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| PHIL LONGDEN ... vital scotch doubles win |
Edgefold, the league leaders, travelled to bottom placed Bolehill but Colin Marchington put up stiff resistance for the hosts in the opener and seemed to have the edge over Scott Brooks as he led by 14pts with just pink and black remaining.
But a well judged snooker saw Marchington inadvertently squeeze through a narrow gap between object ball and cushion with his attempted swerve to concede the foul and Brooks did the rest with excellent pots on the remaining balls to snatch an unlikely victory.
Ricki Slack levelled in the next but Duncan Harwood took pink and black in the third frame in another final ball thriller and then James Travis potted a great pink to make it 3-1 soon afterwards.
Once again Bolehill held the slight ascendency in the first of the scotch doubles but again it was turned on its head after a few rattled pockets on the pink, the Matlock pairing sealed the game as Harwood snicked a fine cut into the centre pocket and then Steve Burton sank the match winning black.
Simon Zoppi and Ian Birks took an academic sixth leg with a run of 22 to leave a final score of 4-2.
Des Smith had Alfreton off to a flyer as they hosted six red specialists Belper with a 49-11 win before Paul Jarrett levelled with a 43-25 verdict.
Steve Bullock put the visitors 2-1 up but it was soon level again with John Smith replying with aplomb.
Andrew Haggarty and Phil Longden secured the vital first scotch doubles leg in emphatic fashion 39-3 and the game was safe with Des and John Smith securing a hard fought sixth frame.
Belper took the dead rubber in the final scotch doubles leg to leave the score at 4-3.
Justin Weller notched an excellent run of 45 in the Open Individual Handicap competition as he progressed to the third round and also saw off Sean Dobney in the OMYA Cup second round despite the latter's excellent 47 break.
Martin Byard of Crich had runs of 39,31 and 25 as he also progressed in the latter competition.
Bob McCartin Six Red Cup, semi finals: Bolehill Institute 2, Edgefold Matlock No1 4; Alfreton Palmer Morewood No1 4, Belper Royal British Legion 3.
Breaks (inc. comps): S Dobney 47; J Weller 45,22; S Burton 39; Martin Byard 39,31,25; S Zoppi / I Birks 22 (scotch doubles).
