BELPER STRUTT TAKE TITLE ON THE MOST WINS RULING

RICKI SLACK and GRAHAM JONES did battle in the OMYA Cup final

WITH three teams level going into the final round of Ashford Arms Premier League matches, the number of matches won over the season was almost as important as points on the board and in the end it was just that stat that seperate the top two protagonists, Belper Strutt Club and Edgefold No 2.
Edgefold No 1, the third team sharing the lead at the start of play, fell 4-1 at home to Bolehill No 2 to leave themselves out of contention as only Duncan Harwood could get on the winners roster whilst Martin Forster top scored for the visitors.
Edgefold No 2 put themselves in with a real shout with a 4-1 win at Bolehill No 1, three of those coming on the deciding black with Sean Dobney top scoring. Ricki Slack had given the hosts an early advantage but the Matlock side showed great battling qualities to take some close games.
That left Belper Strutt Club needing to match their score at home to Crich Comrades, as they had the edge on games won and what a thriller it proved to be with the result finally coming through at 11.30pm following a titanic battle.
Mark Newby took the opener on the black and then Steve Bullock pulled one out of the fire as he came back from two snookers required to add the second 52-48,

JUSTIN WELLER slammed home the last black

Justin Weller added the third 59-25 but just as things were looking rosy Keith Fretwell pulled one back with a convincing 82-41 scoreline to leave the hosts on tenterhooks.
However, T & M Motors player of the week Weller stepped up to the plate in the deciding doubles leg to slam home a tremendous long black adjacent to the side cushion and leave Strutt as champions in dramatic circumstances.
Matlock Golf Club's 5-0 win from their final match with Alfreton left them one point adrift of the top two with Ian McKay lifting the player of the season award with 13 wins from 15 outings.
Alfreton had edged out Matlock Club 3-2 earlier in the week with Guy Taylor and Paul Bryan (24 break) top scoring respectively.
The OMYA Cup Individual Scratch final was also played and went to Bolehill No 1's Ricki Slack for a fifth time, defeating Graham Jones of Matlock Golf Club 4-0 who was runner-up for the third consecutive season.
Slack had five breaks of 20+ en route to victory whilst nothing went quite right for his opponent on the night. Thanks to Duncan Harwood for officiating.
League week 18 results: Edgefold Matlock No 1 1, Bolehill Institute No 2 4; Bolehill Institute No 1 1, Edgefold Matlock No 2 4; Belper Strutt Club 4, Crich Comrades 1; Matlock Golf Club 5, Alfreton Palmer Morewood 0; Alfreton Palmer Morewood 3, Matlock Club 2.
OMYA Cup (Individual Scratch) final: Ricki Slack 4, Graham Jones 0 (65(28)-26; 69(25,24)-18; 62(23)-53; 62(20)-40.)
Breaks: R Slack 28,25,24,23,23,20; K Robertson 24; P Bryan 24.

Ashford Arms Premier League   P       W      L      Pts
Belper Strutt Club                         16      12       4      48

Edgefold Matlock No 2                 16      10       6      48

Matlock Golf Club                         16      11       5      47
Edgefold Matlock No 1                 16        9       7      45

Bolehill Institute No 1                    16        8       8      39

Bolehill Institute No 2                    16        9       7      36

Alfreton Palmer Morewood           16        6     10      35

Crich Comrades                            16        5     11      33 

Matlock Club                                 16        2     14      29

Leading wins: I McKay 13/15; S Dobney 12/15.

Leading breaks: K Robertson 55; R Slack 54.