THRILLS AND SPILLS ALL THE WAY IN CUP COMPETITIONS

ADY LOWE

THE SEMI FINALS of the Captains Cup and the first round of the Jimmy Harper Plate team aggregate competitions threw up a trio of grandstand finishes that were a great advert for the league's handicap system with each of them going down to the final pink and black.
The most remarkable turnaround came as Alfreton Palmer Morewood No3 entertained Crich Comrades with a man down and Carlos Zaragoza having to play a second frame under the penalty as reserve.
He was first up in his regular frame which saw a tight battle going the way of the Tramwaymen with Ade Smith edging it 77-68.
Another close encounter also went Crich's way in the next with Nick Berry gaining a 67-59 success and after Martin Byard's 77-31 verdict, the signs began to look ominous for the home team, trailing by 63pts.
Zaragoza did his bit as he engineered a 66-49 scoreline second time around but that still left a mammoth task for the two Lowes, Ady and Jack in the remaining doubles leg.
But cometh the hour, cometh the men as they produced one of the performances of the year to take a magnificent 81-27 win and snatch a final place 305-297 against all the odds.

Almost equally exciting snooker took place at Belper Royal British Legion, who booked their own final place with a 286-267 defeat of Bolehill Institute.
Wayne Shooter took the opener by a convincing 35 points and Mark Newby added to it to put the hosts 40 up after two frames.
Simon Zoppi with a 64-38 triumph and Ian Birks winning 74-47 meant a slight lead for the visitors though this was cancelled out by the handicap which actually meant the doubles frame was played off level for the match in effect.
With Bolehill leading by 16pts and just two reds left, a cunning snooker from Newby combined with the black going over a corner pocket meant despite a successful escape, the red-black combination put them back in the game and then a red-pink had the scores almost level.
Newby with an excellent yellow, green and brown put Belper into the ascendancy and an unorthodox finish from Shooter sealed the deal as he pulled off an incredible cocked hat double into the middle pocket followed by a double / around the houses safety shot that went straight into the baulk pocket without touching the sides!

Keith Gregory

Meanwhile the Jimmy Harper Plate first round saw Graham Jones of Clay Cross Brotherhood take pink and black in the doubles to secure a thrilling 294-291 success despite some fine play by Edgefold No2's youngster Tommy Smith earlier in the night.

The Williams Cup billiards individual handicap final also took place with an all-Mayfield clash and this too went down to the wire as Keith Gregory defeated Mark Jennings 150-141 for the all-important club bragging rights.

Captains Cup (Team Aggregate) semi finals: Alfreton Palmer Morewood No3 305, Crich Comrades 297; Belper Royal British Legion 286, Bolehill Institute 267.
Jimmy Harper Plate (Team Aggregate consolation) first round: Edgefold Matlock No2 291, Clay Cross Bortherhood 294.
Breaks: R Slack 27; I Birks 24.

Williams Cup (Billiards Individual Handicap) final: Keith Gregory (Mayfield Institute) 150, Mark Jennings (Mayfield Institute) 141.