KEITH STEERS BOLEHILL No 2 TO LOCAL DERBY VICTORY

KEITH ROBERTSON played a starring role as BOLEHILL No 2 earned local bragging rights

THE COMPETITION is hotting up with three teams now battling it out for the Highfields Farm Butchers Premier Division title as Belper Strutt No 1 and Edgefold Club each scored resounding victories to close on pacesetters Bolehill Institute No 1.
This is because Bolehill No 2 team edged the clash with their No 1 rivals 3-2 after coming from 2-0 down with Keith Robertson playing a starring role in his first appearance of the season.

It had seemed set to be business as normal early doors as Simon Zoppi with a sublime potting display and then Colin Marchington (ahead for the first time after potting the deciding black) gave the leaders the ascendency.

However, Robertson, aided by a 32 break, started the comeback and Mick Bunting ran out a decisive winner in frame four to equalise.

And it was the same pair who eventually prevailed in a tight doubles frame as the flying Robertson took brown, blue and pink in superb style to seal the victory.

Belper Strutt No 1 retain second place but are now just seven points behind with a game in hand after winning 4-1 at Matlock Club.

Graeme Wood gave the hosts the lead but Steve Bullock's black ball win over Keith Manlove made the game safe after Mark Newby had earlier top scored.

Edgefold Club are a point behind in third after a fantastic 5-0 win at Matlock Cons, who had previously been unbeaten at home.

Duncan Harwood and Jason Ankers won both their singles and doubles frames in a great team performance.

The Cons had also been edged out 3-2 in their re-arranged game at Belper Strutt No 2 earlier in the week where the most exciting frame saw Chris Parker win 82-81 against Keith Hubbold despite a run of 25 from the latter.

Chris Stubbs and Dave Needham took the doubles frame on the black as the hosts shaded it.

Paul Ogden became the first solo finalist of the season (outside of the Christmas extravaganza) after defeating Kevin Holmes 3-2 in the Open Individual Handicap semi final, coming from 2-1 down to take the spoils.

League week 18 results: Bolehill Inst No 1 2, Bolehill Inst No 2 3; Matlock Club 1, Belper Strutt No 1 4; Matlock Cons 0, Edgefold Matlock 5; Belper Strutt No 2 3, Matlock Cons 2 (re-arranged).
Open Indiv Handicap semi final: Paul Ogden 3, Kevin Holmes 2.
"B" (Intermediate) Indiv Handicap semi final: Keith Manlove w/o Kevin Holmes scr (match conceded).
Breaks: K Robertson 32; K Hubbold 25; S Zoppi 21.

Highfields Farm Butchers Premier Division
                                         P      W      L      Pts
Bolehill Institute No 1     16      14       2       53
Belper Strutt No 1          15        9       6       46
Edgefold Matlock           15      10       5       45
Matlock Cons                 16        8       8       40
Belper Strutt No 2          15        6       9       33
Bolehill Institute No 2     15        6       9       32
Matlock Club                  16        1     15       21
Leading breaks: M Taylor 74; B Monk 53.
Leading wins: R Slack 13; M Taylor 12; C Marchington & P Jarrett 10.

MARTYN DENIED TON BUT STILL HEADS BREAKS CHART

MARTYN TAYLOR ... topping the breaks chart (again) with 74

WITH four rounds to go in the Highfields Farm Butchers Premier Division, Bolehill Institute No 1 maintained their nine point advantage at the top though Belper Strutt Club No 1 moved strongly into second place and still have a game in hand.
The closest encounter though came at Edgefold Club where the home team shaded their contest with Belper Strutt No 2 3-2 to stay well in touch in third.

Robert Muxlow took the opener courtesy of a run of 24 before one of the most remarkable frames of the season also went their way in the next.

Martyn Taylor came to the table trailing by 61 and looking a forlorn hope before striking an amazing 74 break that only culminated when he potted black after the last red and went in-off into the middle pocket going up for the yellow with the colours waiting on their spots for a possible 108.

His opponent Keith Hubbold then moved back in front with the three baulk colours but Taylor hit back again undeterred taking blue and pink to win 86-78 no less!

