Snooker: Seventh straight win for Legion

Port St Mary side move one point clear in title fight

The Cue Ballers 2-3 Port St Mary Legion

By Terry Boyle

Alex Sinclair 52-23 Marc Morley. Alex was always in control, Marc had a few opportunities but never settled. 

Lee Gale 51-75 Phil Joynes.  Phil kept his start on Lee who was also potting well, three balls left and Lee went for a thin cut on the blue, missed it completely, frame over. 

Richard Hillier 38-49 Andrew Hutchison. Both Andy and Dave of the Legion appeared to be struggling in their respective frames, both showing great resilience to come through, Andy winning here on the pink. 

Dave Welsh 51-54 Dave Pickersgill. Dave took the last three colours on different visits to nick this on the black.

Kam Virk 69-42 Terry Boyle. I was ahead with one red left. Kam then played some good snookers, most of which I failed to hit.

Now 8 points behind, I got the green but went in-off the brown. Needing a snooker with pink and black left, I accidentally potted the black in my attempt, so was well beaten.

Cue Zone Blinders 2-3 Cue Zone Masters

By Scott Campion

Harry Ellis 58-42 Brendan Clague. Brendan missing some crucial early colours kept Harry ahead. A spirited fight back on the colours but Harry sealed it with a gifted pink.

Shaun Roberts 23-55 Martin Rigg. With the scores level at 21 all, Shaun had his tip fall off his cue! 

Playing the remainder with Harrys cue, he struggled, a shame after starting so well. Martin finished the job by the brown. 

Darryl Hill 85-95 Peter Stephens. The early messy table made life easier for Peter after Darryl missed a few early long pots. Darryl was soon in though, catching up over a couple of breaks including a 31. 

Darryl, with a chance to clear the table to win it, landed slightly the wrong side of the blue from a difficult brown. 

The resulting safety left Peter with a tough pink which he dispatched for the win. 

Scott Campion 40-67 Jez Hill. Missed reds which Jez moped up with colours early on gave Scott an up hill, (no pun intended) battle. 

Scott gave it a good go but with snookers required on the brown. Scott decided to pot the blue and try for two snookers off the pink. Jez comfortably escaped each time and managed a great pot on the pink to win. 

Conor Mahon 100-81 Tommy Clague. Quite a start to chase for Conor, 63, and he didn’t make up much ground early on. 

Tommy took some points and it wasn’t until one red was left that Conor turned to his safety game and he managed to rack up some points to bring the frame almost level. 

Conor edged it on the pink following some well laid snookers.

The Hurricanes 4-1 Malew

An important win for the Hurricanes after last week’s 4-1 defeat. T

hey move up to equal second place, in the process extinguishing any title hopes of Malew. A closely fought match with three black ball affairs, the first of which went to Malew, Nialls Wilson 43-46 Tony Cubbon.

 Paul Westhead levelled the score, 100-85 James Goodwin then Rob Cowin, behind until he potted the pink, added the black to defeat Mark Quinn 47-39. 

Brandon Forrester, back from a break beat Tony Pring 82-57. It was all square in the finale between Darran Creer and Alec Oates with just the black remaining, it went to Creer, 63-56.

Douglas Snooker Bar Wannabes 3-2 Finch Hill Mob

Not that often the Wannabes do the double over a team, but they’ve managed it over one of the title chasers. 

The Mob now lie 5 points behind the leaders with six matches to play, including games against the top three. 

Frame scores: David Callister 98-60 Steve Finnegan, Steve Cowin 73-83 Alan Heath, Harry Minor 60-43 Lee Hunt. Paul McKinstry 111-82 Paul Smith (21 break) and Michael Creer 80-115 Peter KIrkham (33).

Finch Hill Musicians 3-2 The Miscues

Once again it was the John Kennish show as he successfully chased an 84 start. 

He was on fine form with a 62 break, but with the job still not done he cleared the colours to the black which started with a thumping yellow, the full length down a side cushion.

John has only played three frames this season, but already is equal 3rd in the high break league! Frame scores: Vinny Dale 33-57 David Kelly, Vic Rigby 44-59 Ollie Pickford, John Kennish 103-90 Dale Walker and Paul Tangeman 64-56 Ben Peach. 

With the miscues a man short, the final point went to the Musicians. 

Musicians, lie in 6th, 7 points behind the leaders who they play next week.

Finch Hill Rockets 3-2 St Olave’s 

Leon Martin 50-61 Mike Crook. The snooker gods shone on Crook, he missed two easy pots on the black before Martin went in-off attempting to play safe.

Paddy Delaney 76-40 Paul Smyth. Delaney held onto his start with generally good potting. 

Smyth’s chase became in vain after he screwed in-off off the last red. 

John Spellman 23-51 Geoff Hall. Much better stuff from Hall, though Spellman also potted some great balls but all too late. 

With 4 balls remaining Hall laid a good snooker, Spellman fouled, and that was that. 

Marc Bolton 79-36 Stuart Sandford. A good win for Bolton over the individual league leader Sandford. 

Bolton with a 21 plus a couple of other teen breaks. Sadly, St Olaves were also a player short, so handing overall victory to the Rockets.

Port St Mary Strollers 4-1 Snooker Bar-barians 

Both PSM teams are on incredible runs, the Strollers go 9 wins from 10, the only loss coming at the hands of the Legion. 

They move up to a season high of 8th. 

Ian Brookfield’s 8th win in a row gives him a share of the individual league lead. 

Frame scores: Max Barnes 70-59 Gary Williams, Ian Brookfield 85-71 Chris Lawless, Garey Ellison 54-46 Andy Moore, Harry Boyle 62-57 Paul Mackie and Mike Boyle (20 break) 54-83 Mark Davenport.

Top of the league: PSM Legion 60 points, Blinders and Hurricanes 59, Masters 56 and Mob 55. Individual League: Stuart Sandford, Ian Brookfield, Phil Joynes all on 14 wins, Marc Morley, Harry Ellis, David Callister and Tony Pring 12. High Break League: Peter Kirkham 38 points, Darryl Hill 28, Steve Finnegan and John Kennish 22.5. Next week’s matches: PSM Legion vs Musicians, Mob vs Blinders, St Olave’s vs Hurricanes, Masters vs Rockets, Malew vs Cue Ballers, Miscues vs PSM Strollers, Bar-barians vs Wannabes.