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Snooker: Finch Hill Rockets lead league at halfway stage

But top by just one point after narrow loss

Finch Hill Rockets head the Macs Builders Merchants Snooker League at the halfway stage by just one point after suffering another narrow loss.

 

Finch Hill Rockets 2-3 Cue Zone Blinders

Marek Kenny 36-72 Jez Hill, Kenny wasn’t at his best, missing many chances and Hill extended away, potting well and left Kenny needing two snookers on the colours. Hill potted brown, blue and pink well to seal his fate. Graham Ashton 55-51 Ivan McMaw, McMaw completely dominated the game, a 20 break, excellent potting and safety, left Ashton needing two snookers with the last three colours remaining. However, the Rockets winning most player wasn’t done despite being forced to pot the blue hanging over a pocket. McMaw went in-off on a pot attempt at the pink, and Ashton managed a good snooker behind the black which McMaw failed to escape. Ashton took pink and black to steal a frame he should never have won. Jonny Hogg 60-33 Scott Campion, steady stuff from Hogg with a few small breaks, and some excellent tuck up snookers and the odd great long ball. Marc Bolton 45-69 Brandon Forrester and Doug Kinrade 57-82 Calum Gardner, pulled things around for the Blinders. Just a 24 break this week from Gardner.

 

Finch Hill Reprobates 3-2 Finch Hill Musicians

Report by Rhys Moore:

The Musicians were fast out of the blocks taking frames one and two at ease. Ashley Howard 36-72 Mike Doherty, Doherty displayed some excellent single-ball long potting and also composed a couple of small breaks, quickly eating away Howard’s start. Howard had some good long pots of his own but struggled to capitalise. Doherty cleared green to pink, leaving the black in the jaws whilst trying for a 25 clearance. Dollin Mercer 32-84 David McVeigh was even more comfortable. Continuing his comeback from injury, Mercer created several chances early on with medium range reds, but missed some big colours which then went safe. Some assured potting from McVeigh and a messy table layout meant Mercer never got close to making up the 56 point start. Mercer played on to no avail needing several snookers whilst also trying to get a break. Chris Killey 56-51 Vic Rigby, Killey had some solid potting but Rigby slowly wound the 21 start in to overhaul Killey on the pink to take it to the black. Some decent safety play followed by both parties until Killey, attempting a double, missed but got the bonus of a triple to steal it and give the Reprobates their first frame of the night. Paul Tangeman 63-30 Matthew Dodd, in-off’s meant that Tangeman’s start had extended to nearly the 30 before the frame really got going. Neither player was happy with the quality of their performance but Tangeman held the lead for the remainder of the frame to level the match. Rhys Moore 55-50 Dave Hanlon, chasing a 28 point start Hanlon was only a couple behind by the time the reds were cleared. After trading blows over the colours, Hanlon took the lead after potting the pink. With frame and match at stake both men struggled to remember how to pot and got caught up in a strange tactical battle which must have baffled those watching the events unfold! It was Moore who eventually tucked the black away.

 

St Olaves 3-2 Finch Hill Mob

Report by Paul Smyth:

Darrell Thacker 69-55 Peter Kirkham, Thacker started well potting with colours extending his lead. Despite a 22 from Kirkham he was soon looking for snookers. Paul Smyth 74-52 Steve Finnegan, early on Finn was missing chances he would normally get, and Smyth potted his way into a lead. Finn then came back right into it only for Smyth to clear green to pink to get over the line. Dave Kelly 86-72 Tom Miller, some good single reds and the odd colour stretched Kelly's 63 start. Miller potted well to stay in it, but good safety and picking off pots saw Kelly over the line despite Miller's great efforts for snookers. Adam Blake 53-67 Peter Crellin, Blake started nervously missing a few pots he'd normally power in, Crellin pushed ahead with some excellent play and a timely tasty 38 crushing Blake’s spirited fightback. James Kerr 10-86 Steve Oates, this frame started with three fouls, possibly a first? Oates missed the pack on the break-off, Kerr hit the pack and ended up in green pocket, then with ball in hand Oates missed the pack again! Eventually, Oates did find his range and increased his 56 start as Kerr struggled to make any impact, while Oates kept it tight for the win.

