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| JACK LOWE and JOHN SMITH ... an uplifting experience |
Having come through their previous rounds with Duncan Waring and Duane Parsons, Sam Kniveton and Fin Harvey and Richard Ferguson and Rob Muxlow all with 3-2 victories, the Amber Valley cuemen were glad not to have to bite their fingernails too hard on this occasion as they took hold of the match from an early stage.
The opening frame went their way 64-24 with the last three balls being confidently dispensed by Lowe and with the Tansley pairing requiring snookers on the colours in the next, they were forced mainly into pots over the pocket before the pink ball eventually secured a 2-0 lead.
Things were only slightly better for the hosts in the next as they needed all the colours to tie but with Hawkins Senior striking the blue instead of brown, it was snookers required and Smith quickly made it three.
The fourth frame was easily the most nip and tuck and for a while it looked like the arrears were likely to be reduced but several snooker combined with the miss rule brought the Alfreton duo back into the frame and a fine long pot from Lowe was followed by a match winning pink and an academic black to complete a great nights work for him and his partner.
There was also T & M Motors Snooker League action with Lowe's team still well in the mix despite a 3-2 home reverse at the hands of Bolehill No1, who had recently defeated them in the Jimmy Harper Plate.
Ian Doe took all the colours in two or three visits with some great pots to overturn Alex Fisher's lead who had hitherto looked set to put his side ahead after a 31 break gave him the ascendancy.
Lowe himself looked in prime position on the colours too with a 24 lead but opponent Ricki Slack followed Doe's lead and eventually took a long pink and black into the middle for what had been looking an unlikely 2-0 advantage.
Kai Hopkins with a run of 30 pulled one back but Ian Birks always held sway in the next and with his opponent potting black only to go in-off from one of the latter reds, his lead ultimately became decisive.
Lowe and Hopkins eventually came through in the doubles 71-44 despite trailing early doors.
Clay Cross Brotherhood No2 defeated Edgefold No1 4-1 with Lee Shaw top scoring after Mark Bower had secured a tight first frame, the Matlock side having to wait until the doubles leg to register through Duncan Harwood and Rob Muxlow.
This leaves the Brotherhood top of the table after their completed league programme but Alfreton No2 are five points behind with two games in hand (both against Edgefold No1), and will have the better win record if they jump onto equal points.
There is still one play off place to decide - Bolehill No1 are guaranteed to qualify whether it be in third or fourth place along with the top pair, and Tansley Potters did their chances no harm with a 4-1 defeat of Belper Royal British Legion.
All four singles contests went the way of the hosts with Joe Neville top scoring before three tight frames were also secured though a low scoring doubles frame bucked that trend with Steve Bullock and Paul Jarrett taking it on the black.
The other teams battling for the play-offs saw Clay Cross No1 defeat the short-staffed Edgefold No2 3-2 after taking the first three frames with Graham Jones top scoring.
Black-ball wins for Martin Barwick and Josh Dakin and Jake Neville in the concluding doubles leg kept alive the Matlock sides chances of making the end of the season showdown though they will be reliant on neither Tansley nor Clay Cross earning enough points off each other in their double-header which closes their regular league campaign.
Away from the business end, Crich Comrades defeated Edgefold No3 3-2 with the two Pauls, Trevett and Hubbard, responding either side of Roy Taylor's victory for the visitors and then Ade Smith making the game safe before Taylor and Steve Birds pulled one back in the pairs leg.
And Alfreton No1 ran up a 5-0 win at bottom placed Bolehill No2 with Andrew Haggarty and Cole Smith successful in each of their singles and doubles while John Smith scored in both his frames including as the reserve due to shortages.
Denis Morton Pairs Handicap Trophy final: Steve and Joe Hawkins (Tansley Potters) 0, Jack Lowe and John Smith (Alfreton Palmer Morewood) 4: 24-64; 39-62; 27-58; 49-69.
T & M Motors Snooker League week 22: Alfreton Palmer Morewood No2 2, Bolehill Institute No1 3; Clay Cross Brotherhood No2 4, Edgefold Matlock No1 1; Tansley Potters 4, Belper Royal British Legion 1; Edgefold Matlock No2 2, Clay Cross Brotherhood No1 3; Crich Comrades 3, Edgefold Matlock No3 2; Bolehill Institute No2 0, Alfreton Palmer Morewood No1 5.
Breaks: A Fisher 31; K Hopkins 30.
Clay Cross Brotherhood sponsored Player of the Week: Kai Hopkins (Alfreton PM No2).
Leading wins: J Lowe 16/20; M Newby 15/20; D Waring 14/18
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