Chris Stubbs (27 break) pulled one back for the visitors and also took the doubles convincingly with Dave Needham though Neil Parkinson had already made the game safe in between for the hosts.

MICK McFALL ... big win but team out of luck

Bolehill first team won 4-1 at Matlock Club with Simon Zoppi, Andrew Brough and Ricki Slack excelling whilst Mick McFall did likewise with a 65-7 scoreline for the vanquished.

Belper Strutt No 1 put a big dent in Matlock Cons' hopes of the title with a 5-0 win. Justin Weller, always a good recruit to have in reserve, came in for one of his occasional appearances and top scored on the night and he also took his doubles frame in runaway style partnered by Wayne Shooter.

League week 17 results: Edgefold Matlock 3, Belper Strutt No 2 2; Matlock Club 1, Bolehill Inst No 1 4; Belper Strutt No 1 5, Matlock Cons 0.
Breaks: M Taylor 74; C Stubbs 27; R Muxlow 24; J Weller 22; R Slack 21.

Highfields Farm Butchers Premier Division
                                         P      W      L      Pts
Bolehill Institute No 1     15      14       1       51
Belper Strutt No 1          14        8       6       42
Edgefold Matlock           14        9       5       40
Matlock Cons                 14        8       6       38
Belper Strutt No 2          14        5       9       30
Bolehill Institute No 2     14        5       9       29
Matlock Club                  15        1     14       20
Leading breaks: M Taylor 74; B Monk 53.
Leading wins: R Slack 13; M Taylor 11; C Marchington & P Jarrett 9.

COMPETITION SEMI & FINAL DRAWS FOR APRIL AND MAY

THE draws for the semi finals of the competitions were made recently by Gordon Critchlow at Hartington Royal British Legion.
As agreed by the committee, dates will be put on the matches again this season, though you can play them in advance of the set date by mutual agreement.

You must re-arrange with your opponent if a date is not suitable (please give at least 48hrs notice and preferably more) and re-schedule it within 7 days, failing agreement you can apply to the match secretary for a further 7 days to play it.

If someone doesn't contact the opposition and then fails to show, they are expunged obviously.

In the case of finals on neutral venues, please contact the match secretary if there are any problems with dates proposed.

Matches to be played off the latest handicaps on the scheduled date of the ties (if any are delayed and handicaps change subsequently, the original match handicap will stand).

Note a few of these dates may fall slightly differently to the original schedule and we have tried to share the finals round so all clubs get at least one match.

 

Where opposing players from the same club reach the final, we will offer them the opportunity to play it on their own club table as per normal (should all agree).

As previously indicated, we are playing all semi finals as drawn this season with neutral venues only for finals to ease the burden on repeated use of venues/referees.
 

OMYA CUP (INDIVIDUAL SCRATCH) Semi Finals - venues as drawn
Best of 5 Frames - 7.30pm - all off Scratch
Tue April 08: P Ogden (Belper Strutt No 2) v C Parker (Matlock Cons)
Tue April 08: R Slack (Bolehill Inst No 1) v M Taylor (Edgefold Matlock)

B" (INTERMEDIATE)  INDIVIDUAL HANDICAP Semi Finals -
venues as drawn
Best of 3 Frames - 7.30pm - Normal League Handicaps to apply
Mon April 07: K Holmes (Belper Strutt No 1) v K Manlove (Matlock Club)
(to be played at Jaxx Q Club, Belper on request of the home player)
Wed April 09: S Bullock (Belper Strutt No 1) v P Ogden (Belper Strutt No 2)

OPEN INDIVIDUAL HANDICAP Semi Finals - venues as drawn
Best of 5 Frames - 7.30pm - Normal League Handicaps to apply
Mon Apr 14: R Slack (Bolehill Inst No 1) v K Manlove (Matlock Club)
Tue Apr 22: P Ogden (Belper Strutt No 2) v K Holmes (Belper Strutt No 1)

