ADY AT THE DOUBLE FOR TRAMWAYMEN'S SECOND TEAM

ADY LOWE ... at the double for CRICH No 2

THREE MATCHES took place in the opening round of fixtures in this season's T & M Motors Snooker League (the other two being cancelled) and in the match between two debutant teams, Crich Comrades No 2 defeated Whitworth Institute 4-1 to become the early pacesetters.
Ady Lowe, playing two of the singles frames and hence giving away the penalty handicap due to the unavailability of a fourth player, came up trumps as he scored 83-28 and 76-45 verdicts after nephew Jack Lowe had put the Tramwaymen ahead courtesy of a 66-33 scoreline.
Mick Ferguson had taken the third frame for the home side but by the time Jack Lowe and Martyn Caylow took to the baize for the doubles, the die had been cast.

Crich Comrades No 1 saw off Bolehill No 1 3-2 leaving the visitors still winless at the venue in competitive action since the home team returned to league action a few seasons ago.
Ade Smith took his singles on the black and the deciding doubles leg alongside John Smith after Ricki Slack and Ian Birks had levelled from 2-0 down for the vanquished.

Also coming through on a final frame decider were Belper Strutt Club who saw off Bolehill No 2 3-2. Steve Bullock and Paul Jarrett took each of their singles and doubles frames for the victors whilst Kevin Munnelly, returning to league action after a year out, top scored for the hosts.

League week 1: Whitworth Institute 1, Crich Comrades No 2 4; Crich Comrades No 1 3, Bolehill Institute No 1 2; Bolehill Institute No 2 2, Belper Strutt Club 3.
Breaks: K Munnelly 20.

WINS FOR BOLEHILL No 1 AND STRUTT CLUB IN OPENERS

ADAM WINSON ... put STRUTT CLUB ahead

THE OPENING action of the league season featured two Group A contests in the Bob McCartin Six Red Cup and home teams Bolehill Institute No 1 and Belper Strutt Club were off to flying starts as they notched five and six points respectively in the mini league stage.

Alfreton Palmer Morewood, back in the fold after a year hiatus, were the visitors at Bolehill and Des Smith took a nip-and-tuck first frame on the black to see his team in front.

Ricki Slack quickly equalised and Andrew Brough put the home side 2-1 up before Ian Birks added the third with another black ball decision.

Birks and Brough made it 4-1 in the first of the scotch doubles before Slack and Colin Marchington added the next but Alfreton stayed in the hunt for qualification as Andrew Haggarty sank a long black to partner Des Smith to success in the concluding leg.

Belper Strutt Club went one better courtesy of a 6-1 defeat of newcomers Whitworth Institute on Campbell Street.

Adam Winson on his return to action got the hosts off to the best possible start whilst Wayne Shooter was undefeated on the evening in both singles and doubles legs.

Bob McCartin Six Red Cup Group A: Bolehill Institute No 1 5, Alfreton Palmer Morewood 2; Belper Strutt Club 6, Whitworth Institute 1.

STRUTT CLUB TASTE JAEGER GLORY AGAIN AT BOLEHILL

BELPER STRUTT CLUB Jaeger Trophy play off champs 2018-19
L-R: Wayne Shooter, Paul Jarrett, Steve Bullock and Mark Newby.

MATLOCK GOLF CLUB T & M Motors Snooker League champs 2018-19
L-R: Charlie Hodgkinson, Graham Jones, Tony Blant and Paul Roe.
Also played: Ian McKay and Chris Parker.

BELPER STRUTT CLUB the number three seeds overcame top seeds Matlock Golf Club 3-1 to retain the Jaeger Trophy after coming  through the play off final with flying colours at Bolehill Institute.
Mark Newby, fresh from his doubles success with Steve Bullock, opened for Strutt and when opponent Paul Roe went in-off on the green after threatening a late comeback, he pounced to take match ball from out of the "D" and take the contest 57-23.
There was a mouth-watering clash of the teams' two winning-most players in the next and with the scores standing fairly even, a superb break of 38 from Paul Jarrett tipped the scales firmly in Strutt's favour and he soon followed that up with a decisive contribution of 18 despite some very deft and skilful snookers played late on by the ever battling Graham Jones.
Benefitting more successfully from a run of snookers was Wayne Shooter, who sealed the deal in the next, defeating Tony Blant 54-44, taking brown, blue and then doubling the pink to run out in style.
Charlie Hodgkinson put the golfers on the scoreboard in the remaining frame against victors' captain Bullock, courtesy of a pink into a baulk pocket. but it was all too late to stop the Belper team taking home one of the most coveted trophies of the season once again.
Jaeger Trophy play off final: Belper Strutt Club 3, Matlock Golf Club 1 (at Bolehill Institute): 57-23; 82(38)-26; 54-44; 36-53.

