CHRIS 'n' DAVE SECURE BLACK BALL DERBY DECISION

CHRIS STUBBS helped steer the No 2 team to a thrilling  3-2 Strutt derby success.

THE latest round of  Highfields Farm Butchers Premier Division fixtures saw the title race tighten up even further if that was possible with the Belper Strutt Club derby producing the most fireworks.
Mark Newby (22 break) and Paul Jarrett put the No 1 team on the cusp of victory by taking the opening two frames but a superb fight-back saw Dave Needham and then Chris Stubbs (breaks of 23 and 22) take their singles frames to level matters at 2-2.

And the latter pair then combined for a tense doubles frame success with Needham sinking the final black as they defeated Jarrett and Wayne Shooter 78-66.

Meanwhile Matlock Cons drew level with Bolehill Institute No 1 at the top by maintaining their unbeaten home record with a 3-2 win to inflict the first defeat of the season on the visitors.

Nick Kay, Charlie Hodgkinson and Richard Deakin sealed the deal before Ian Birks took both singles and doubles frames he was involved in to reduce the deficit.

MICK BUNTING of BOLEHILL No 2 compiled the weeks top break of 32.

Bolehill No 2 enjoyed a better fate as they scored a 4-1 success at Matlock Club, highlighted by a break of 32 from Mick Bunting in his 82-26 frame scoreline after Graeme Wood had set the home team on the right path in the opener.

League week 9 results: Belper Strutt No 1 2, Belper Strutt No 2 3; Matlock Cons 3, Bolehill Inst No 1 2; Matlock Club 1, Bolehill Inst No 2 4.
Breaks: M Bunting 32; R Slack 25; C Stubbs 23,22; M Newby 22; I Peacock 20.

Highfields Farm Butchers Premier Division
                                         P      W      L      Pts
Bolehill Institute No 1       8        7       1       24
Matlock Cons                   8        5       3       24
Belper Strutt No 1            7        4       3       21
Edgefold Matlock             7        5       2       20
Belper Strutt No 2            8        3       5       18
Bolehill Institute No 2       8        2       6       17
Matlock Club                    8        1       7       11
Leading breaks: M Taylor 50, C Parker 45.
Leading wins: R Slack 7; J Lynch & P Jarrett 6.

NEW HANDICAP RATINGS

THE latest handicap adjustments are as follows:
Ricki Slack (Bolehill Institute No 1) goes from -20 to -25
Paul Ogden (Belper Strutt No 2) goes from -10 to -5
Graeme Wood (Matlock Club) goes from +5 to +10
Paul Bryan (Matlock Club) goes from +5 to +10

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.

DALE ROAD DERBY SEES MATLOCK CLUB OFF THE MARK

PAUL HOLMES .... starring role for MATLOCK CLUB

IN A KEENLY contested  derby match between the two teams based on Dale Road, Matlock Club edged out Matlock Conservative Club 3-2 to register their opening strike in this seasons Highfields Farm Butchers Premier Division.
Jack Lynch shaded the first on the black for the visitors to earn his sixth straight victory before Mick McFall produced a confident display to equalise.

Richard Deakin re-affirmed the advantage in the next but Paul Holmes made it 2-2 by defeating danger man Chris Parker 69-48 and then, partnered by Paul Bryan, secured a hard fought doubles frame to earn his team the spoils.

Bolehill Institute No 1 moved narrowly back to the top courtesy of yet another 3-2 win (their sixth in seven games) at home to Belper Strutt Club No 2.

The highest quality contest of the night saw Andrew Brough defeat Chris Stubbs on the pink after an excellent display of potting from both players.

Ian Birks (25 break) took the fourth frame with a twice-across double on the black to make the game safe before Paul Ogden took blue, pink and black in the concluding doubles frame to reduce the deficit after a marathon battle which swung to and fro.

Edgefold Club remain hot on the leaders' heels, also triumphing by the minimum margin in their game at Bolehill No 2.

Robert Muxlow and Duncan Harwood won both their singles and doubles events for the visitors while Martin Forster and Mick Bunting were on target for the hosts.

League week 8 results: Matlock Club 3, Matlock Cons 2; Bolehill Inst No 1 3, Belper Strutt No 2 2; Bolehill Inst No 2 2, Edgefold Matlock 3.
Breaks: I Birks 25.

Highfields Farm Butchers Premier Division
                                         P      W      L      Pts
Bolehill Institute No 1       7        7       0       22
Matlock Cons                   7       4       3        21
Edgefold Matlock             7        5       2       20
Belper Strutt No 1            6        4       2       19
Belper Strutt No 2            7        2       5       15
Bolehill Institute No 2       7        1       6       13
Matlock Club                    7        1       6       10
Leading breaks: M Taylor 50, C Parker 45.
Leading wins: R Slack 7; J Lynch 6; M Taylor & P Jarrett 5.

TRIO OF TEAMS LOCKED TOGETHER IN TIGHT TITLE RACE

RICHARD FERGUSON ... successful return to action for EDGEFOLD CLUB

WITH three teams on level points at the top it looks like being one of the closest fought title races for years in this season's Highfields Farm Butchers Premier Division.
Belper Strutt No 1 looked in pole position to take over the mantle of outright league leaders this week but Matlock's Edgefold Club had other ideas and secured a 4-1 away win to move within two points of the leading trio themselves.

