ALFRETON No 2 LIFT TITLE, BOLEHILL No 1 RUNNERS-UP

SIMON ZOPPI... break of 31

WITH ALFRETON No 2 confirming the T & M Motors Snooker League title courtesy of a 3-2 win over Crich Comrades No 1 in the penultimate round of games, it was left to the three clubs below to battle it out for the runners up spot.
Bolehill No 1 faced Alfreton No 1 and were looking to avenge a recent defeat to that opposition in the Amber Valley and the evening featured some excellent play.
Tom Broughton struck first for the visitors after opponent Colin Marchington had almost snatched the frame with the last four colours only for the black to rattle and the Alfreton man needed no second invitation to put the frame to bed.
It was pretty much the identical situation in reverse in the next with Des Smith taking brown, blue and pink before Ricki Slack equalised with a long pot on black.
Simon Zoppi (31 break) put the home side ahead in the next and then Ian Birks took the fourth frame 69-31 before clearing the colours in the remaining pairs leg to snatch that on the black too.

And results elsewhere meant that Bolehill had done enough with nearest rivals Belper Strutt Club falling 5-0 at Matlock Golf Club.
Les Mooney and Graham Jones were in great nick for the hosts as they bossed proceedings throughout.

Crich No 2 therefore moved third, five points adrift of Bolehill but unable to match their number of games won which is the deciding factor should there be a tie on points. The Tramwaymen defeated Bolehill No 2 3-2 with Ady and Jack Lowe undefeated in both singles and doubles. Keith Robertson did likewise for the vanquished.

Edgefold saw off Whitworth Institute 4-1 with Steven Clark top scoring before Geoff Brailsford registered for the Darley Dale cuemen but ultimately to no avail.

And so to the new champs who this week called on squad player Gavin Shirley to notch outstanding breaks of 70 and 26 in the starring role while Ben Monk (31) also impressed. Jack Long, with a black ball win, pulled one back in frame four to end Andrew Beardsley's 12-match unbeaten run and Long then teamed up with Ade Smith for another thriller which they took 63-62 to reduce the scores to the minimum margin.
League week 17 results: Bolehill Institute No 1 4, Alfreton Palmer Morewood No 1 1; Matlock Golf Club 5, Belper Strutt Club 0; Crich Comrades No 2 3, Bolehill Institute No 2 2; Edgefold Matlock 4, Whitworth Institute 1; Alfreton Palmer Morewood No 2 3, Crich Comrades No 1 2.
Breaks: Gavin Shirley 70,32; S Zoppi 31; B Monk 31; K Ryde 28; R Slack 24; I Birks 22; G Wood 22; A Beardsley 21.

T & M Motors Snooker League        P        W       L      Pts 
Alfreton P Morewood No 2                  16      14        2      59
Bolehill Institute No 1                          17       13       4      52
Crich Comrades No 2                         17       11       6      47
Belper Strutt Club                               17       10       7      45
Matlock Golf Club                               16        9        7      42
Crich Comrades No 1                         16        6      10      37
Bolehill Institute No 2                          17        5      12      37
Edgefold Matlock                                17        6       11     35
Alfreton P Morewood No 1                 15         5       10     28
Whitworth Institute                              16         3      13     28
Leading breaks: S Donner 120; S Dobney 74; Gavin Shirley 70..
Leading wins: A  Lowe 13/17; A Beardsley 12/13; B Monk 12/16.