NEW WINNERS ALL THE WAY IN CHRISTMAS SHOOTOUT

JOHN SMITH.... 2023 Christmas champ

THE ANNUAL CHRISTMAS SHOOTOUT NIGHT at Matlock's Edgefold Club attracted 23 entries, only one short of the all-time highest turnout, and ended up being a memorable one with all three trophies  going to first time winners and the presentation concluding well into the witching hour.
Sean Dobney put up a stiff resistance in his bid to retain the Alan Hopkinson Trophy (6 reds individual handicap) on home baize, and fought back from the snooker required stage on pink and black to edge past Scott Brooks in his opener before wins against Ricki Slack, Jack Lowe and Jamie Wright saw him contesting another final.
His opponent was John Smith, of Alfreton Palmer Morewood, taking part in his maiden league final after beating brother Des, Rob Mulliss and nephew Cole to make it there.
Cole Smith, son of Des, was the youngest player there and for him it was a great achievement to reach the semi final on his Christmas competition debut, one to look out for in the near future.
The final itself was a closely fought battle and after the Alfreton cueman had gone close by rattling what would have been a match winning pink, he made no mistake second time around when the chance presented itself to enhance Alfreton's impressive record of honours at the event.

SCOTT BROOKS...speed king

Often it has been their very own Andrew Haggarty lifting the Eddie Lomas Trophy (speed snooker handicap) and he put up a brave bid to register a fifth win as he sailed into the final once more in defeating Roy Taylor Steve Bullock and James Travis but found himself against the up-and-coming Scott Brooks, who has recently converted from the game of pool and made a very promising start for his Edgefold team.

Brooks came through against Ben Christon, father Martin Barwick, Jack Lowe and Trevor Wright to contest the big one and in a grandstand finish, he just got the black away in the nick of the time with Haggarty homing in on it himself a matter of seconds away in a real thriller.

PHIL LEVERTON and MARTIN BARWICK, pairs champs

And it was like father like son as Martin Barwick, ex Matlock Cons Club, who now frequents the Edgefold, teamed up with Crich Comrades' Phil Leverton to combine superbly and make it a hat trick of first time winners as they took the George Mills Trophy for the scotch doubles handicap event.
Victories over Des and Cole Smith, Dobney and Christon, and then Bullock and Travis saw them into the final against Ricki Slack of Bolehill and youngster Tommy Smith of Edgefold.
Smith potted some fine balls in their run to the final to show himself to be another great prospect and which also saw them come through against John Smith and Sam Kniveton and afterwards Brooks and Rob Mulliss.
The final itself featured some bizarre flukes, mostly in favour of the vanquished it has to be said, but when the chips were down, great mid to long range pots on blue and pink saw Barwick and Leverton over the line for a deserved success.

Elsewhere, Ben Monk had runs of 32 and 30 as he progressed to the quarter final of the OMYA Cup whilst, in the Billiards Captains Cup semi final, Whitworth Institute came through 300-246 against league leaders Tansley Potters.

Alan Hopkinson Trophy (six reds individual handicap), winner John Smith (Alfreton Palmer Morewood No1); runner-up, Sean Dobney (Edgefold No1).
Eddie Lomas Trophy (speed snooker, clearing the colours, handicap), winner, Scott Brooks (Edgefold No1); runner-up, Andrew Haggarty (Alfreton Palmer Morewood No1).
George Mills Trophy (six reds scotch doubles handicap), winners, Martin Barwick (ex-Matlock Cons / Edgefold) and Phil Leverton (Crich Comrades); runners-up, Ricki Slack (Bolehill Institute) and Tommy Smith (Edgefold No2).
Breaks (inc. comps): B Monk 32,30; R Slack / T Smith (scotch doubles) 23.

Billiards Captains Cup  semi final: Whitworth Institute 300, Tansley Potters 246.