MEETING AT MATLOCK CONS CLUB THURSDAY MAY 30th

END OF SEASON MEETING will be held at MATLOCK CONSERVATIVE CLUB on THURSDAY, MAY 30th @ 7.45pm. Please can club representatives try to attend if possible, business of meeting: to discuss any matters relevant to the past season and for next season, also end of season stats if required (also available at leaguesnooker.co.uk, see links at top of page).

EDGEFOLD COME UP TRUMPS TO LIFT JAEGER TROPHY AND INTER LEAGUE MATCH ENDS IN A THRILLING WIN

THE last of the regular team competitions was up for grabs this week, namely the Champion of Champions play off final for the prestigious Jaeger Trophy, held at Matlock Golf Club.
Belper Strutt Club No 1 had confirmed their top ranking in B Division by qualifying for the showdown while A Division No 4 seeds Edgefold Club had produced the goods when it matters by defeating  Marehay and Bolehill No 1, both higher ranked teams along the way.

The opening frame saw Belper captain Steve Bullock taking on the unbeaten Jason Ankers, who came into the Matlock team late in the season but to good effect.

Steve started well, and despite sustaining an injury to his back when bridging over a ball early in the frame, looked set to take the spoils when potting the brown to seemingly give him a lead of 26pts with just 18 remaining.

Unfortunately though, the cue ball had other ideas and disappeared into an adjoining pocket which left the game back in the balance and Jason eventually took full advantage by taking blue, pink and black in one visit to complete a massive turnaround.

Robert Muxlow held off a late rally from Wayne Shooter in the next, eventually taking it on the pink for 2-0 before Mark Newby and Duncan Harwood's frame rested on the final black in the third.

And Duncan showed ice cool resolve to trickle the deciding ball right down the side cushion into the bottom pocket at dead weight speed to pull off the shot of the match and ensure Edgefold the cup before Paul Jarrett scored an academic win in frame four.

STEVE HAWKINS (left) and BEN MONK before the Inter League Cup final frame showdown
as CHRIS PARKER who just prior to that had made it 6-6 looks on in the background.

Meanwhile, Darley Dale and District played their first Inter League match for 22 years with a trip to Eyam Institute to take on a Hope Valley and Buxton select squad.

The team comprised of Ben Monk and Andrew Gratton, Ricki Slack, Dave Gastrell, Chris Parker and Chris Stubbs and things were looking rosy as the line-up raced into an early 4-1 lead.

The hosts fought back strongly to level at 4-4 however (Steven Blanchon potting a storming final black to take one of them) before Andrew Gratton nudged Darley Dale ahead again in the ninth.

Danny Homer and then a black ball win from Steve Hawkins put the home side ahead for the first time at 6-5 before Chris Parker turned on the style to level with breaks of 46 and 26 in the twelfth when the pressure was on.

And with both teams pulling balls out of the hat for the final frame decider, Darley Dale were more than happy to see Ben Monk's name come to the top of the pile and he didn't disappoint, knocking in breaks of 33 and 27 to take the spoils against Steve Hawkins for a 7-6 win.

Jaeger Trophy Champion of Champions play off final: Edgefold Matlock 3, Belper Strutt No 1 1 (at Matlock Golf Club).
Inter League Challenge Cup: Hope Valley & Buxton 6, Darley Dale & District 7 (at Eyam Mechanics Institute): D Homer 18 B Monk 80 (39) (0-1);
S Blanchon 72 (28) D Gastrell 29 (20) (1-1); S Blanchon 21 R Slack 63 (1-2);
C Andrews 58 D Gastrell 71 (1-3); D Homer 42 A Gratton 76 (30) (1-4);
S Hawkins 66 C Parker 33 (2-4); S Blanchon 49 B Monk 48 (20) (3-4);
C Andrews 52 C Stubbs 38 (4-4); S Hawkins 27 A Gratton 52 (4-5); D Homer 65 R Slack 44 (5-5); S Hawkins 48 C Stubbs 46 (6-5); C Andrews 15 C Parker 76 (46,26) (6-6); S Hawkins 32 B Monk 81 (33,27) (6-7).
Hope Valley & Buxton: S Blanchon 2/3; S Hawkins 2/4; D Homer 1/3;
C Andrews 1/3.
Darley Dale & District: A Gratton 2/2; B Monk 2/3; C Parker 1/2; R Slack 1/2;
D Gastrell 1/2; C Stubbs 0/2.
(Hope Valley & Buxton used 4 players playing 3 frames each; Darley Dale & District used 6 players playing 2 frames each, excluding final frame decider, players drawn from hat).