STEVE AND MARK TURN ON STYLE IN DOUBLES FINAL

STEVE BULLOCK and MARK NEWBY Doubles champs 2018/19

IT WAS a case of fourth time lucky for Belper Strutt pairing Steve Bullock and Mark Newby as after three consecutive runners-up prizes in the Denis Morton Trophy, they came up trumps courtesy of a straight frames victory over Bolehill's Ricki Slack and Keith Robertson at Crich Comrades Club.
With Newby showing up well in the opener, the Belper pair were soon one up with a 61-26 verdict though the next frame proved much tighter.
An early run of 23 from Slack was countered by eighteen from Newby and it proved nip and tuck until Robertson got in on the colours, his own contribution of eighteen ending to leave the Bolehill pair seven up with just black on the table.
But it was Newby who clipped in with the rest to force a respot and then took the extra ball into the middle pocket for 2-0.
That inspired partner Bullock into overdrive too and a well crafted 35 break ensured 3-0 before a 69-33 scoreline completed a great evening's work.

In the remaining Jaeger Trophy play off semi final, Matlock Golf Club also qualified in straight frames as Ian McKay, Tony Blant and Charlie Hodgkinson did the damage before Crich Comrades took the remaining but ultimately academic couple of frames.
So the Golf Club and Strutt Club lock horns in the grand final at Bolehill next week to bring to an end to another season of snooker.

Denis Morton Pairs Handicap Trophy final: Steve Bullock / Mark Newby (Belper Strutt) 4, Ricki Slack / Keith Robertson (Bolehill Inst) 0. (61-26; 66-59(23) (re-spotted black); 79-29; 69-33).
Jaeger Trophy play off semi final (1st v 4th): Matlock Golf Club 3, Crich Comrades 2.

DOBNEY, BUNTING AND BERRY TAKE INDIVIDUAL FINALS

SEAN DOBNEY (winner) with IAN McKAY (runner up), scratch final

THE three singles finals took place recently with Sean Dobney contesting the Scratch and Handicap events, the latter for the second year running, whilst Steve Bullock was in the Intermediate final for the fourth time in six seasons.
Edgefold's Dobney was up against Matlock Golf Club's Ian McKay at Crich for the OMYA Cup off levels and was soon into his stride, clearing up from green in the opener and then converting a long black for 2-0.
Despite some valiant efforts at snookers from his opponent in the third, the Dobney dominance continued with a 71-37 scoreline and he finished it off in straight frames once potting the green in frame four.

MICK BUNTING, open handicap winner

In action again the following night at Tansley against Bolehill's Mick Bunting in defence of his Open Handicap title, Dobney started well as he took a black ball decider to draw first blood.
However, Bunting came back strongly to equalise and then aided by a 20 break in the third and some excellent pots on the colours in the fourth, forged a 3-1 advantage.
The title holder produced some fine play in the next and looked set to close the gap but an incredible fluke on pink which presented Bunting with impeccable position on the final black saw him convert for a 4-1 success.

STEVE BULLOCK (runner up) with NICK BERRY (winner), "B" handicap

Earlier in the week Crich Comrades' Nick Berry defeated Steve Bullock 3-1 at Bolehill to with the "B" (Intermediate) Individual Cup, in which a black ball win in frame two proved pivotal for 2-0. Bullock pulled one back but Berry upped a gear in frame four to take the trophy.

In the first of the Jaeger Trophy play off semi finals, Belper Strutt Club edged out Bolehill No 1 3-2 with Mark Newby and Wayne Shooter winning each of their singles and doubles frames to seal the deal after Colin Marchington had given the hosts the lead.

Jaeger Trophy play off semi final: Bolehill Institute No 1 2, Belper Strutt Club 3.
OMYA Cup (Individual Scratch) final: Sean Dobney (Edgefold Matlock) 4, Ian McKay (Matlock Golf Club) 0 at Crich Comrades. (69-26, 57-43(24), 71-37, 51-34).
Open Individual Handicap final: Mick Bunting (Bolehill Institute No 2) 4, Sean Dobney (Edgefold Matlock) 1 at Tansley Potters. (67-71, 65-21, 72-40, 68-42, 74-63(25).)
"B" (Intermediate) Individual Handicap final: Nick Berry (Crich Comrades) 3, Steve Bullock (Belper Strutt Club) 1 at Bolehill Institute. (50-26, 57-44, 28-63, 59-16).

