ALFRETON BOUNCE BACK TO SECURE JIMMY HARPER CUP

ALFRETON PALMER MOREWOOD Jimmy Harper Cup winners
L-R: Ben Monk, Andrew Haggarty, Des Smith and John Smith.

ALFRETON PALMER MOREWOOD bounced back from a reverse in the previous week's Jaeger Trophy play-off semi-final to come out with all guns blazing in a 325-270 verdict over visitors Bolehill Institute No 1 in the Jimmy Harper Cup Team Plate final.

Des Smith started the ball rolling with an exquisite 36 break the highlight of his 87-46 opening salvo before Steve Hawkins clawed some of the points back with his 79-58 win in the next.

Home captain Andrew Haggarty increased the Amber Valley cuemen's lead as he ground out a 62-44 success in frame three and after John Smith's 83-34 romp in the next, the writing was on the wall for an unfamiliar Bolehill line-up who were without a few regulars.

Ricki Slack and Gray Astle at least added some respectability to the final aggregate scores but Alfreton were never in any serious danger of coming unstuck in the concluding doubles leg.

This more than made up for the disappointment of the previous week which saw Belper Strutt Club progress to the play off final courtesy of a 4-1 victory.

Steve Bullock fired the home side ahead before black-ball verdicts for Justin Weller and Wayne Shooter ensured progress to the main stage. Mark Newby piled on the agony in the next before  John Smith and Andrew Haggarty finally stemmed the tide for the visitors in the pairs leg. 

Jimmy Harper Cup (Team Aggregate Plate) final: Alfreton Palmer Morewood 325, Bolehill Institute No 1 270.
Jaeger Trophy Play-off semi final: Belper Strutt Club 4, Alfreton Palmer Morewood 1.
Breaks: D Smith 36; J Smith 22.