2010/2011 NEWPORT & DISTRICT POOL LEAGUE
For immediate release
Thursday, December 16th, 2010
FAVOURITES PREVAIL IN OPENING ROUND
OF 2010 NEIL CLARK MEMORIAL TROPHY
NEWPORT (Shropshire): The King’s Head A, NRBL, LSC at the Tav, the Railway Tavern, the Navigation at Gnosall, Junction A, the Sutherland Arms and the Navy Club all advanced to the second round of the Neil Clark Memorial Trophy after the last matches in the Newport Pool season before the two-week Christmas break.
The league cup works on a knockout format and defending champions, Junction A, coasted into the quarter-finals with a 5-1 victory over the King’s Head B at Norbury.
League champions NRBL were made to go to a deciding seventh frame against an in-form Shakespeare A. Mick Beech, Luke and Charlie Hayward put the home side in sight of the finishing line, but Ross-Richards Jones won his singles match and Don Brennan, Andy Potter, Ben Holmes and Jones gelled in the doubles to force the match into a tie-break frame. Beech prevailed when it mattered to seal the decisive rack against Potter and send NRBL into the quarter-finals.
LSC hosted their first home game at the Railway Tavern and came up against Wheatsheaf B. Ian Roberts settled home nerves with a win against Liam Matthews and Greg Heathcote put the in-form home side 2-0 up by beating Jack Jones. Mike Jones had several opportunities to put frame three to bed against Ben Longstaff, but it was not to be and Neil Perkins sealed the match for the home side in the fourth frame against Tom Sayce.
The Shakespeare B ladies’ team entertained the neighbouring Railway Tavern and lost the match by the odd frame. Unbeaten Shakespeare C travelled to Tibberton to face the Sutherland Arms, but Ade Darrell’s side were stunned by the in-form village outfit and were soon on their way back to Newport with their tails between their legs after a 4-0 beating by Tom Fisken’s rampant tractor boys.
An all-Staffordshire first round tie pitted the Navigation against the Plough at Woodseaves, but the home side showed no mercy against the league newcomers and Steve Whitlock’s Gnosall team now face LSC at the Tav in the quarter-finals in February for the second year running.
High-flying King’s Head A met league bottom side Wheatsheaf A at Chetwynd Aston and prevailed in a straightforward manner. Graham Tigwell, Irene Whittington and Ian Perry pushed the away side into a 0-3 lead against Nigel Sandbrook, Ian Trevor and Paul Skitt and, despite the fact that Al Harvey beat Jamie James in rack four, the away side prevailed in the doubles to seal a potentially blockbuster match against the NRBL in round two.
In the final contest of the night, the Navy Club entertained the Junction B at Bellman’s Yard and the match went to a time-break frame with the home side managing to squeeze through in the shock of the first round cup matches.
Second round ties will be played on Wednesday, February 9th, 2011. League matches resume, as per the fixture lists, on Wednesday, January 5th, 2011.
2010 Neil Clark Memorial Trophy – round 1 results:
LSC at the Tav v Wheatsheaf B, 4-0
Navigation Gnosall v Plough Woodseaves, 6-0
Junction A v King’s Head B, 5-1
NRBL v Shakespeare A, 4-3
Shakespeare B v Railway Tavern, 2-4
Sutherland Arms Tibberton v Shakespeare C, 4-0
Navy Club v Junction B, 4-3
Wheatsheaf A v King’s Head A, 1-5
2010 Neil Clark Memorial Trophy – quarter-final draw*
King’s Head A v NRBL
Navy Club v Railway Tavern
Navigation Gnosall v LSC at the Tavern
Junction A v Sutherland Arms Tibberton
*All matches to be played on Wednesday, February 9th, 2011
Ends
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