GOLF CLUB HANG ON FOR FINAL PLACE IN THRILLER

TONY BLANT kept battling for MATLOCK GOLF CLUB

THERE were two cliff-hanging finishes in this weeks aggregate cup competition matches and none were tighter than at Matlock Golf Club as the hosts held on gamely to see off Edgefold No 2 308-304 on the final black in the semi final of the Jimmy Harper Plate competition.
Sean Dobney took the opener 69-55 before Charlie Hodgkinson tipped the scales in the home side's favour with a 73-32 success and then Graham Jones (39 break) continued in similar fashion by taking the third 82-59.
The doubles leg was next and a 64-45 win gave the visitors some hope which was increased when Rob Dicken notched a 31 break when in amongst the reds in the deciding frame.
However his opponent Tony Blant was not going down lightly and battled back superbly to take each of the last four balls and pull it out of the fire in a real thriller.
In the Captains Cup, Bolehill No 2 and Alfreton Palmer Morewood also served up a feast with the Wirksworth men taking the spoils 242-214.
Ian Peacock and Des Smith each scored comfortable successes to leave things in the balance and then Guy Taylor and John Smith edged the next two frames leaving the Amber Valley cuemen 14 ahead going into the concluding doubles leg.
But ultimately a clearance from last red down to pink from Keith Robertson settled the issue in one fell swoop despite a superb snooker being laid by Smith in the following exchanges.
Bolehill's opponents will be Belper Strutt Club who saw off Matlock Club 313-249 in the other match. Mark Newby's 96-33 triumph in frame three proved pivotal and the two Paul's defiant salvo in the doubles leg with a 66-41 verdict could not affect the overall outcome.
Captains Cup (Team Aggregate) semi final: Bolehill Institute No 2 242, Alfreton Palmer Morewood 214; Matlock Club 242, Belper Strutt Club 313.
Jimmy Harper Plate (Team Aggregate Consolation) semi final: Matlock Golf Club 304, Edgefold Matlock No 2 2.
Breaks: G Jones 39; R Dicken 31; P Jarrett 22.