JUBILANT JAXX No 1 STORM TO VICTORY AT GLADIATORS

JAXX Q CLUB BELPER No 1, Jimmy Harper Plate winners, L-R (foreground): Wade Morley, Paul Ogden and Steve Robinson. Also played (not pictured): Alex Fisher.
Background (left): Runners-up Bolehill No 2 captain Dwayne Martin. 

THE final of the Jimmy Harper Plate competition was sole focus this week as Bolehill Institute No 2 took on Jaxx Q Club Belper No 1 with the match being played at an impressive new setting for the league of Gladiators Social Club, based at Matlock Town FC.
This was one of the two competitions played on the overall points aggregate basis.

Alex Fisher was fast out of the blocks for the Belper team in the opener, compiling a 25 break on his first visit though Bolehill captain Dwayne Martin also produced some solid scoring in a frame that was nip and tuck all the way through until Dwayne jawed the final black and Alex sank it for a five point advantage.

After a cagey opening in the next, both Wade Morley and Keith Robertson gradually increased the tempo though ultimately Wade had the better of it in the the latter stages, coming out with an 86-39 success after it had been reasonably in the balance until the last couple of reds.

Jaxx captain Paul Ogden continued to pile on the pressure in frame three with a 73-45 triumph over Sean O'Sullivan which gave his side an 80pts advantage with just two frames remaining.

And with Steve Robinson fighting off a sickness bug to start the fourth frame in barnstorming style against Bolehill's Mark Gwynne-Jones, there was to be no hiding place as he amassed a 101-15 verdict with the help of a 24 break which put the match beyond recall  - the contest thereafter being conceded without the need for the final frame to be played.

The lads from Belper will now get the chance of further glory next week when they attempt to topple the mighty PJ'z Club No 1 of Ripley in the delayed Champion of Champions play off final for the Jaeger Trophy at Matlock Club, and on this kind of form it should be a cracking encounter.

Jimmy Harper Plate final result: Bolehill Institute No 2 155, Jaxx Q Club Belper No 1 321 (match conceded after four frames).