MATLOCK CLUB EDGE THRILLER TO STAY IN THE HUNT

DAVE ALLEN was on target for MATLOCK CLUB

THREE matches took place in the second round of group games in this season's Captains Cup team aggregate competition.
Tightest contest of the trio was at Bolehill Institute where the No 2 team almost staged a stirring comeback as they hosted Matlock Club in Group A despite winning only the final doubles leg.
The first four frames all went to the visitors by narrow margins with Graeme Wood and Paul Holmes setting the tone with black ball successes.
Captain Keith Manlove's 62-51 win in frame three and Dave Allen's 63-49 triumph in the final singles leg soon saw their team 36pts ahead.
However, a valiant effort from home pairing Keith Robertson and Ian Peacock eroded that to just nine points at the conclusion, 270-279 to leave both teams still in contention for a semi final spot.

Belper Strutt Club hold pole position in the group, defeating Edgefold No 1 340-264 for their second win in as many outings.
Robert Muxlow's 27 break with a colours clearance snatched the opener on the black for the visitors but emphatic wins for Paul Jarrett and the Steve Bullock / Wayne Shooter combo in the pairs leg made sure of home glory.

Bolehill No 1 needed their 315-263 verdict over Edgefold No 2 to keep their hopes alive to leave both teams in with a chance going into their final matches.
Colin Marchington and Ricki Slack (32 break) were in excellent form for the victors while Rob Dicken took both his singles and doubles frames for the Matlock outfit.
Captains Cup (Team Aggregate) Group A: Bolehill Institute No 2 270, Matlock Club 279: Belper Strutt Club 340, Edgefold Matlock No 1 264; Group B: Bolehill Institute No 1 315, Edgefold Matlock No 2 263; Alfreton Palmer Morewood v Matlock Golf Club (postponed, playing Monday).
Breaks: R Slack 32; R Muxlow 27.

Group A                                    P       W      L      F       A      Diff     Pts
Belper Strutt Club                      2        2       0     662    407    255      4
Bolehill Institute No 2                 2        1      1     629    515    114       2
Matlock Club                              2        1      1     522    592     -70       2
Edgefold Matlock No 1               2       0       2     500    699    -199      0
Group B                                    P       W      L      F       A      Diff     Pts
Edgefold Matlock No 2               2       1       1     664    483    181       2
Alfreton Palmer Morewood        1        1       0     346    227    119      2
Bolehill Institute No 1                 2        1       1     542    609    -67       2
Matlock Golf Club                      1        0       1     168    401   -233      0

Top two in each group qualify for semi finals.

ZOPPI EXCELS FOR BOLEHILL No 1 IN LEADERS CLASH

SIMON ZOPPI ... amongst the breaks for BOLEHILL No 1

THE TOP two teams met in this week's Harriotts Sweet Chariot Event Planning Snooker League and visitors Bolehill Institute No 1 narrowly overcame Belper Strutt Club 3-2 to draw level with their counterparts after a hard fought battle on Campbell Street.
Simon Zoppi was in imperious form for the victors, notching breaks of 30, 22 and finally a 25 clearance to earn the Viva Restaurant highest weekly break accolade before Colin Marchington took the next on the black for 2-0.
Mark Newby (21 break) reduced the arrears for the hosts in the next and then Justin Weller with a cultured display levelled matters to take it into the final doubles leg.
But Ricki Slack and Ian Birks, earlier defeated in their singles legs, combined to greater effect in the decider and saw it out for their team with a 62-30 success.

Third placed Alfreton Palmer Morewood were edged out 3-2 at Bolehill No 2. Martin Forster amassed 97 points for the hosts to take the Mick Hodgkinson Transport player of the week award and later took the deciding leg 62-28 with the help of Ian Peacock.
Andrew Beardsley and Kevin Rowland were on target for the Amber Valley cueists.

Both Edgefold teams earned narrow wins.
The No 1 team scored 3-2 at home to Matlock Golf Club with Andy Russell (breaks of 26 and 23) in prime form before Neil Parkinson and Robert Muxlow settled the decider. Graham Jones (27 break) top scored for the visitors.

Edgefold No 2 also won by the minimum margin at Matlock Club with Sam Lavelle taking each of his singles and doubles frames after Graeme Wood had finally ended the unbeaten eight match run of Rob Dicken in the opener.

