EDGEFOLD No1 & CLAY CROSS No1 TAKE TIGHT BATTLES

ROB MUXLOW partnered Richard Ferguson to victory

A TRIO of Bob McCartin Six Red Cup quarter finals took place in the last week and there were a couple of thrillers with one of them seeing Alfreton Palmer Morewood No2 entertain Edgefold No1 in what looked one of the ties of the round beforehand.
Rob Muxlow took the opener for the visitors 50-14 before Jack Lowe (23 break) replied for the hosts with a similar win of 42-13.
The next two were again shared with Adam Cupit earning a 39-25 victory and Steve Burton's 39 break instrumental in a 51-0 verdict for 2-2.
Lowe and Cupit then teamed up for a 45-24 success to nudge the home side ahead but a black ball win for Richard Ferguson and Duncan Harwood left everything resting on the decider.
And in a tense finale, it was Ferguson and Muxlow who came through with a fluke on the blue paving the way for victory with pink resting over the pocket as they took it 38-20.

The all-Clay Cross encounter also went down to the wire with the No1 team going ahead early doors thanks to a 41-10 win for Duane Parsons and Graham Jones' 39-14 victory soon making it two.
However, John Roseman with a 41-18 verdict and then Damian Woodward with a 31-6 scoreline pulled the No2 team level going into the three scotch doubles legs.
Jones and Duncan Waring took the first of these on the black to edge the No1 team back in front before a 44-8 riposte from Matt Large and Mark Bower levelled it up again.
But after a hard fought battle, the No1 paring of Waring and Ian McKay pulled their team through with a 33-20 deciding victory in another cliffhanger.

The other tie played saw Tansley Potters defeat Bolehill Institute No2 5-2.
Dale Shaw put the visitors into an early lead but consecutive successes for Radford Neville, Joe and Steve Hawkins put the home side into a commanding position after the singles legs.
Mick Bunting and Paul Young took the first of the scotch doubles 43-32 however but success for Steve and Joe Hawkins in the sixth frame sealed the deal before the home side took an academic last leg.

In the competitions, Ben Monk hit a fine break of 42 despite ultimate defeat to Paul Trevett (Clay Cross Brotherhood sponsored Player of the Week) in the individual handicap, with the latter also progressing convincingly in the pairs handicap with Nick Berry.

The Billiards Captains Cup semi final between Whitworth Institute and Bolehill Institute produced a nail-biting finale right down to the last minute of play, with Jim McCann (breaks of 48 and 42) edging his side ahead by seven points in the aggregate-decided contest before an untimely miscue saw Ricki Slack step in with an unfinished run of 18 when time elapsed for an overall 11-point victory (the exact margin by which Andrew Brough had taken the opener).

Bob McCartin Six Red Cup quarter finals: Alfreton Palmer Morewood No2 3, Edgefold Matlock No1 4; Clay Cross Brotherhood No1 4, Clay Cross Brotherhood No2 3; Tansley Potters 5, Bolehill Institute No2 2.
Breaks (inc. comps): B Monk 42; S Burton 39; J Lowe 28,24,23; R Taylor 25; J Roseman 24; D Harwood 23,20; N Berry 23; J Smith 20.

Billiards Captains Cup semi final (Team Aggregate): Bolehill Institute beat Whitworth Institute by 11pts (Jim McCann 48 & 42 breaks).