 

Douglas Snooker Bar Wannabes 3-2 Peel Legion

Hold the back page, Wannabes win again, consecutive wins for the first time since May. Harry Minor 79-24 Don Humphries, giving a 28 start, miscuing on a red but hitting the black, then under hitting the easiest of blues to the middle was far from an ideal start for Humphries. Minor with his confidence boosted took the frame at leisure with good potting. Steve Cowin 74-70 Mike Crook, chasing a 42 start Crook started strongly with a couple of teen breaks plus a 23. But Cowin too had his moments and was just 14 in arrears on the blue. A bad safety let Cowin in for the blue which was no gimme, then after Crook went for an over ambitious frame ball pink, Cowin cleared nicely. David Callister 63-36 Geoff Hall, this was similar to frame one, Callister starting 35 up was never seriously threatened and took his chances well, a doubled black into a corner possibly his best shot. Dave Corris 65-67 Barton Beaumont, Corris had frame four at his mercy, some good snookers paying dividends, but a late fight back on the colours from Beaumont took it to the black. Corris didn’t get enough bottom on the cue ball and followed it in down the side cushion. Paul McKinstry 49-76 John Kelly, Kelly gave Peel some further consolation with a patient display chasing 35. McKinstry made him work hard though, and was very unlucky when snookered on the final yellow. He sent the white diagonally across the table from one corner to pot the yellow at the other end of the table, but only to then follow it in! A nice win for the Wannabes despite losing the last two frames.

 

Port St Mary Legion 4-1 Malew

Report by Terry Boyle:

PSM claimed the biggest win of the week, their first at home since the table was refurbished, all the frames strangely one-sided. Marc Morley 80-44 David Quayle, Morley’s best performance this season, Rads never at the races. Phil Joynes 87-29 Tony Pring, Pring started with a good red but left the black over the pocket. Joynes took a red and black and a repeat performance from Pring's next visit, the black again failing to drop. The run continued in Joynes favour. Dave Pickersgill 84-46 James Goodwin, Pickersgill got the 28 start back before Goodwin potted a ball and ran out an easy winner. Terry Boyle 34-66 Mark Quinn, only Postie delivered for Malew and played well, good potting and excellent safety, no complaints from Terry. Mike Boyle 75-29 Alec Oates, Mike was steady, had a 24 break and kept Oates mainly at the baulk end. A rare off-night for Oates.

 

Jacksons 3-2 The Hurricanes

Report by Paul Smith:

Alex Sinclair 70-50 Jamie Wilson, Wilson cut the gap to just 6 points aided by a 24 break with a couple of reds remaining. He looked favourite, but Sinclair had a 22 himself and managed to stretch his lead back out to just over 20 with the colours remaining. Wilson needed all the colours from green to win the frame, but a timely fluke on the green from Sinclair left Wilson needing snookers and even with some excellent attempts he never got in a position to win, Sinclair keeping his cool on the last few balls. Lee Gale 25-54 Stuart Littlewood, not much between these two in the early exchanges, however with the help of a 20 break and some good reds and colours it was Stewie who pulled away to take a comfortable victory. Kam Virk 58-110 Paul Smith, unfortunately for Virk he got Smith on a rare good day. The frame started with a red colour exchange, but then Smith picked off a few reds with colours before knocking a 39 break in, (highest of the week) to take the lead. With Smith’s safety play matching his potting, Virk was limited in what he could go for and although he played some good safety shots himself it wasn’t long before he was at the snookers required stage. Paul Kell 67-16 Shaun Roberts, as the scoreline suggests this was a one side affair with Kell potting some great balls and Roberts struggling with his form and confidence. Maybe a win away against his former team, Port St Mary next week could kick start his season? Tony Dhadwal 62-32 Steve Munk, a difficult task for Munk giving away 21 start to Dhadwal who is no slouch in the potting stakes. This was the longest frame of the night and neither player really got going. Munk had some trademark long reds but missed a series of colours to middle pockets, with Dhadwal taking advantage of the misses and making sure he took colours where he could. Munk, needing snookers on the colours, it wasn’t long before the concession came and Jacksons could celebrate their first victory of the season.     

** 

Top league placings

Finch Hill Rockets - 37 points,

Cue Zone Blinders - 36,

Finch Hill Musicians - 35,

Peel Legion - 35

St Olaves - 35,

Finch Hill Mob - 34.

 

Calum Gardner remains top of the high break league and also the individual league with 11 wins from Paul Tangeman chasing well with 10. Both will have handicap cuts in due course.

More top of the table clashes next week, Rockets v Peel, St Olaves v Blinders, Musicians are away at Jacksons, Reprobates take on the Mob, Wannabes go for a hat-trick against Newbys and PSM v Hurricanes completes the list.

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