League week 11 results: Belper Strutt Club 2, Bolehill Institute No 1 3; Bolehill Institute No 1 3, Alfreton Palmer Morewood 2; Edgefold Matlock No 1 3, Matlock Golf Club 2; Matlock Club 2, Edgefold Matlock No 2 3.
OMYA Cup (Individual Scratch) quarter finals: Andy Russell 2, Ian Peacock 0; Ricki Slack 0, Graham Jones 2.
Breaks: A Russell 39,26,23; S Zoppi 30,25,22; G Jones 27; R Ferguson 24;
R Slack 23; K Robertson 22; M Forster 22; I Peacock 22; M Newby 21.

Harriotts Sweet Chariot Event Planning Snooker League
                                         P      W      L      Pts
Belper Strutt Club           11       7       4       32
Bolehill Institute No 1      11       7       4       32
Alfreton P Morewood      11       6       5       30
Edgefold Matlock No 1    11       6       5       27
Edgefold Matlock No 2    10       5       5       27
Matlock Club                   11        6       5      24
Bolehill Institute No 2      11        4       7      23
Matlock Golf Club            10        2       8     20
Leading breaks: B Monk 55; R Ferguson 49.
Leading wins: R Dicken 8/9; K Robertson & I Birks 7/10; A Russell 7/11.

ITS TIGHT AT THE TOP AFTER ALFRETON SCALP STRUTT

PAUL BRYAN,  Mick Hodgkinson Transport player of the week

THREE matches took place in this week's Harriotts Sweet Chariot Event Planning Snooker League and the top placings tightened up considerably thanks to Alfreton Palmer Morewood's stunning whitewash of leaders Belper Strutt Club, taking them to within two points of those rivals.
Old stager Ralph Edgson edged a tight opening battle 64-55 to get the Amber Valley cueists on the board and it wasn't long before Simon Mayes increased the advantage.
In form Jamie Rowland took another tight frame in the third to make sure of victory and it was rubber stamped with further successes from his father Kevin and in the concluding doubles frame.

Bolehill Institute No 1 separate that pair in the league placings following a 3-2 home win over last seasons champions Edgefold No 1.
Ricki Slack and Ian Birks took the deciding doubles leg 54-32 after Andy Russell (48 break earning him the Viva Restaurant top weekly break accolade) and Duncan Harwood (30 break) had clawed the visitors back from 2-0 adrift.

Matlock Club continue to enjoy their best season for some time, defeating Bolehill No 2 3-2 on Dale Road with Paul Bryan top scoring to earn himself the Mick Hodgkinson Transport Player of the Week mantle after Mick Bunting had given the visitors an early advantage.

League week 10 results: Alfreton Palmer Morewood 5, Belper Strutt Club 0; Bolehill Institute No 1 3, Edgefold Matlock No 1 2; Matlock Club 3, Bolehill Institute No 2 2.
Breaks: A Russell 48,22; D Harwood 30; R Slack 21.

Harriotts Sweet Chariot Event Planning Snooker League
                                         P      W      L      Pts
Belper Strutt Club           10       7       3       30
Bolehill Institute No 1      10       6       4       29
Alfreton P Morewood      10       6       4       28
Edgefold Matlock No 1    10       5       5       24
Edgefold Matlock No 2     9        4       5       24
Matlock Club                   10       6       4       22
Bolehill Institute No 2      10        3       7      20
Matlock Golf Club             9        2       7       18
Leading breaks: B Monk 55; R Ferguson 49.
Leading wins: R Dicken 8/8; I Birks 7/9; K Robertson & R Slack 6/9.

EDGEFOLD No 2 RUN RIOT IN CAPTAINS CUP OPENER

CENTURION SEAN DOBNEY was amongst the breaks

EDGEFOLD No 2 amassed a stupendous 401 points as they started their Captains Cup campaign in barnstorming style against Matlock Golf Club in a competition which sees the overall aggregate points totals deciding the matches.
Rob Dicken (24 break) set the tone with an 88-23 success in the opener before Tom Chambers continued the good work with a 71-54 verdict over Ian McKay, who top scored for the vanquished.
Even better was the come with Christmas champion Sean Dobney oozing confidence in compiling breaks of 48,28 and 22 en route to a century points haul in frame three.
Sam Lavelle notched his debut win in the next and it was left to Dobney and Dicken to complete one of the team performances of recent times to leave the visitors reeling with a 233 points deficit.

