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| JIM McCANN...defied virus to edge thriller |
Ricki Slack took on Jim McCann in the opener and although neither player hit the heights, with the latter suffering from a nasty chest infection, the game eventually went right down to the wire.
McCann, aided by a stroke of fortune, notched a run of 36 mid-session and eventually took a three-point lead with just thirty seconds or so remaining of the new 75-minutes time allotted format.
Needing the extension for his next shot, the clock continued to count down and confusion then reigned as a shout from the sidelines that time was up was in fact slightly premature with the actual sound of the buzzer coming a moment later.
In between this (probably!), Slack lunged to get his shot away in a bid to force a tie and although missing the intended pocket, it flew into a baulk pocket instead a few seconds afterwards.
With World Billiards rules stating all points count even after the buzzer if the shot is played before it, there was a debate about whether the points were valid or not but in-amongst all the confusion, the referee could not decide on the spur of the moment and McCann therefore was allowed to take the official verdict in a thrilling finish 120-117.
Andrew Brough took the next in rather more leisurely style as he ran up a 176-103 success to earn the winning score for the home team.
Mayfield Institute took a third win from four games as they defeated Tansley Potters 15-9 with Keith Gregory top scoring with 180pts and there were also breaks in the thirties from Mark Jennings and Joe Neville.
Edgefold No1 continued their fine form at the top of the T & M Motors Snooker League as they defeated Crich Comrades 5-0.
Richard Ferguson top scored and teamed up with Tommy Smith at the end to complete the whitewash.
Ben Monk notched breaks of 35 and 20 to set Alfreton Palmer Morewood No2 on the road to a 4-1 victory over Edgefold No2, for whom Scott Brooks also had an excellent run of 35 himself.
A black-ball win from Andrew Beardsley also proved pivotal for the hosts early doors.
Belper Royal British Legion edged out Alfreton Palmer Morewood No1 3-2 for their first league success of the campaign. Steve Bullock, Paul Jarrett and Mark Newby took the first three frames to put the issue beyond doubt before Andrew Haggarty took his singles and doubles legs, latterly with young Cole Smith.
Bolehill Institute moved third as they took maximum points from a 5-0 defeat of Edgefold No3, although a couple of frames at least could have gone the other way.
Colin Marchington took most of the colours to overturn a fair deficit in the opener and Ricki Slack and Ian Birks came from needing two snookers on the brown to take the doubles leg 54-52.
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| FIN HARVEY & REECE JOHNSTONE, pairs success |
At the other end of the timescale there was a first outright match victory for Edgefold No3's Fin Harvey and Reece Johnstone as they progressed to the second round in the Denis Morton Trophy (Pairs Handicap) although the latter in particular has been impressing with several solo successes in league action.
Elliott Carpets Billiards League week 04: Bolehill Institute 12, Whitworth Institute 9; Tansley Potters 9, Mayfield Institute 15.
Breaks: J McCann 36; M Jennings 31; J Neville 30.
T & M Motors Snooker League week 06: Edgefold Matlock No1 5, Crich Comrades 0; Alfreton Palmer Morewood No2 4, Edgefold Matlock No2 1; Belper Royal British Legion 3, Alfreton Palmer Morewood No1 2; Edgefold Matlock No3 0, Bolehill Institute 5.
Breaks (inc. comps): R Slack 55,53,30,22; B Monk 35,20; S Brooks 35.
Edgefold Matlock No 1 6 6 0 22
Alfreton P Morewood No 2 6 3 3 18
Bolehill Institute 5 4 1 17
Alfreton P Morewood No 1 6 3 3 16
Clay Cross Brotherhood 5 4 1 15
Crich Comrades 5 2 3 10
Belper Royal British Legion 6 1 5 10
Edgefold Matlock No 3 6 0 6 5
Leading breaks: S Burton 55, R Ferguson 36.
Leading wins: D Waring 5/5; S Burton 5/6; S Brooks 4/4.
Bolehill Institute 5 2 2 1 66
Tansley Potters 5 2 1 2 57
Mayfield Institute 4 3 0 1 49
Leading wins: J McCann & M Jennings 3/4.