DENIS MORTON TROPHY (PAIRS HANDICAP) Semi Finals -
venues as drawn
Best of 5 Frames - 7.30pm - Normal League Handicaps to apply
Tue Apr 22: R Slack/C Marchington (Bhill 1) v S Bullock/M Newby (Strutt 1)
Fri Apr 25: C Parker/N Kay (Matlock Cons) v C Stubbs/A Winson (Strutt 2)

JIMMY HARPER CUP (TEAM PLATE AGGREGATE COMPETITION)
Round Robin format for first round losers in the Captains Cup
5 Frames Played to a finish - 7.30pm - Total Aggregate Points to decide
(Winner of this match will lift the trophy as each have 1 win apiece*)
(*Belper Strutt No 2 win in event of a tie by virtue of superior overall aggregate)
Wed Apr 23: Belper Strutt No 2 v Edgefold Matlock

CAPTAINS CUP (TEAM AGGREGATE COMPETITION)  Final
5 Frames Played to a finish - 7.30pm - Total Aggregate Points to decide
Thu May 01: Belper Strutt No 1 v Bolehill Institute No 2 (at Matlock Cons Club)

JAEGER TROPHY (CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS PLAY OFFS) Semi Finals
(TEAM HANDICAP COMPETITION)
Best of 5 Frames - 7.30pm - Usual League Basis Format
(highest ranked team plays at home on their usual  night, week comm. 28/4/14)
Mon Apr 28: Bolehill Institute No 1 v Matlock Cons
Mon Apr 28: Edgefold Matlock v Belper Strutt No 1

OMYA CUP (INDIVIDUAL SCRATCH COMPETITION) Final
Best of 7 Frames - 7.00pm - all off Scratch
Tue Apr 29: C Parker (Matlock Cons) v M Taylor (at Belper Strutt Club)

INTER LEAGUE CHALLENGE CUP* - 4 Man Teams (*to be confirmed)
All players play 3 single frames each versus a different opponent (2 tables)
12 Frames with a tie-breaker frame if level (players either drawn / nominated)
(Team will be selected on a points based system from wins & handicap ratings)
Date is likely to be Wed May 14 - dependent on visitors raising a team
Darley Dale & District League v Hope Valley & Buxton League (at Edgefold Club)

OPEN INDIVIDUAL HANDICAP Final
Best of 7 Frames - 7.00pm - Normal League Handicaps to apply
Tue May 06: R Slack (Bolehill No 1) v P Ogden (Strutt No 2) (at Edgefold Matlock)

JAEGER TROPHY (CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS PLAY OFFS) Final
(TEAM HANDICAP COMPETITION)
Best of 5 Frames - 7.30pm - Usual League Basis Format
Wed May 07: Edgefold Matlock v Matlock Cons (at Matlock Club)

"B" (INTERMEDIATE)  INDIVIDUAL HANDICAP Final
Best of 5 Frames - 7.30pm - Normal League Handicaps to apply
Thu Apr 24: K Manlove (Mat Club) v S Bullock (at Bolehill Institute)

DENIS MORTON TROPHY (PAIRS HANDICAP) Final
Best of 7 Frames - 7.00pm - Normal League Handicaps to apply
Mon May 12 (at Belper Strutt Club)
S Bullock/ M Newby (Strutt 1) v C Stubbs / A Winson (Strutt 2)

BOLEHILL No 2 AND BELPER STRUTT No 1 REACH FINAL

MARTIN FORSTER delivered the killer blow for BOLEHILL No 2

BUOYED by their Captains Cup team aggregate competition quarter final win over Bolehill Institute No 1, Matlock Club now tried to oust the same club's No 2 outfit in the semi final stages held this week.
Christmas shootout champion Ian Peacock was in no mood to show any favours though and he took the opening frame 72-33 over Keith Manlove to give the visitors a head start.

Paul Bryan threatened to turn it on its head in the next but Mark Gwynne-Jones took the last three balls to only go down 66-41 and keep his team with their noses in front.

And after Mick Bunting defeated Graeme Wood 65-41 and Martin Forster saw off Mick McFall 67-24 the game was all but safe.

Peacock and Forster took the doubles frame at the end for an overall 312-197 Bolehill win.

