TOP 2 TEAMS EACH COME BACK FROM BRINK OF DEFEAT

ANDREW BEARDSLEY

EACH one of this week's T & M Snooker League fixtures finished in a minimum margin verdict with three being decided on the final doubles frame in a tightly contested quintet of games.
Best comeback was at reigning champs Alfreton Palmer Morewood No 2 who fell 0-2 behind to visitors Bolehill Institute and staged a rousing turnaround to take the spoils.
Ricki Slack took brown, blue and pink to seal the opener and then a fluke on the pink from Keith Robertson left Bolehill on the brink of success.
But they got no further than that and Andrew Beardsley took a high quality third frame with an early contribution of 27 and stunning late pots on brown, blue and pink after Simon Zoppi's riposte of 23 in the interim.
Jamie Rowland levelled it in the next with a narrow margin win and then teamed up with Beardsley to romp home in the doubles leg 73-20 to maintain the hosts' unbeaten run.

Tansley Potters also remain undefeated after coming back from the brink against Alfreton No 3, whom Dale Shaw had nudged 2-1 in front.
However a herculean effort from Steve Hawkins to come from the three snookers required stage and snatch a 69-68 verdict over a disbelieving Ady Lowe squared things up and Radford Neville's superb 40 break in the deciding doubles leg settled matters in their favour.

Edgefold No 2 defeated Alfreton No 2 3-2 with Rob Muxlow, Steve Burton and Jamie Wright in the winners circle whilst John Smith was undefeated in singles and doubles for the Amber Valley cuemen, teaming up with Phil Longden in the latter.

Belper Strutt Club went 3-0 up against Edgefold No 1 with Paul Jarrett top scoring before the Matlock cuemen found their feet with Sean Dobney notching a 31 break in the doubles, partnered by Steven Clark who also took the previous frame.

And Matlock Golf Club edged out Crich Comrades with Graham Jones and Ian McKay proving a thorn in the Tramwaymen's side with wins in both singles and doubles whilst Rob Mulliss and Paul Trevett replied for the home team.

In the Elliott Carpet Billiards League, Bolehill Institute defeated Tansley Potters 14-7 and Whitworth Institute got the better of Mayfield Institute.
League week 4 results: Alfreton Palmer Morewood No 2 3, Bolehill Institute No 2 2; Tansley Potters 3, Alfreton Palmer Morewood No 3 2;  Edgefold Matlock No 2 3, Alfreton Palmer Morewood No 2 2; Belper Strutt Club 3, Edgefold Matlock No 1 2; Crich Comrades 2, Matlock Golf Club 3.
Breaks: R Neville 40; S Dobney 31; A Beardsley 27; S Zoppi 23; B Monk 22.

T & M Motors Snooker League        P        W       L       Pts 
Alfreton P Morewood No 2                  3         3        0       10
Tansley Potters                                    3         3        0         9
Edgefold Matlock No 2                        3          2        1        9 
Matlock Golf Club                                3          2        1        9 
Belper Strutt Club                                3          2        1        8
Crich Comrades                                   3         1         2        7
Bolehill Institute                                    3         1         2        6
Edgefold Matlock No 1                         3         0         3        5
Alfreton P Morewood No 1                   2         0         2        4
Alfreton P Morewood No 3                   2         0         2        3                   
Leading breaks: R Neville 40, S Dobney 31.
Leading wins: R Mulliss, G Jones & P Jarrett 3/3.

ITS A TAYLOR-MADE EVENT AS RYAN, GUY & ROY ALL WIN

RYAN TAYLOR

CONTINUING the series of recent cliff-hangers, Alfreton Palmer Morewood No 1 defeated six red competition debutants Edgefold No 2 4-3 to keep their hopes alive in Group C with most teams still having a chance of qualifying going into the final round of matches in a couple of weeks time.
It was also very much a Taylor-made occasion with Guy and Ryan lining up for the hosts and Roy for the visitors, and ultimately there was a successful Taylor in six of the seven frames during the evening, surely that record will be very hard to beat!!
Roy struck first for the Matlock cuemen with a 31-24 success in the opener before Ryan equalised and Guy then nudged his team ahead with a 48-19 verdict.
John Smith then broke the mould to get a different surname on the winners roster with a narrow win to make it 3-1 but Roy teamed up firstly with Dan Stone and then with captain Dal Abu-Bakr to level the scores going into the final scotch doubles leg.
And it went right down to the wire before Guy Taylor and John Smith sneaked a 26-20 decider on the final black leaving everything to play for in the remaining group fixture.

Elsewhere, in Group B Belper Strutt Club opened their event campaign with a 4-3 win over Matlock Golf Club as they took all three scotch doubles legs to come from 1-3 adrift.
Mark Newby was successful in each of his legs while Graham Jones was top scorer for the golfers.