Duncan Harwood ended Paul Jarrett's unbeaten run in the first and Martyn Taylor quickly followed this up by defeating Wayne Shooter on a re-spotted black.

Mark Newby pulled one back, holding Rob Muxlow scoreless in frame three but Richard Ferguson on his seasonal debut made the game safe in the fourth.

And the icing on the cake was a black ball win in the doubles courtesy of the decisive pot from Neil Parkinson.

Bolehill No 1 were inactive this week but saw a third contender join them on 19 points as Matlock Cons took a 3-2 victory off Bolehill No 2.

IAN CRESSWELL ... convincing victory for veteran cueist

Veteran Ian Cresswell scored a convincing opening frame success for the hosts and Ian Peacock made it 2-0 before the fightback materialised.

Chris Drabble shaded the third before Jack Lynch (still undefeated) equalised and then edged the concluding doubles frame partnered by Nick Kay.

Belper Strutt No 2 defeated Matlock Club 4-1 with Chris Stubbs (36 break) getting the ton up though Paul Ogden's 38 break still wasn't quite enough for him personally as Paul Holmes' black ball victory made sure the visitors didn't go home empty handed.

League week 7 results: Belper Strutt No 1 1, Edgefold Matlock 4; Bolehill Inst No 2 2, Matlock Cons 3; Belper Strutt No 2 4, Matlock Club 1.
Breaks: P Ogden 38; C Stubbs 36; C Drabble 22.

Highfields Farm Butchers Premier Division
                                         P      W      L      Pts
Bolehill Institute No 1       6        6       0       19
Belper Strutt No 1            6        4       2       19
Matlock Cons                   6        4       2       19
Edgefold Matlock             6        4        2      17
Belper Strutt No 2            6        2       4       13
Bolehill Institute No 2       6        1       5       11
Matlock Club                    6        0       6         7
Leading breaks: M Taylor 50, C Parker 45.
Leading wins: R Slack 6; J Lynch, M Taylor & P Jarrett 5.

DRAWS FOR COMPETITIONS - DECEMBER AND JANUARY

THE draws for the early rounds of the competitions were made recently at Bolehill Institute on the morning of Sunday November 19th.
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.

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).

OMYA CUP (INDIVIDUAL SCRATCH COMPETITION) 3rd round (1st proper)

Best of 3 frames - all off Scratch - 7.30pm
Tue Dec 10: I Peacock (Bolehill Inst No 2) v R Slack (Bolehill Inst No 1)
Wed Dec 11: M Gwynne-Jones (Bolehill No 2) v C Marchington (Bolehill No 1)
All other entries receive byes to quarter finals. 

CHRISTMAS SHOOTOUT NIGHT @ JAXX Q CLUB, BELPER
TUESDAY DECEMBER 17th @ 7.30pm - ALL THE FUN OF THE FAIR!
£5 entry all inc. for Individual, Speed & Scotch Doubles Comps (6 Reds)
Just turn up on the night (Draws to take place @ 7.30pm)
featuring The Alan Hopkinson Memorial Trophy, The Eddie Lomas Speed Snooker Challenge and The George Mills Scotch Doubles Trophy
(all handicapped)
Come and give it a go if you haven't already, the more the merrier!
Now open to all past and present Darley Dale & District League players.

INDIVIDUAL HANDICAP First Round
Best of 3 Frames - Normal League Handicaps to apply - 7.30pm
Mon Jan 06: P Holmes (Matlock Club) v K Holmes (Belper Strutt No 1)
Mon Jan 06: N Parkinson (Edgefold Matlock) v P Ogden (Belper Strutt No 2)
Tue Jan 07: R Muxlow (Edgefold Matlock) v R Slack (Bolehill Inst No 1)
Wed Jan 08: M Taylor (Edgefold Matlock) v N Kay (Matlock Cons)
All other entries receive byes to quarter finals.

BOB McCARTIN CUP (TEAM SIX RED COMPETITION) Semi Finals

As agreed previously venues are as drawn due to limited number of rounds

Best of 7 frames - 7.30pm - Half of Normal League Handicaps to apply rounded up
Four singles frames and three scotch doubles frames  (alternate shots) 
No player to play more than one singles or two scotch doubles per match
(Same pairing cannot be used twice in scotch doubles)
Mon Jan 06: Bolehill Institute No 1 v Matlock Cons
Wed Jan 08: Belper Strutt No 1 v Belper Strutt No 2 

CAPTAINS CUP (TEAM AGGREGATE COMPETITION) Quarter Finals
5 Frames Played to a finish - Total Aggregate Points to decide
Mon Jan 13: Bolehill Institute No 1 v Matlock Club
Mon Jan 13: Edgefold Matlock v Matlock Cons
Wed Jan 15: Belper Strutt No 1 v Belper Strutt No 2
Bye: Bolehill Institute No 2.