INTER-LEAGUE MATCH IS REVIVED AT EYAM THIS WEEK AND A POTTED HISTORY OF PAST ENCOUNTERS

DARLEY DALE & District League play their first inter-league match for over 22 years this Wednesday 22nd (7pm) with a trip to Eyam Mechanics Institute to take on a combined Hope Valley and Buxton League team.
The players have been selected from a points ranking system derived from the handicap marks and the end of season individual stats so the current team is as follows if everyone makes the date:
Ben Monk and Andrew Gratton (Marehay Miners Welfare); Ricki Slack (Bolehill Institute); Chris Parker (Matlock Golf Club); Dave Gastrell (Gladiators Social Club) and Chris Stubbs (Belper Strutt Club).

Graham Jones and first reserve Troy Brett were unavailable, we will carry on down the list if any vacancies appear.

Two tables will be used and 12 frames will be played, so our players will play 2 frames apiece, probably against a different opponent (we may decide on a one frame play off if tied at the end or else use an overall aggregate points system, as we have obtained an Inter League Challenge Cup to play for).
The home team may possibly be using 4 players playing 3 frames each though that is to be confirmed.

We thank the hosts for taking the place of the originally mooted match versus Derby League which with their committee currently in transition, was likely to prove difficult to put into action.

The matches with the Derby Institutes League date back as far as 1931-32 judging from the record books, when bus fares to and fro appear on the balance sheets, and after lapsing in the mid 70s (Derby having almost always held the upper hand snooker-wise), were revived in the late 80s.

On Sunday December 17th 1989 at Georges Snooker Centre, Belper; we fielded 16 players at snooker and six at billiards, obtaining a highly creditable 8-8 draw at snooker whilst losing 5-1 at the three ball game.

SCOTT COONEY was a fixture in the last two Darley Dale League representative teams.

The 17 strong squad for the snooker (one must have been reserve) was: S Fox, P Waldron, P Fowell, R Slack, M Walker, R McCartin, P Harrison, M Goodwin, J Walsh, J Collins, I Doe, E Farnsworth, D Beattie, M Hill, I Hamilton, G Shirley and S Cooney.
Turning out for the billiards men were: J McCann, E Gratton, G Bell, D Annable, L Cooke and D Rogers.

The next meeting came at the Corn Exchange Club, Derby on January 20th 1991, with Derby winning 11-4 at snooker and 5-0 at billiards.

The original teams selected were:
Snooker: M Goodwin, S Cooney, C Parker, S Mellor, D Beattie, R McCartin, S Fox, P Waldron, P Fowell, W Slater, R Slack, J Rogerson, M Hill, D Lane, M Vaughan, N Parkinson and I Doe. Reserves: I Hamilton, P Hicking, G Shirley.
Billiards: J McCann, M Gregory, D Annable, L Cooke and D Rogers.
Reserves: K Holmes, R Allsop.

Apparently this event ran into problems when several players from the above lists did not turn up as scheduled, and reserves had to be drafted into play at the eleventh hour.

The next year the match was again due to be hosted at Georges in Belper but with the facilities in the club taking a downturn, it was agreed upon inspection that the venue was unsuitable for such an event and the Derby League were asked if they would host.

The answer was in the affirmative so long as guarantees could be made about bringing a full team, but when feelers were put out, the response was rather muted.

Hence, the match was cancelled and a smaller team event was proposed for the following season, as it was thought 20 players was pushing the boat out somewhat.

However, as the secretaries changed over in the interim period, it appears it was not discussed at any meeting during the next few seasons and hence all fell quiet again until now that is!!
Heres to a brand new era of representative games whoever our opponents may be!