Belper Strutt No 1 will be the final opposition after they overcame Matlock Cons 298-265 in the other semi.

Wayne Shooter and Mark Newby each won by wide margins before Chris Parker (35 break) and Charlie Hodgkinson reduced the deficit to 42 points going into the concluding doubles leg.

But Parker and Richard Deakin could only erode the margin by a further 9 points up against the home teams stoic rearguard action.

In the second round robin match in the Jimmy Harper Plate, visitors Belper Strutt No 2 defeated Bolehill No 1 334-280 with Chris Stubbs putting in a starring role with a 97-28 verdict in frame four.

At the time the home side were 43 points to the good after Simon Zoppi had gotten them off to a flyer.

KEITH HUBBOLD took the spoils for BELPER STRUTT No 2 in a high scoring thriller

Also worthy of mentions were Keith Hubbold, who edged a high scoring thriller 81-71 and Dave Needham, whose vital 27 break from last red to pink pulled things back against Ricki Slack, who just prevailed with a long-pot on the final black.

Captains Cup (Team Aggregate) semi finals: Matlock Club 197, Bolehill Inst No 2 312; Belper Strutt No 1 298, Matlock Cons 265.
Jimmy Harper Team Plate (round robin): Bolehill Inst No 1 280, Belper Strutt No 2 334.
"B" (Intermediate) Indiv Handicap semi finals: Duncan Harwood 1, Paul Ogden 2; Steve Bullock 2, Neil Parkinson 0.
Breaks: C Parker 35; D Needham 27; R Slack 23.

STRUTT No 2 SECURE FIRST SILVERWARE OF SEASON

BELPER STRUTT No 2, Bob McCartin Six Red Cup winners 2013/14
L-R: Chris Stubbs, Dave Needham, Adam Winson and fist-pumping Andrew Gratton.

THE BOB McCartin Six Red Cup final took centre-stage this week with Belper Strutt Club No 2 and Matlock Conservative Club competing for the first silverware of the season.
Jack Lynch made a positive start in the opener against Chris Stubbs, but as is often the case in this format of the game, things change in the blink of an eye and a jawed blue gave Stubbs the chance to dish up with blue. pink and black which he took with some aplomb.

Chris Parker took the next on the pink after Dave Needham's attempted safety shot fell just short, but Andrew Gratton, making a rare appearance for Strutt, restored the advantage by taking pink and black against Richard Deakin, who had led throughout until then.

It soon became 3-1 as with the frame scores locked together at 17 apiece, Charlie Hodgkinson's unfortunate in-off allowed Adam Winson to cut the pink along the baulk cushion into the green pocket from the "D".

With the singles legs completed, it was Winson and Stubbs who returned to the table for the scotch doubles and they soon had matters well in hand, with a 45-8 scoreline making the game safe for a memorable triumph.

The Cons gained some compensation later in the week with a 4-1 home win over Bolehill Institute No 2 moving them up to second place in the Highfields Farm Butchers Premier Division.

Richard Deakin won the pivotal third frame on the black whilst Chris Parker and Charlie Hodgkinson took the pairs frame on a re-spotted black after Martin Forster had given the visitors an early advantage.

In the Jimmy Harper Plate, played as a round robin this season, Matlock's Edgefold Club defeated Bolehill No 1 327-277 in the opening match with Martyn Taylor notching a superb 55 break and Ian Birks replying with a solid potting performance for the vanquished.

Bob McCartin Six Red Cup final: Belper Strutt No 2 4, Matlock Cons 1 (at Edgefold, Matlock).
Jimmy Harper Plate (round robin): Edgefold Matlock 327, Bolehill Inst No 1 277.
League (re-arranged): Matlock Cons 4, Bolehill Inst No 2 1.
Denis Morton Trophy (Pairs handicap) quarter finals: Steve Bullock / Mark Newby 2, Neil Parkinson / Robert Muxlow 1; Duncan Harwood / Jason Ankers 1, Chris Parker / Nick Kay 2; Andrew Brough / Simon Zoppi 0, Chris Stubbs / Adam Winson 2; Ricki Slack / Colin Marchington 2, Keith Manlove / Paul Holmes 0.
Breaks: M Taylor 55; R Slack 21; C Stubbs/A Winson (scotch dbls) 20.

