ANDREW BECOMES THE THIRD MAN TO DO XMAS DOUBLE

AT THE DOUBLE ... Alfreton Palmer Morewood's ANDREW HAGGARTY

THE ANNUAL CHRISTMAS SHOOTOUT NIGHT attracted thirteen hardy souls on a treacherous night for travelling and culminated in a double success for Alfreton Palmer Morewood cueman Andrew Haggarty who triumphed in the individual handicap and speed snooker challenge events while Belper Strutt Club pairing Mark Newby and Wayne Shooter took the scotch doubles handicap competition.
All three quickfire events start and finish in the same evening, the individual and doubles consisting of one frame of six reds whilst the speed snooker is a contest to clear the colours faster than your opponent, all played on a straight knockout basis at Belper's Jaxx Q Club.

With dual winner Sean Dobney taking a hiatus this year, there was a chance for a new name on the Alan Hopkinson Trophy and up stepped Haggarty to produce his best snooker of the year as he incredibly won all his four individual handicap matches on the deciding black.
After edging out Gordon Critchlow, Ricki Slack, and Derek Smith, Haggarty was in prime position in the final against Edgefold's Duncan Harwood until the latter's superb pots on brown, blue and pink saw the Alfreton player in a familiar position with everything resting on the final ball.
Harwood, like Critchlow and Slack previously, had first shot on the black but to no avail and the Amber Valley player produced the shot of the night to slam in a long range pot to take the spoils to tumultuous applause.

The final of the speed snooker contest saw Haggarty defeat Belper Strutt Club's Wayne Shooter, whose in off on the blue proved pivotal, meaning another ball came up as a penalty, while the victor sunk pink into the middle pocket and then took his time to line up the black for a tap in, becoming the third-ever player to do the Christmas individual competition double following Andrew Gratton (11/12) and Ben Monk (12/13)

Earlier on, there was the first ever tie as Steve Bullock and Duncan Harwood both sank the black on the adjacent tables within a split second of one another and without a slow motion replay, bystanders were unable to call a winner, meaning the black came back up which saw Bullock progress.

Scotch doubles winners WAYNE SHOOTER and MARK NEWBY (Strutt Club)

It was almost a clean sweep for the dual victor Haggarty as he teamed up with Derek Smith to reach the final of the George Mills Trophy (pairs) but Shooter was also enjoying a great night himself as he and team mate Mark Newby proved too strong in the final.

Alan Hopkinson Trophy (Christmas 6 red individual handicap): winner, Andrew Haggarty (Alfreton Palmer Morewood No 2); runner-up, Duncan Harwood (Edgefold Matlock No 1).
George Mills Trophy (Christmas 6 red scotch doubles handicap): winners, Mark Newby and Wayne Shooter (Belper Strutt Club); runners-up, Andrew Haggarty and Derek Smith (Alfreton Palmer Morewood No 2).
Eddie Lomas Trophy (speed snooker handicap challenge, clearing the colours): winner, Andrew Haggarty (Alfreton Palmer Morewood No 2): runner-up, Wayne Shooter (Belper Strutt Club).
Breaks:  R Slack 28.

MATLOCK CLUB STORM INTO SEMIS WITH SIX APPEAL

CAPTAIN FANTASTIC KEITH MANLOVE

MATLOCK CLUB produced probably the best result in their short history since the team moved over from the now defunct County Offices NALGO Club with a stunning 6-1 verdict over league leaders Alfreton Palmer Morewood No 1 to take their place in the Bob McCartin Six Red Cup semi finals.
There was no sign of what was to come when the in form Simon Mays took the opener for the hosts, who needed to repeat their league whitewash over the visitors from a couple of weeks earlier to ensure a qualification spot themselves.
However, Paul Holmes ended the unbeaten run in all competitions of Jamie Rowland in the next and then Graeme Wood and Keith Manlove kept the dream alive for the Matlock cuemen going into the scotch doubles.
Further wins for Wood, coupled with Manlove and then Paul Bryan, left hopes dangling on the final leg as anything less than the six points would have seen them miss out in Group A.
So up stepped captain Manlove once more to remain undefeated in all three frames contested (along with Wood) as he partnered Holmes to a legendary success.

Equally enthralling was the winner-takes-all encounter in Group B which saw Matlock Golf Club edge out Edgefold No 1 4-3 to earn the all-important runners up spot.
Leading 3-1 with Ian McKay top scoring, things were looking rosy for the golfers until Andy Russell and Rob Muxlow combined to take the leading scotch doubles break so far of 37, putting them in line for the Presidents Cup, and then Russell again, with Duncan Harwood, made it 3-3 to take it into a decider.
But Graham Jones and Tony Blant remained ice cool to see off the fightback 41-17.

There was also re-arranged Joinery Joint League action as the fast improving Alfreton No 2 moved into contention at the top with their seventh win in eight games in all competitions, defeating Bolehill No 1 5-0 to leave three points separating four teams with another set to join them with a game in hand just a couple of points adrift.
John Smith won the tightest game of the evening 53-42 in a match where the home team weren't seriously threatened in the remainder of the frames.

League: Alfreton Palmer Morewood No 2 5, Bolehill Institute No 1 0.
Bob McCartin Six Red Cup, Group A: Alfreton Palmer Morewood No 1 1, Matlock Club 6. Group B: Matlock Golf Club 4, Edgefold Matlock No 1 3.
Breaks: A Russell / R Muxlow 37 (scotch doubles).

The Joinery Joint Snooker League
                                         P      W      L      Pts
Alfreton P Morewd No 1  7        6       1      24
Edgefold Matlock No 1     7        4       3     23
Bolehill Institute No 1       7        5       2      21
Alfreton P Morewd No 2  7        4       3      21
Matlock Golf Club             6       4       2      19
Edgefold Matlock No 2     7        3       4     14
Bolehill Institute No 2       7        2       5      14
Matlock Club                    7        1       5      10
Belper Strutt Club            7        2       5        9
Leading breaks: R Slack 44; A Russell 38.
Leading wins: J Rowland 7/7; I McKay 5/5; A Russell & T Broughton 5/7.

Bob McCartin Six Red Cup
Group A                                    P       W      L       Pts

Alfreton P Morewood No 2         4        3       1      16
Matlock Club                               4        2       2      16
Bolehill Institute No 1                  4        2       2      16
Edgefold Matlock No 2               4        2       2       11

Alfreton P Morewood No 1         4        1       3      11

Group B                                   P       W       L       Pts

Belper Strutt Club                      3         2       1      14
Matlock Golf Club                      3         2       1       12
Edgefold Matlock No 1              3          2       1      12
Bolehill Institute No 2                 3         0       3        4
Leading scotch doubles break: A Russell / R Muxlow 37.

If tied on points, teams placing is decided by 1. Most wins; 2. Winner of the match between the two tied teams (top two qualify for semi finals from each group).