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| IAN BIRKS ... crucial re-spotted black sealed the deal |
THE top two teams locked horns in a crunch showdown in what was a massively pivotal week with only a couple of rounds left afterwards in this seasons Highfields Farm Butchers Premier Division.
Bolehill Institute No 1, holding a seven points lead, needed a win to keep Belper Strutt No 1 at bay whilst the latter knew a good result would leave them nicely poised with a game in hand to come.
The importance of the clash brought an extra spectator or two into the ranks of the audience and after a hard fought frame, Ricki Slack gave the hosts the lead, taking brown, blue and pink against Mark Newby to prevail 73-48.
Colin Marchington and Paul Jarrett were nip and tuck in the next but again it was the home player who got in when it mattered with a clearance from yellow to pink making the score 2-0.
More gritty snooker followed as the remaining three frames were all settled on the final black.
Andrew Brough took on Justin Weller in frame three and held the advantage until his pink into the middle pocket from a narrow angle just caught the jaw and left his opponent in to snatch the last two balls and reduce the deficit.
Even more tension followed as Steve Bullock, seven ahead, agonisingly wobbled the black in the jaws of the baulk pocket and it stayed there for Ian Birks to force a re-spot with the scores level.
And it was he who ultimately sank it again to make the game safe before Ricki Slack potted the black into the middle pocket in the concluding doubles frame to give himself and partner Colin Marchington another narrow win for a 4-1 result.
That leaves Bolehill No 1 now requiring one point to secure the title in their final game at Edgefold Club next week after what was a superb night for them.
Edgefold themselves need two 5-0 scorelines to top the ladder after they came out on top 3-2 at Matlock Club.
Martyn Taylor won both his singles and doubles frames (the latter with Duncan Harwood) after the hosts had led 2-1 with Paul Bryan top scoring.
Belper Strutt No 2 also edged out Bolehill No 2 by the minimum margin with Chris Stubbs (26 break) playing a leading role though Keith Robertson continued his fine form for the vanquished by scoring no less than 118 points, one of the highest tallies of the season.
League week 19 results: Bolehill Inst No 1 4, Belper Strutt No 1 1; Matlock Club 2, Edgefold Matlock 3; Bolehill Inst No 2 2, Belper Strutt No 2 3.
Breaks: C Stubbs 26; R Slack 24; K Robertson 22; M Taylor 21; C Marchington 20.
Highfields Farm Butchers Premier Division
P W L Pts
Bolehill Institute No 1 17 15 2 57
Edgefold Matlock 16 11 5 48
Belper Strutt No 1 16 9 7 47
Matlock Cons 16 8 8 40
Belper Strutt No 2 16 7 9 36
Bolehill Institute No 2 16 6 10 34
Matlock Club 17 1 16 23
Leading breaks: M Taylor 74; B Monk 53.
Leading wins: R Slack 14; M Taylor 13; C Marchington 11.