Group A saw Alfreton Palmer Morewood No 2 gain their second win, this time 4-3 at Bolehill Institute. Kyle Ryde and Ant McMahon produced the highlight of the night with a superb clearance of 42 in the scotch doubles which saw them 4-1 up before the hosts took the remaining two legs, Ian Birks and Keith Robertson with a 25 clearance in the first of them.
And Edgefold No 1, whitewashed by the Amber Valley cuemen in their opening six red game, dished out the same treatment to Crich Comrades to bring themselves well and truly back into the reckoning for qualification.
Several frames went down to the final black but the Tramwaymen couldn't get one over the line on a great night for the hosts with Duncan Harwood and Ian Doe each triumphant in all three frames they contested.

In the Elliott Carpets Billiards League, Whitworth Institute gained their second successive victory with an 11-9 verdict over Tansley Potters with Jim McCann and Steve Hawkins winning respectively whilst Bolehill Institute edged out Mayfield Institute 11-10 with Ricki Slack and Mark Jennings on target for opposing teams.
Bob McCartin Six Red Cup Group A: Bolehill Institute 3, Alfreton Palmer Morewood No 2 4; Edgefold Matlock No 1 7, Crich Comrades 0. Group B: Belper Strutt Club 4, Matlock Golf Club 3, Group C: Alfreton Palmer Morewood No 1 4, Edgefold Matlock No 2 3.
Elliott Carpets Billiards League: Tansley Potters 9, Whitworth Institute 11; Bolehill Institute 11, Mayfield Institute 10.
Breaks: K Ryde / A McMahon 42 (scotch doubles); D Harwood 27; K Robertson / I Birks 25 (scotch doubles); A Beardsley 22.

Bob McCartin Six Red Cup Qualifying Stage

Group A                              P         W         L         Pts
Alfreton P Morewood No2  2          2           0          11
Edgefold Matlock No1        2          1           1           7
Bolehill Institute                  2          0           2           6
Crich Comrades                 2          1           1           4

Group B                              P         W          L         Pts
Matlock Golf Club               2          1           1           7
Belper Strutt Club               1          1           0           4
Alfreton P Morewood No3  1          0           1           3

Group C                              P         W          L         Pts
Alfreton P Morewood No1   2          1           1           6
Tansley Potters                    1          1           0           5
Edgefold Matlock No2         1          0           1           3

The two bottom placed teams with the lowest points per game average are eliminated from quarter final stages.

BOLEHILL AND TANSLEY TAKE BLACK BALL THRILLERS

COLIN MARCHINGTON

TWO MATCHES went down to the final black in the second round of T & M Motors Snooker League matches with Bolehill Institute gaining their first victory of the season courtesy of their 3-2 defeat of Belper Strutt Club.
Colin Marchington put the hosts ahead with a 63-28 success and soon afterwards Ricki Slack made it two with a 68-37 scoreline.
Two tight frames ensued thereafter, and each went the way of the visitors as Paul Jarrett and Wayne Shooter each emerged victorious on the pink to level things up.
And it looked like Strutt had staged a marvellous fightback when Jarrett's attempt at a match winning pink headed towards the middle pocket in the deciding doubles leg, yet it rolled agonising all around the lip before Slack stepped in to take the remaining two balls in a thrilling contest.

Also taking the spoils on the very last ball were Tansley Potters who also prevailed 3-2 at Alfreton Palmer Morewood No 1 with Joe Neville and Gray Astle sealing the deal 50-47 in a match which swung back and forth. Neville had earlier put the visitors 2-1 up before Guy Taylor equalised.

Matlock Golf Club defeated Edgefold No 1 4-1 with Les Mooney top scoring for the hosts and Steven Clark on target for the visitors.

Edgefold No 2 also prevailed 4-1, with Rob Muxlow (93 points haul) leading the way whilst Rob Mullis maintained his unbeaten run for the Tramwaymen..

And triumphant were Alfreton Palmer Morewood No 2 who defeated their No 3 team 4-1, Ant McMahon was in winning form for the Amber Valley cuemen while Jack Lowe was the sole victor for the vanquished.

In the Elliott Carpets Billiards League, Jim McCann was off to a flying start with runs of 57, 40 and 30 as Whitworth Institute saw off Bolehill Institute 14-7 in the opening match.

Snooker League week 2 results: Bolehill Institute 3, Belper Strutt Club 2; Alfreton Palmer Morewood No 1 2, Tansley Potters 3; Matlock Golf Club 4, Edgefold Matlock No 1 1; Edgefold Matlock No 2 4, Crich Comrades 1; Alfreton Palmer Morewood No 2 4, Alfreton Palmer Morewood No 3 1.

