JACK & JIM WIN REMAINING SNOOKER & BILLIARDS FINALS

JACK LOWE .... "B" individual handicap winner

THE REMAINING delayed finals in snooker and billiards formats took place this week with Jack Lowe of Alfreton Palmer Morewood taking on Edgefold's Rob Muxlow in the "B" Intermediate Individual Handicap and Whitworth's Jim McCann up against Tansley's Joe Neville in the three-ball game's Williams Cup.
Lowe had come through contests with Reece Johnstone, Andrew Haggarty, Trevor Wright and Ian Doe to reach the final showdown while Muxlow had seen off Sam Kniveton, Alex Fisher and Lee Shaw after an initial bye.
There was a gathering of a fair few people to see the climax at Tansley Potters which turned out to be more of a tactical affair rather than producing any high scoring visits in a match where the players mutually agreed to play a best of 7 rather than the usual best of 5 in this particular event.
Lowe took the first two frames 51-22 and 53-25 in similar vein with Rob not really getting his cue arm going from positions near the baulk cushion.
The third frame was more open with a fair few misses and free balls to boot boosting the totals, but Muxlow was still requiring three snookers on the colours and despite getting two of them, the Amber Valley cueman pulled away again at the end to take it 89-57.
A much more even fourth frame ensued thereafter with the scores locked together at 52 apiece but again it was Lowe who kept his cool to slot home the pink and black and take it 65-52 for a 4-0 success.
This completes a stellar season for the league's most improved player perhaps ever in the space of a few months, having not previously won an individual trophy, this now being his fifth major prize of the season comprising the  open handicap, the pairs handicap (with John Smith), most individual wins in the league with 17 out of 22 and his team also taking the League Championship.

JIM McCANN ... billiards individual handicap winner

Jim McCann lifted the Williams Cup (Billiards Individual Handicap) also at Tansley with a convincing 139-36 success after 75 minutes, rubber stamped by a 38 break, confirming his good recent form after a run to the semi finals in the English Over 60s plate competition recently whereas Neville, also runner-up in this event last year, had not had much in the way of competitive play of late.

"B" Intermediate Individual Handicap final: Jack Lowe (Alfreton Palmer Morewood) 4, Rob Muxlow (Edgefold Matlock) 0 (at Tansley Potters): 51-22; 53-25; 89-57; 65-52.
Williams Cup (Billiards Individual Handicap) final: Joe Neville (Tansley Potters) 36, Jim McCann (Whitworth Institute) 139 (at Tansley Potters). Breaks: Jim McCann 38.