DENIS MORTON TROPHY (PAIRS HANDICAP) First Round
Best of 3 Frames - 7.30pm - Normal League Handicaps to apply
Tue Jan 14: I Peacock / M Forster (Bolehill 2) v S Bullock / M Newby (Strutt 1)
All other entries receive byes to quarter finals.

"B" (INTERMEDIATE)  INDIVIDUAL HANDICAP First Round
Best of 3 Frames - 7.30pm - Normal League Handicaps to apply
Wed Jan 22: K Manlove (Matlock Club) v N Kay (Matlock Cons)
All other entries receive byes to quarter finals.

STRUTT No 1 NARROW GAP AFTER MAXIMUM POINTS HAUL

PAUL JARRETT made it five wins out of five personally for BELPER STRUTT CLUB No 1.

THE gap between the teams at the top of the Highfields Farm Butchers Premier Division closed to just a single point this week as Belper Strutt Club No 1 played host to Bolehill Institute No 2 and scored a 5-0 success.
There was no initial sign that it was going to be anything other than a very tough game early doors as Ian Cresswell forced home team captain Steve Bullock to a re-spotted black but once the latter took it, the floodgates opened.

Paul Jarrett maintained his unbeaten run this season with a narrow victory in frame two and then Wayne Shooter and Mark Newby quickly added two more rather more convincingly.

With black nestling over the pocket in the concluding doubles frame, if Cresswell's double on pink  had struck gold there would have been some consolation for the visitors but unfortunately for him it narrowly missed the target and eventually Strutt secured the maximum haul.

Bolehill No 1 hold on to a tenuous advantage at the top after winning 3-2 at Matlock's Edgefold Club, though this will most likely soon change as they have a week off upcoming.

Ricki Slack took the first on the pink against Duncan Harwood thanks to a twice-across double after a very tight battle that was in the balance throughout.

Then Martyn Taylor produced one of the frames of the season to equalise, notching breaks of 50, 33 and 24 to score a century points haul before Colin Marchington (with a black ball success) and Ian Birks restored the advantage.

Taylor and Rob Muxlow (24 break) reduced the arrears thereafter in the doubles.

League week 6 results: Belper Strutt No 1 5, Bolehill Inst No 2 0; Edgefold Matlock 2, Bolehill Inst No 1 3; Matlock Cons v Belper Strutt No 2 postponed (match claimed 5-0 due to less than the stipulated 24hrs notice being given, as in rule 31, upheld by majority verdict of the disputes committee).

Breaks: M Taylor 50,33,24; R Muxlow 24; M Newby 22.

Highfields Farm Butchers Premier Division
                                         P      W      L      Pts
Bolehill Institute No 1       6        6       0       19
Belper Strutt No 1            5        4       1       18
Matlock Cons                   5        3       2       16
Edgefold Matlock             5        3        2       13
Belper Strutt No 2            5        1       4         9
Bolehill Institute No 2       5        1       4         9
Matlock Club                    5        0       5         6
Leading breaks: M Taylor 50, C Parker 45.
Leading wins: R Slack 6; P Jarrett 5.

MATLOCK CLUB THWARTED AS EDGEFOLD STORM BACK

DUNCAN HARWOOD took both his singles and doubles frames for Edgefold Club.

MATLOCK Club were denied their opening victory in this years Highfields Farm Butchers Premier Division when Edgefold Club came from 2-1 down to take the spoils by the minimum margin on Dale Road.
Duncan Harwood edged the first frame on the black for the visitors before Keith Manlove and Mick McFall put the hosts into a narrow advantage.

However, Martyn Taylor, with breaks of 26 and 21 sent the match into a decider and Harwood stepped up to the plate again, partnered by Rob Muxlow, to ensure victory for his team.

Belper Strutt No 2 team did manage to register their opening league win, however, 4-1 at Bolehill Institute No 2 to follow up their cup success of last week.

Adam Winson's return to the fold has been a big factor, as he was successful in both singles and doubles frames, though Chris Stubbs' black-ball decider in frame four was the decisive blow.

Martin Forster secured the only point for the home team despite Paul Ogden scoring a break of 25 against him.

In the top of the table encounter, Bolehill No 1 edged out Belper Strutt No 1 3-2.

Simon Zoppi had taken the fourth frame on the black to make the game safe before Steve Bullock, partnered by Paul Jarrett, took pink and black in the concluding doubles frame to reduce the arrears.

League week 5 results: Matlock Club 2, Edgefold Matlock 3; Bolehill Inst No 2 1, Belper Strutt No 2 4; Bolehill Inst No 1 3, Belper Strutt No 1 2.
Breaks: M Taylor 26,21; P Ogden 25; C Marchington 22.

Highfields Farm Butchers Premier Division
                                         P      W      L      Pts
Bolehill Institute No 1       5        5       0       16
Belper Strutt No 1            4        3       1       13
Edgefold Matlock             4        3       1       11
Matlock Cons                   4        2       2       11
Belper Strutt No 2            4        1       3         9
Bolehill Institute No 2       4        1       3         9
Matlock Club                    5        0       5         6
Leading breaks: C Parker 45, M Taylor 40.
Leading wins: R Slack 5; P Jarrett 4.