Billiards League week 1 results: Whitworth Institute 14, Bolehill Institute 7.
Breaks: J McCann 57,40,30.

SNOOKER AND BILLIARDS BOTH COME ALIKE FOR TANSLEY

                                                STEVE HAWKINS
TANSLEY POTTERS followed up the previous week's Six Red qualification win with a 3-2 success over Matlock Golf Club in their inaugural fixture in the T & M Motors Snooker League.
With the venue home to a long standing billiards team, it is equally clear that snooker will not pose any complication to these Tansley cuemen either.
Gray Astle, who has previous snooker experience from spells at Hartington and Allestree in other Leagues, got them off to a flying start courtesy of a 78-60 verdict in the opener.
And Radford Neville was in sublime form as he added the next  with a barnstorming display of potting including a run of 27 to prevail 90-25.
Steve Hawkins, who is a relative of property owner Joe Neville, then sealed the win in straight frames with a 69-30 triumph.
It was left to Graham Jones to restore some pride for the golfers, as he took each of his singles and doubles legs, latterly partnered by Tony Blant.

Edgefold No 1 entertained Alfreton No 2 and were hoping to avenge their six red whitewash the previous week.
Ian Doe (ex-County Offices and Callow Park) returned to the fold with a bang, showing the old magic is still there with an 80-40 success to equalise at 1-1 and Duncan Harwood also levelled at 2-2 after Kevin Rowland had put his side ahead for the second time.
However, the Amber Valley cuemen came through the deciding doubles leg with aplomb, Andrew Beardsley steadying the ship with debutant Ant McMahon seeing off two further debutants for the home side in what proved to be a baptism of fire.

Belper Strutt Club also took a 3-2 victory over new team Edgefold No 2. Justin Weller (26 break) top scored for the hosts and they raced 3-0 up before Giddy Gamble pulled one back for the Matlock side, with Dal Abu Bakr and Rob Muxlow reducing arrears to the minimum margin by the end of the night.

Bolehill Institute were stretched to the max by COVID issues and holidays and succumbed 4-1 at Crich Comrades, who had also taken the spoils in the previous week's six reds contest.
Colin Marchington did put the visitors ahead early doors but from thereon in it was one way traffic with Rob Mulliss (28 break) looking like being a handy acquisition.
Sadly the other game was also COVID affected to the extent that it didn't get underway.
League week 1 results: Tansley Potters 3, Matlock Golf Club 2: Edgefold Matlock No 1 2, Alfreton Palmer Morewood No 2 3; Belper Strutt Club 3, Edgefold Matlock No 2 2; Crich Comrades 4, Bolehill Institute 1.
Breaks: R Mulliss 28; R Neville 27; J Weller 26; K Ryde 25.

TRAMWAYMEN EDGE AN EARLY SEASON SIX RED THRILLER

ADE SMITH ... winning start

CRICH COMRADES were off to a winning start in Group A of the Bob McCartin Six Red Cup as they edged out Bolehill Institute 4-3 on the deciding black in the larger group of four.
With teams largely aiming to avoid the bottom placings in each section which might signal elimination from the quarter final stages, Ade Smith started the campaign in great style with a 51-6 romp in the opener.
Keith Robertson, who has moved over from the now defunct No 2 team, quickly equalised before new home team signing Rob Mulliss made it 2-1 with a debut success.
Simon Zoppi, defeated by Mulliss in the above-mentioned frame, was drawn out to play again with the visitors a man down and he quickly made amends, defying the penalty handicap to equalise at 2-2.
Mulliss and Smith again nudged their side ahead at 3-2 in the first of the scotch doubles legs but the game was going all the way after Zoppi and Ricki Slack took a black ball decider for 3-3.
And it could have gone either way in the last before Mulliss (partnered by Cliff Gould) stepped in to take a mid range black and earn the home side the balance of the points.

The other game in the group turned out slightly less fraught as Alfreton Palmer Morewood No 2 scored a decisive 7-0 win over Edgefold. Steve Donner (48 break) was his usual imperious self whilst Ben Monk and Kyle Ryde were also in the scoring zone.

Tansley Potters opened up in Group C with a 5-2 win on their debut as a snooker team (more often they have been involved in the billiards side of the league). Captain Joe Neville won all three frames he contested after Alfreton No 1 had taken the first two frames, Andrew Haggarty notching the latter of those.

And in Group B Matlock Golf Club defeated Alfreton No 3 4-3 with Chris Parker getting them off to a winning start before the visitors reduced the arrears to the minimum margin after Ady Lowe and Graem Wood took the final frame.