Elsewhere, there were two repeat match-ups from last weeks six red semi finals with contrasting outcomes this time around.
Bolehill Institute No 2 confirmed their superiority over Edgefold No 1 with a 359-236 margin. Ian Peacock top scored with a 92-48 win after Martin Forster had got them off to a flyer.
The best effort from the Matlock outfit came courtesy of Andy Russell, who forced a 60-60 tie with Keith Robertson (with the aggregate format  in this instance the black doesn't come back up).

Alfreton Palmer Morewood did avenge last weeks defeat to Bolehill No 1 however, with a convincing 346-227 scoreline.
Jamie Rowland was in majestic form, amassing 95 points and then comfortably taking the doubles leg with father Kevin whilst Colin Marchington top scored for the hosts, courtesy of a 59-58 cliffhanger in the opener.

Belper Strutt Club reportedly defeated Matlock Club in the other match, though no details through as yet.
Captains Cup (Team Aggregate) group stages: Edgefold Matlock No 2 401, Matlock Golf Club 168; Edgefold Matlock No 1 236, Bolehill Institute No 2 359; Bolehill Institute No 1 227, Alfreton Palmer Morewood 346; Belper Strutt Club defeated Matlock Club.
Breaks: S Dobney 48,28,22; A Russell 25; R Dicken 24; M Sayer 22;
K Robertson 20.

BOTH BOLEHILL TEAMS BOOK PLACE IN SIX RED CUP FINAL

MARTIN FORSTER saw BOLEHILL No 2 off to the best possible start

THE first action of 2016 was a triumphant one for the teams from Bolehill Institute with both the first and second teams reaching the final of the Bob McCartin Six Red Team Cup, courtesy of thrilling victories over Alfreton Palmer Morewood and Edgefold No 1 respectively.
The No 1 team travelled to the Amber Valley cueists home and took an early lead as Ricki Slack took brown, blue and pink to edge the first while Colin Marchington increased the advantage soon afterwards.
Jamie Rowland with the performance of the evening pulled one back in the next before Ian Birks took a tight frame to reaffirm the lead at 3-1 with just the three scotch doubles legs left.
However, Alfreton rallied gamely to take the first two of these with Rowland again impressive in partnering his father Kevin and Simon Mayes to square things up at 3-3.
But Slack and Marchington kept cool heads in the decider wqith a 47-21 win after a titanic battle.
The No 2 team scored a 4-2 victory over their Matlock vistors with Martin Forster, Mick Bunting and Keith Robertson all scoring individual victories to give them a commanding 3-0 lead with four to play.
Andy Russell fought back from well adrift to keep the game alive in frame four and then he and Nathan Haymes pulled back another in the first of the scotch doubles legs to make it 3-2.
But ultimately it was to no avail as Robertson and Bunting took the next on the pink to make sure of an all-Bolehill final in Easter week.
Bob McCartin Six Red Cup semi finals: Alfreton Palmer Morewood 3, Bolehill Institute No 1 4; Bolehill Institute No 2 4, Edgefold Matlock No 1 2.
Denis Morton Trophy (Pairs Handicap) first round: Nick Kay / Jack Lynch 0, Neil Parkinson / Robert Muxlow 2; Ricki Slack / Colin Marchington 0, Richard Ferguson / Nathan Haymes 2.
Breaks: R Ferguson 22.

CUELESS WONDER SEAN DEFENDS HIS TITLE AT JAXX

SEAN DOBNEY . . . the cueless wonder retained his title

THE annual Christmas Snooker Shootout Night saw an excellent turnout of 14 players contest the usual mixture of fun based novelty competitions, all played in the best possible spirit at Jaxx Q Club in Belper.
Edgefold No 2's Sean Dobney had earlier suffered a blow when, as defending champion in the six red singles handicap event for the Alan Hopkinson Trophy, his cue had not arrived in transit with friends as requested after dashing straight from work.
However, he need not have worried, as black ball wins over Keith Robertson and Gordon Critchlow (courtesy of a storming double into a baulk pocket) sandwiched a success over Wayne Shooter, meaning he once again found himself in the final.
Opponent Duncan Harwood had earlier seen off Nick Kay, Steve Bullock and Tom Chambers and made the stronger start to take an early lead in the big showdown.
However a crucial in off on the brown changed the contest dramatically, leaving Dobney in hand with all the remaining balls in the open and the reigning champ made no mistake, clearing brown to pink to make sure of retaining his crown.


