc took yellow, Tony green and brown but Marc cleared the blue, pink and black. James Goodwin 71-16 Phil Joynes - Phil was nowhere near his best and with Jimmy making some excellent pots the surrender came on the yellow. Mark Quinn 36-77 Terry Tobin - Mark was also struggling to find his potting boots. Terry strung some good pots together with teens breaks and was too good. Alec Oates 71-39 Andrew Hutchison - Needing snookers, Andy laid one on the green which was just behind the pink, close to the far right side cushion. Alec played off the black cushion and managed to go around both balls leaving a free ball. Alec was put back in, this time striking the pink! Any chance of a steal for Andrew was snuffed out when Alec fluked the green plus the brown, the handshake came soon after. Tony Cubbon 39-73 Terry Boyle - Tony was 21 points up in the decider after an early 29 break. But things went downhill from hereon in, he gave away at least five fouls, including when angled by a middle pocket. Terry failed to capitalise on a free ball, missing an easy pot, but it didn't matter because he later took brown, blue and pink.

Cue Zone Masters 1-4 The Hurricanes

Report by Jez Hill:

An excellent away performance from the Hurricanes, two of the closest frames to start, Brendan Clague 59-60 Brandon Forrester and Tommy Clague 87-91 Jamie Wilson. Brandon knocking in a full length black from baulk and Jamie hit a 22 break in their respective wins. Ivan McMaw 28-61 Nialls Wilson - Niall’s continued his impressive form, missing very little. With Phil Joynes and Stuart Sandford both losing, he heads the individual league. Jez Hill 49-41 Rob Cowin - Jez was behind for most of the frame, but nicked it after back-doubling the blue into the yellow pocket and followed it with pink and black for an 18 clearance. Les Briggs 20-61 Danny Kane - Danny played a very good frame, easing to victory. 

Snooker Bar-barians 1-4 Cue Zone Blinders

Report by Scott Campton:

Chris Lawless 38-81 Shaun Roberts - Shaun took his chances well and got the run for a couple of snookers which Chris struggled to get out of. Paul Mackie 23-56 Harry Ellis - Harry was in fine form here and almost had his first league 20 break, clearing from brown to pink, narrowly missing a finely cut black. Mark Davenport 67-60 Alex Kennedy - Mark had to chase here, but Alex, as he’s shown multiple times so far this year, held his own, keeping the lead for the most part. On the green with Mark needing a snooker, Mark managed get the green over its own pocket with the black an inch away from it, leaving Alex in horrible snooker. A couple of fouls later and Alex couldn’t recover. Andy Moore 48-71 David Hill - A slow start from Dave as he was not getting colours. He finally found some rhythm and managed to close the game out. Stephen Berry 38-79 Scott Campion - Scott was struggling early on to catch the 28 start with pink and black tied up. Some good snookers lead to points on the board and he finished the match with a similar chance as Harry for a 22, but missed the final black. 

St Olave's 2-3 The Cue Ballers

Paul Smyth 39-60 Lee Gale - Things looked bleak for Gale as he missed the pack on his break. However, he did show glimpses of form thereafter with a couple of teen breaks. With the frame gone at the yellow, Smyth cleared nicely down to the black for a 20 break. Dave Kelly 57-27 Kam Virk - Virk potted a great last red and the black to centre looked a formality. He missed and it proved crucial as Kelly mopped up the colours to the pink. Geoff Hall 32-55 Dave Welsh - A tough task for Hall conceding 14, he nearly levelled before Welsh started to make more of his chances, winning on the blue. Stuart Sandford 58-67 Matt Monks - Sandford was unbeaten and Monks hadn’t won in four outings, both new to the league this season. Monks hit a 20 break mid-frame, but Sandford was playing well too and looked to have it in control until Monks took green, brown and blue. Sandford rattled frame ball pink and Monks cleared for frame and match to the Cue Ballers. Mike Crook 63-55 Richard Hillier - With the frame in the balance, a couple of good safety shots from Crook paid off and he cut a tricky pink into the green bag, cueing over the middle pocket. 

Port St Mary Strollers 2-3 Finch Hill Musicians

Report by Matt Dodd:

Denis Boyle 74-53 Calum Gardner - Calum was looking favourite after chasing down 42 until Denis pulled off two great pots on blue and pink. Harry Boyle 51-54 Vic Rigby - Vic potted a tremendous black having looked down and out. Ian Brookfield 60-54 Matt Dodd - This apparently ‘had it all’ including a 25 break from Ian before Doddsy cruelly went in-off the black. Dave Hanlon and Paul Tangeman then both won their first games of the season to give the Musicians the victory, Max Barnes 57-80 Hanlon and Mike Boyle 52-72 Tangeman. Mike got the 35 start back, showing what he’s capable of, Paul was left with a full length blue, then took an excellent pink to end his long wait. 

Finch Hill Mob 4-1 Finch Hill Rockets

Report by Graham Ashton:

The Rockets have now lost all their ‘away’ matches, albeit this was a Finch Hill derby. The first four frames ended, Steve Finnegan 67-49 Leon Martin, then three black ballers, Jonny Hogg (24 break) 68-69 Rodger Clague, Alan Heath 57-51 Marc Bolton and Lee Hunt 70-56 Graham Ashton. The best was certainly saved until last in a frame that ended Peter Kirkham 101-71 Paddy Delaney - Paddy started well with a black and pink to add to his 56 start, but unfortunately that was where it ended as Peter dominated the frame thereafter. Controlled breaks of 43 and 42, only once losing position slightly in each, position regained by a superb long red in one and an amazing long pink cueing over other balls in the other, whilst on route to a great clearance. A justified burst of applause rang out for a performance a pro would have been chuffed with! 

The Miscues 3-2 DSB Wannabes

Two lowly-placed teams, but both on good runs. Wannabes were looking for a fourth win in a row and Miscues looking for a hat-trick. An impressive win for Luca McDermott and Dale Walker completed his own hat-trick to put the Miscues two up, Michael Creer and a first league win in nearly three years for Wannabes reserve Harry Minor levelled matters. Sadly for Wannabes, Paul McKinstry couldn’t bring it hope this time against Ollie Pickford. Frame scores: Luca McDermott 81-23 Steve Cowin, Dale Walker 58-48 David Callister, Mark Corlett 43-65 Michael Creer, Ben Peach 56-59 Harry Minor and Ollie Pickford 66-46 Paul McKinstry.