Highfields Farm Butchers Premier Division
                                         P      W      L      Pts
Bolehill Institute No 1     14      13       1       47
Matlock Cons                 13        8       5       38
Edgefold Matlock           13        8       5       37
Belper Strutt No 1          13        7       6       37
Bolehill Institute No 2     14        5       9       29
Belper Strutt No 2          13        5       8       28
Matlock Club                  14        1     13       19
Leading breaks: B Monk 53, M Taylor 50.
Leading wins: R Slack 12; M Taylor 10; C Marchington 9.

CLOSE FINISHES ABOUND IN GRIPPING ROUND OF GAMES

CHARLIE HODGKINSON was on the mark for MATLOCK CONS

THREE thrilling finishes were in evidence this week in the Highfields Farm Butchers Premier Division with a couple of them decided on the final black to boot.
The teams from Strutt Club have already clashed a few times in all competitions this season and this was the second occasion that all rested on the final ball, but this time with a different result.

Paul Ogden scored a 53-29 win in the opener to give the No 2 outfit the early advantage before resounding verdicts for Wayne Shooter and  Steve Bullock (23 break) saw the No 1 team nose ahead.

Keith Hubbold then opened his account for the season to level matters before Jarrett and Bullock shaded a tough pairs battle with Chris Stubbs and Adam Winson 63-60 to earn local bragging rights for the No 1 squad.

Matlock Club were denied in a close finish for the third week in a row, going down 3-2, also on the deciding black, at Bolehill Institute No 2.

The singles frames were shared with Mick Bunting and Martin Forster on the mark for the hosts and Graeme Wood and Keith Manlove replying for the visitors.

And despite an early run of 24 from Manlove in the deciding pairs contest, Bunting took pink and black at the end to wrestle a hard fought win.

It also finished 3-2 to Bolehill No 1 team who edged out Matlock Cons to maintain their lead at the top of the table.

Andrew Brough, with a black ball win, and Colin Marchington (25 break) made it 2-0 before Charlie Hodgkinson and Chris Parker (who also notched a 48 break in the OMYA Cup individual this week) made it all square.

But Marchington and Ricki Slack took the doubles frame 66-16 to settle matters.

League week 16 results: Belper Strutt No 2 2, Belper Strutt No 1 3; Bolehill Inst No 2 3, Matlock Club 2; Bolehill Inst No 1 3, Matlock Cons 2.
OMYA Cup (Indiv Scratch) quarter final: Mark Gwynne Jones 1, Chris Parker 2.
Open Indiv Handicap quarter final: Duncan Harwood 1, Paul Ogden 2; Kevin Holmes 2, Paul Bryan 0.
"B" (Intermediate) Handicap quarter final: Kevin Holmes 2, Paul Holmes 0.
Breaks: C Parker 48; C Marchington 25; K Manlove 24; S Bullock 23; M Gwynne-Jones 21.

Highfields Farm Butchers Premier Division
                                         P      W      L      Pts
Bolehill Institute No 1     14      13       1       47
Edgefold Matlock           13        8       5       37
Belper Strutt No 1          13        7       6       37
Matlock Cons                 12        7       5       34
Belper Strutt No 2          13        5       8       28
Bolehill Institute No 2     13        5       8       28
Matlock Club                  14        1     13       19
Leading breaks: B Monk 53, M Taylor 50.
Leading wins: R Slack 12; M Taylor 10; C Marchington 9.

NEW HANDICAP RATINGS

THE latest handicap adjustments are as follows:
Colin Marchington (Bolehill Institute No 1) goes from -10 to -15
Mick McFall (Matlock Club) goes from +5 to +10
Mick Bunting (Bolehill Institute No 2) goes from +10 to +15

The above players have reached the trigger percentages for moving up or down a bracket so the new ratings will come into play with immediate effect (for any remaining competitions left to play).

If you wish to print out the full list of up to date handicap ratings, please click on the link on the right hand side of the webpage, thanks.