Bob McCartin Six Red Cup, Group A: Crich Comrades 4, Bolehill Institute 3; Alfreton Palmer Morewood No 2 7, Edgefold Matlock 0. Group B: Matlock Golf Club 4, Alfreton Palmer Morewood No 3 3. Group C: Tansley Potters 5, Alfreton Palmer Morewood No 1 2.
Breaks: S Donner 48; B Monk 27; K Ryde 25,20,20; K Rowland 23..

NICK WINS "B" INDIVIDUAL FOR THIRD TIME IN 4 SEASONS

Runner-up JOE NEVILLE congratulates winner NICK BERRY

CRICH COMRADES continued their stranglehold on the "B" Individual (Intermediate) Cup as Nick Berry defeat Joe Neville 3-1 at Bolehill Institute for a magnificent third win in four seasons personally whilst his team captain Ade Smith took the honours in the other year.
Berry was into his stride quickly in the opener with some steady potting and after a long green put him 36 points ahead with just 22 remaining, he went into the early ascendancy.
However Neville, who has returned to the snooker scene this time around after many seasons on the billiards circuit, hit back strongly in the next with a 25 clearance the icing on the cake after already holding a 30 point lead prior to that.
Again Berry was out of the traps quickly in the next, building up 37-7 advantage but once again veteran cueman Neville showed his break-building prowess of yesteryear had not diminished with an excellent run of 30 to bring the scores level.
It seemed the Tansley stalwart's recent eye op had certainly produced the desired effect but thereafter Berry took pink with the next two reds and a foul meant he soon had a fair lead going into the colours which he eventually converted into a 69-37 verdict.
And the fourth frame remained nip and tuck right until the final balls with Neville levelling the scores at 42 each before rattling the brown into a baulk pocket and leaving it on the edge of the pocket.
The reigning champ stepped in and looked set to secure the frame with decent position onto the blue before he too rattled it and once again the outlook was in the balance.
Hoewver, soon aftewards, he raked in a much more difficult long blue to edge ahead and then a few minutes later drilled in a straight pink for a 53-42 success and another year with the familiar silverware on the mantlelpiece.

"B" (Intermediate) Individual Handicap final: Nick Berry (Crich Comrades No 1) 3, Joe Neville (Tansley Potters) 1 (at Bolehill Institute): 50-14; 18-73(25); 69-37(30); 53-42.
Breaks: J Neville 30,25.

ALFRETON No 2 BACK FROM BRINK FOR GREAT HAT-TRICK

ALFRETON PALMER MOREWOOD No 2 Jaeger Trophy winners 21/22
L-R: Jamie Rowland, Kyle Ryde, Ben Monk, Kevin Rowland & Andrew Beardsley.

THE newly-elected T & M Motors League champions Alfreton Palmer Morewood No 2 took on third placed Crich Comrades No 2 in the final of the Jaeger Trophy play-offs recently at Matlock's Edgefold Club.
Graeme Wood opened up first for the Tramwaymen against recent OMYA Cup winner Ben Monk, and with the latter suffering from one of the worst run of the balls you could ever have the misfortune to see, coupled with some excellent potting from his opponent, it was the Crich cueman who took the spoils with a runaway 83-19 success.
Wood, formerly a regular player of Matlock Club, has surely enjoyed his best-ever season this year with 14 wins out of 17 matches in all competitions.
Jack Lowe was next out of the blocks for the underdogs and he raced 51-0 up against opponent Kyle Ryde until the latter stepped in with a classy 32 break to put him back into the contest.
However, Lowe eventually clipped in a thin blue and added the pink straight after to secure a 73-59 victory and defy a strong fightback.
It needed a rearguard action from the champs from here and Andrew Beardsley started the ball rolling with a very astute frame of measured matchplay and solid conversion as he overcame Dale Shaw 70-37 to pull one back.
Jamie Rowland took on Crich captain Ady Lowe in the next and in a largely scrappy frame, it was the Alfreton man who began to eke out an advantage towards the business end as his opponent was left needing all of the remaining four colours to prevail.
And incredibly, successive flukes on brown and then blue made this seem possible until a long range pink into the bottom pocket caught the jaws and Rowland stepped in to make it 2-2.
Alfreton now had the bit between their teeth and once again it was the Crich pairing of the two Lowes who needed the last three balls to win in the doubles leg as they trailed 53-39.
But Monk, partnering Kevin Rowland in the decider, engineered a quarter-ball clip on blue into the middle and then took the pink with the rest into a corner pocket to complete a fantastic hat-trick for the team to go with the aforementioned League championship and the Captains Cup team aggregate trophy from a couple of weeks earlier.

Jaeger Trophy play-off final: Alfreton Palmer Morewood No 2 3, Crich Comrades No 2 2 (at Edgefold Club, Matlock). Breaks: K Ryde 32.