2014/2015 NEWPORT & DISTRICT POOL LEAGUE
For immediate release
Thursday, February 26th, 2015
LLOYD TURNS THE ALLEN KEY TO SILENCE HIGH-FLYING STAG
NEWPORT (Shropshire): An amazing double by the Railway Tavern’s Jason Lloyd was the turning point in a stunning 4-2 success for the home side over the high-flying defending Newport Pool League champions from the Stag in Market Drayton.
Stu Morrey had rocked George Allen to make it 1-0, before Colin Pink and Mick Manning hit back against Adam Stone and Dave Bristow to make it 1-2. Lloyd got the better of Mick Hughes to level the match and Russ Porter and Greg Quinn squeezed passed Pink and Manning to make it 3-2, before Lloyd held his nerve, alongside Stone, to beat Allen and Hughes with a useful clearance and a wild double to seal the match.
“Last week they were calling a taxi for me, but we laid on a courtesy car for the Drayton lads tonight,” quipped a triumphant Quinn.
LSC at the Tav took full advantage of the Stag’s demise to move three points clear in the league with a 0-6 demolition of the Royal Navy Club. Ben Longstaff, Andy Lewis, Andy Miles and Ant Heathcote made it 0-4 with wins over Mark Kijuk, Jez Price, Gaz Giles and Allen Pritchett and Greg Heathcote joined the rout in the first doubles match.
The Haberdashers Arms gave a good account of themselves against Newport Legion in Knighton, although they only managed to win one consolation frame. Simon Walley rode his luck a little to beat Vicky Winter, before new signing Graham Whittingham was found out and the Knighton side levelled. Mick Beech and Jack Dicken were not to be denied in their singles frames and the away side also prevailed in the doubles.
Shakespeare A edged a thriller against the Wheatsheaf in what developed into one of the most dramatic matches ever staged in the Newport League. Russ Woodhouse had beaten Al Harvey to put the home side ahead before Andy Wakefield snatched a tense black ball contest against former team-mate Neil Perkins to level for the ‘Sheaf. The pendulum swung the away side’s way when Mark Hodgkinson beat Tom Vernon but then Dean Smith pipped Nigel Sandbrook to make it 2-2.
Shake debutant Gary Lewis teamed up with Woodhouse to make it 3-2 and the home side looked to be cruising when Smith and Perkins left the final black over the pocket. After surveying the situation over a beer, a pit stop and a discussion that took close to nine minutes, Sandbrook stepped up to smash in an amazing plant down the cushion, a final red and then the black. As wild ‘Sheaf celebrations began in the corner of the room, the white casually rolled across the table and into the middle pocket! “It was curtains,” said Dean Smith.
Seventh-placed Pheasant B hosted fourth-placed King’s Head A in Upper Bar and Trevor Smith won a useful opener against Scott Smith to put the away side ahead. Mike Jones levelled against Irene Whittington, but Ed Keenan and Mick Collins hit back with wins over Phil Terry and Craig Hutchinson to make it 1-3. Keenan and Smith sealed the points before the home side won the final frame.
Pheasant A continued their run of good form with a 1-5 win at Junction A. Anthony Allen kept up his run of good form to snatch the opener against Hyla Marklew, only for Sion Richards to outwit Tom Fisken and level. Ian Swinnerton and Andy Fishwick made it 1-3 and Jack Hooper joined the fray in the doubles to clinch a useful win.
Honeysuckle faced a tricky home tie against the Horns and played well to snatch a comfortable win. Mark Groom kicked proceedings off well and Aled Jones and Jason Shilcock got their names on the score sheet. Marcus Thomas was also on good form to seal a rapid-fire frame, although the Horns won the last frame to earn a consolation.
King’s Head B clashed with Junction B at Chetwynd End and honours were shared, while the Navigation were also held to a 3-3 draw by Shakespeare B, with the latter collecting their first point of the season.
2014-2015 Newport & District Pool League @ 25/02/15
Team |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Pts |
|
LSC @ Tavern |
16 |
15 |
1 |
0 |
77 |
19 |
31 |
|
Stag Mkt Drayton |
16 |
14 |
0 |
2 |
75 |
21 |
28 |
|
Newport Legion |
16 |
13 |
1 |
2 |
72 |
24 |
27 |
|
King’s Head A |
16 |
11 |
2 |
3 |
59 |
37 |
24 |
|
Pheasant A |
16 |
11 |
1 |
4 |
62 |
34 |
23 |
|
Horns Gnosall |
16 |
8 |
3 |
5 |
50 |
46 |
19 |
|
Railway Tavern |
16 |
8 |
2 |
6 |
50 |
46 |
18 |
|
Pheasant B |
16 |
8 |
1 |
7 |
49 |
47 |
17 |
|
Shakespeare A |
16 |
7 |
2 |
7 |
55 |
41 |
16 |
|
Honeysuckle |
16 |
8 |
2 |
6 |
53 |
43 |
16* |
|
Junction A |
16 |
5 |
2 |
9 |
35 |
61 |
12 |
|
Navigation |
16 |
4 |
3 |
9 |
38 |
58 |
11 |
|
Wheatsheaf |
16 |
3 |
5 |
8 |
38 |
58 |
11 |
|
King’s Head B |
15 |
4 |
3 |
8 |
36 |
54 |
11 |
|
Junction B |
16 |
3 |
4 |
9 |
36 |
60 |
9 |
|
Haberdashers |
16 |
2 |
3 |
11 |
35 |
61 |
7 |
|
Royal Navy Club |
16 |
0 |
2 |
15 |
21 |
75 |
2 |
|
Shakespeare B |
15 |
0 |
1 |
14 |
18 |
72 |
1 |
*Honeysuckle deducted two points for missing fixture
Week 16 results:
Navigation Gnosall v Shakespeare B, 3-3
Royal Navy Club v LSC at the Tavern, 0-6
Pheasant B v King’s Head A, 1-5
King’s Head B v Junction B, 3-3
Railway Tavern v Stag Market Drayton, 4-2
Shakespeare A v Wheatsheaf, 4-2
Honeysuckle v Horns Gnosall, 5-1
Haberdashers Arms v Newport Legion, 1-5
Junction A v Pheasant A, 1-5
Ends
For further information:
Neil Perkins, NDP Publicity Services, Tel: 07831 123153
www.ndp-publicity.com