Snooker: Finch Hill Mob replace Rockets at top of the league

Gap remains tight at the division summit

Report by Mike Crook:

The two derby matches at Finch Hill had all four teams looking to stay in contention for the Macs Builders Merchants snooker league title. After an evening of very close frames it was Finch Hill Mob that ended up replacing the Rockets at the top.

Finch Hill Rockets 2-3 Finch Hill Reprobates

Report by Graham Ashton

Jonny Hogg 55-63 Dollin Mercer, an excellent match with Mercer potting very well from the start, a well made 23 early on. Some good long pots by Hogg and well laid snookers, kept him in touch. Mercer potted the last red and landed perfect on the yellow after a flick off the blue, Hogg hung on but an excellent blue and pink sealed the win for Mercer. Graham Ashton 28-54 Chris Brown, too many easy pots missed by Ashton, whereas Brown potted well and a good 18 break which should have been more. Even Ashton’s normal tight safety game let him down, constantly leaving balls over pockets. John Spellman 77-64 Paul Tangeman, individual league leader Tangeman found himself increasing his start and was 29 up with one red left. However, a superb fightback and a couple of great snookers by Spellman took him over the line. Marek Kenny 62-38 Rob Callister, Kenny returned to form, potting strongly from the start with several small breaks. Callister struggled to stay in touch and his berating of himself after several duff shots was much to the amusement of all watching. Callister laid a couple of good snookers to claw some points back but the damage was done. Marc Bolton 33-42 Rhys Moore, with only a 14 start against a handy opponent, Moore took a pink ball win in the decider. This duly earned him a third handicap cut within the season, a fine achievement.   

Finch Hill Mob 4-1 Finch Hill Musicians

Report by Peter Crellin

Steve Finnegan 47-82 Dave Hanlon, Finn started off really well and got the start back then began missing a few balls allowing Hanlon back into the frame. It was always going to be about the brown ball which Hanlon managed to pot and then he comfortably cleared the rest for a 22 clearance. Tom Miller 96-93 David McVeigh, things looked bleak at the start for Miller as McVeigh played well and Miller was missing a few easy shots for him. Miller managed a 27 break to give himself a sniff going into the colours. Miller got a couple of snookers and potted yellow to blue to leave himself 3 behind with pink and black on the table. Then potted the black playing safe on the pink to take the deficit back to 10. Miller got the pink after a loose safety but missed a cut on the black. A few safeties and missed pot attempts were exchanged before Miller playing safe, cocked hatted the black into the middle pocket. Lee Hunt 65-52 Mike Doherty, Blade, (Hunt) was in control for most of the frame, Doc came back at him and went favourite with pink and black on the table but a missed pot gave Blade the chance to pot both for the frame. Steve Oates 47-36 Vic Rigby, a scratch game that went back and forth. It went all the way to the black which Steve fluked, we all watched the black hug the cushion right up the table to the green pocket. Peter Crellin 87-74 Vinny Dale, with Crellin miscuing when given a decent chance Dale extended the advantage to over 50 with 6 reds left. Crellin replied with this week’s highest break of 32. Still behind by 22 with the last red on, Dale had a couple of chances to win the frame but couldn't take them. Crellin’s safety got better and after laying a couple of snookers Dale left the brown to the middle and Crellin was able to clear up. So, a 4-1 win for the Mob, the luck was on their side as all five frames could have gone either way. Perhaps the Musicians leaving the form man, "The Doddfather" on the sidelines helped?  The Mob return to the top for the first time in three months.

Peel Legion 3-2 Malew

Barton Beaumont 80-36 Alec Oates, a 28 start for Beaumont soon became 41 and with the colours going safe Oates was in trouble. If Beaumont’s potting of colours matched those of his reds this would have been over a lot quicker! For a while the only ball being potted was the white. Needing snookers, Oates benefited from a couple of great ones but never quite looked able to turn it round. Don Humphries 37-70 Tony Pring, this was more like it from Pring who had had a few quiet weeks, he kept pulling out the long pots just when Humphries looked like getting into it. The concession coming after the brown was sunk. Mike Crook 89-44 David Quayle, receiving a 35 start Quayle had no luck in a frame that was closer than the score suggests. Crook made hard work in finishing the frame off on the colours. John Kelly 66-76 James Goodwin, Kelly looked well on course to take this frame and the match, rapidly closing down the 42 start with reds remaining. Goodwin fluked a snooker, and followed up with some nice pots late on to win with a tricky cut pink into the middle and force a decider. Geoff Hall 66-32 Mark Quinn, Hall was mainly in control, even if he did have difficulty reaching a blue into the green back using the long rest which left him somewhat out of breath. Postie hit back with the final red and a black to keep him in it. With Hall 15 up a very long battle on the brown ensued, with Hall particularly missing good chances to the middle. Eventually, he left Postie the brown close to yellow bag with cue ball 12 feet away and dead straight. Postie, trying to make an angle to avoid following it in got it all wrong, only clipping the brown and the cueball flew round the table into the green bag. Hall, with ball in hand finished off the match with brown, plus blue and pink for good measure. Fair to say Peel had the run on an enjoyable night.

Cue Zone Blinders 2-3 The Hurricanes

Two black ball losses in the final two frames sent Blinders to another defeat. The first two frames were shared, Brandon Forrester 27-60 Jamie Wilson (22 break) and Ivan McMaw (25 break) 75-48 Chris Dagnall, Jez Hill 62-47 Shaun Roberts, Hill putting last week’s shock defeat behind him. Martin Rigg 60-68 Gary Conwell brought the match level. Scott Campion and Steve Munk fought out the decider, Campion needing a snooker on the colours but was aided by Munk going in-off three times on the trot! Campion potted a brilliant blue and then a nice pink to leave himself on the black but missed, leaving it for Munk. 

Newbys Douglas Snooker Bar 1-4 Port St Mary Legion

Report by Simon Gardner

Johnny Myers 62-75 Denis Boyle, Myers struggled against a big handicapper who brought his ‘A game’ and potted well. Pat Maher 18-70 Phil Joynes, only Maher’s second game of the year against an in form Joynes who's first visit to the table produced a 20 break. Jason Campbell 21-55 Matthew Astill, Campbell wasn’t allowed too many opportunities by Astill who has continued to improve in recent weeks. Simon Gardner 49-37 Terry Boyle, not exactly a classic and was won by the person who made the fewest mistakes rather than potting ability! Zain Abideen 44-73 Marc Morley, the PSM man put last week behind him and returned to form potting well and staying ahead by more than the handicap. Overall a good away trip for Port St Mary and a deserved victory.

DSB Wannabes 2-3 Jacksons

Jacksons are the form team in the league, it’s just a pity it took them twelve weeks to win a match. Frame scores of Steve Cowin 50-90 Lee Gale, Paul McKinstry 61-70 Alex Sinclair, Dave Corris 54-40 Richard Hillier, Fred Corris 56-36 Kam Virk and James Teare 37-70 Tony Dhadwal gave them a sixth win from seven.