GOLF CLUB LEAGUE CHAMPS, CRICH ARE CUP VICTORS

MATLOCK GOLF CLUB League champions L-R: Ian McKay, Tony Blant, Graham Jones and Paul Roe.
Also played: Charlie Hodgkinson and Chris Parker.

MATLOCK GOLF CLUB became a new name on the list of T & M Snooker League winners as their decisive 4-1 success over Belper Strutt Club crowned them worthy champions at the end of another exciting regular season.
With either team still in the hunt going into the final fixture, along with onlookers Bolehill No 1, it was perhaps the tightest finish yet to a league season and seemingly ever more so when Steve Bullock took a tight opening frame 72-65 to put the visitors ahead.
Ian McKay levelled matters on the pink in the next however before a barnstorming performance from captain Graham Jones, amassing a tremendous 99-25 scoreline made it 2-1 and ensured he took the prize for the winning most league player.
Tony Blant then turned on the style in the remaining singles and doubles legs, concluding with a fine run of 27 to send the golfers on their way in a blaze of glory.

CRICH COMRADES Captains Cup winners L-R: Ade Smith, Cliff Gould and Nick Berry.
Also played on the night: John Smith, other squad members: Paul Trevett, Keith Fretwell and Ady Lowe.

Two nights later it was a case of role reversal as Crich Comrades rose to the challenge to defeat the Golfers 365-199 and avenge their loss to the same rivals in the earlier six red cup final.
John Smith with a 95-42 success followed by 80-35 and 89-35 wins respectively by Cliff Gould and Ade Smith pretty much had sealed the deal after the opening three frames leaving a mammoth task ahead for the new league champions.
And although they battled to the end, Nick Berry and the doubles pairing of Smith and Gould ground out closely fought frames to complete a fantastic night for the Tramwaymen, who adjusted to the lightning fast table conditions at Edgefold with some aplomb.

In the final pairs semi final, Ricki Slack and Keith Robertson progressed to meet Steve Bullock and Mark Newby in the remaining contest.
League results: Matlock Golf Club 4, Belper Strutt Club 1.
Captains Cup (team aggregate) final: Matlock Golf Club 199, Crich Comrades 365.
Breaks: T Blant 27; G Jones 25; R Slack 24.

T & M Motors Snooker League   P        W      L     Pts

Matlock Golf Club                         18       12       6     53

Bolehill Institute No 1                    18       13       5     51

Belper Strutt Club                         18         8     10     48

Crich Comrades Club                   18       11       7     47

Edgefold Matlock                          18         8     10     46

Bolehill Institute No 2                    18         7     11     38

Matlock Club                                 18         4     14     32

Leading wins: G Jones 13/18; C Marchington 12/16.
Leading breaks: R Dicken 40, I McKay 39.

THREE TEAMS CLING ONTO TITLE HOPES IN FINAL FIXTURE

MARK SAYER found his range for BOLEHILL No 2

AS HAS been the case in recent seasons, everything rests on the final league match of the season after Bolehill No 2's 3-2 defeat of Matlock Golf Club left the latter needing to defeat Belper Strutt Club this week to lift the T & M Motors Snooker League championship trophy.
Strutt themselves can retain the silverware with a maximum points win while four points will see them leap frog their final day opponents into the runners up spot.
Meanwhile, Bolehill No 1 will be hoping neither team attain their remaining goals in order that they may hold on to top spot having completed their fixtures already.
But their No 2 team certainly did them a favour as Ian Peacock eeked out a 76-74 win in a thrilling opener and then Mark Sayer opened his account for the season to add the second.
Keith Robertson (22 break) soon made it 3-0 before the golfers realised they needed to hit back fast and Chris Parker (24 break) took each of singles and doubles legs to reduce the deficit to the minimum margin.
Steve Bullock reached the final of the "B" Individual Handicap for the fourth time in six years as he defeated Keith Manlove 3-0 to gain some compensation for his defeat by the reverse scoreline in the Open Handicap to the same player.
League: Bolehill Institute No 2 3, Matlock Golf Club 2.
Breaks: C Parker 24; S Bullock 24; K Robertson 22.

T & M Motors Snooker League   P        W      L     Pts

Bolehill Institute No 1                   18       13       5     51

Matlock Golf Club                         17       11       6     49

Crich Comrades Club                   18       11       7     47

Belper Strutt Club                         17         8       9     47

Edgefold Matlock                          18         8     10     46

Bolehill Institute No 2                    18         7     11     38

Matlock Club                                 18         4     14     32

Leading wins: C Marchington 12/16; G Jones 12/17; M Newby 11/17.
Leading breaks: R Dicken 40, I McKay 39.