 

 

The George Mills Trophy for the six red doubles handicap event was won by Alfreton Palmer Morewood pairing Simon Mayes and Jamie Rowland (pictured above), who arrived together and were drawn together as if by fate, the team mates' telepathic understanding going a long way to seeing them to glory as they defeated Paul Jarrett and Keith Robertson and Steve Bullock and Ricki Slack before getting the better of Mark Newby and Tom Chambers in the final.

KEITH ROBERTSON ... fastest man on the block

And the speed snooker event which involves clearing the colours in head to head battles went to Bolehill No 2's Keith Robertson, whose two-stone weight loss diet over the summer may well have proved conclusive, as he potted a sublime black to secure the Eddie Lomas Trophy, thereby seeing off ex champion Nick Kay in the final.
Keith had earlier overcome Duncan Harwood, Matt Travis and Tom Chambers on his way to ultimate success.
The event was run in aid of charity this year with a donation in aid of sufferers of Crohn's Disease and Colitis.
Thanks are extended once again to the hosts for providing all the facilities and providing a very appetising spread of hot food at the interval.

Alan Hopkinson Trophy (Six red Snooker Individual Handicap): Winner, Sean Dobney (Edgefold Matlock No 2); Runner-up, Duncan Harwood (Edgefold Matlock No 1).
George Mills Trophy (Six red Snooker Pairs Handicap): Winners, Jamie Rowland and Simon Mayes (Alfreton Palmer Morewood); Runners-up, Mark Newby (Belper Strutt Club) and Tom Chambers (Edgefold Matlock No 2).
Eddie Lomas Trophy (Speed Snooker Handicap, clearing the colours): Winner, Keith Robertson (Bolehill Institute No 2); Runner-up, Nick Kay (Matlock Golf Club).

SEMI FINALISTS KNOWN AS GROUP STAGES CONCLUDE

GRAEME WOOD secured the opening frame for MATLOCK CLUB

THE final round of group matches were played in the Bob McCartin Six Red Cup prior to Christmas and the semi final line up is now complete, with Bolehill No 2 hosting Edgefold No 1 and Alfreton Palmer Morewood entertaining Bolehill No 1, each on the first Tuesday in January.
In Group A, Matlock Golf Club needed a good win to put the pressure on those just above them but fell to a 4-3 loss at Matlock Club as Graeme Wood, Paul Bryan and Mick Mackfall had the hosts off to a flyer with a 3-0 lead.
Charlie Hodgkinson started a comeback but Mackfall and Bryan made the game safe in the sixth frame.

This left Edgefold No 1 needing just two points from their game with Alfreton Palmer Morewood and their 4-3 win was thus more than enough.
Richard Ferguson took the opener and Rob Muxlow and Nathan Haymes the deciding doubles leg after Simon Mayes had top scored for the visitors.

Group B saw the teams from Bolehill dominate with the No 2 team scoring an excellent 6-1 home win over regular league leaders Belper Strutt Club with Ian Peacock top scoring. Mick Bunting made the game safe in frame four after Justin Weller had earlier equalised.

Bolehill No 1 came from 0-2 down to win 5-2 against Edgefold No 2. Sean Dobney won both his singles and doubles frames for the vanquished but a fine fightback saw Simon Zoppi top scoring and culminated in a superb 35 break in the scotch doubles from Ian Birks and Colin Marchington, the highest in the event so far.

Bob McCartin Six Red Cup Group A: Matlock Club 4, Matlock Golf Club 3; Edgefold Matlock No 1 4, Alfreton Palmer Morewood 3.
Bob McCartin Six Red Cup Group B: Bolehill Institute No 2 6, Belper Strutt Club 1; Bolehill Institute No 2 5, Edgefold Matlock No 2 2.
Breaks: C Marchington / I Birks 35 (scotch doubles); C Hodgkinson 22;
R Ferguson 20.

Group A                                    P       W      L       Pts
Alfreton Palmer Morewood       3        2       1        13
Edgefold Matlock No 1              3        2       1        12
Matlock Golf Club                      3        1       2        10
Matlock Club                              3        1       2         7

Group B                                   P       W      L       Pts
Bolehill Institute No 2               3         2       1        16
Bolehill Institute No 1               3         3       0        13
Edgefold Matlock No 2             3         1       2         7
Belper Strutt Club                    3          0       3        6