2015/2016 MARSTON’S NEWPORT & DISTRICT POOL LEAGUE
For immediate release
Wednesday, December 30th, 2015
NRBL A AND SUCKLE HARRIERS SAFELY INTO NEIL CLARK ROUND 2
NEWPORT (Shropshire): NRBL A and Honeysuckle Harriers are the first two teams into the second round draw for the Neil Clark Memorial Trophy, held in conjunction with the Marston’s Newport & District Pool League.
Both teams prevailed in tense matches against Wrockwardine Wood Football Club and the Pheasant before the Christmas break, with NRBL A winning through, 3-4, in a thrilling tiebreak frame.
Simon Walley threw off his pigeon mantle to dismiss the in-form Craig Williams and give the Legion the advantage in Telford, but the Newport side’s joy was short lived and wins for Tom Vernon, Dan Owen and Chris Nolan over Chris Eaton, Mick Beech and Jack Dicken put WWFC into a 3-1 lead.
Walley and Beech hit back strongly to beat Williams and Owen in the fifth frame to make it 3-2 and Dicken and Eaton dug deep to level in the sixth against Vernon and Kevin Genner. The captains opted to give the tiebreak frame rights to Nolan and Eaton and the latter prevailed to seal a stunning victory for the Newport side and force WWFC into the Consolation Cup.
Honeysuckle Harriers rode their luck at times to seal a 4-1 victory over the Pheasant on a glass-like cloth. Neil Perkins edged the home team into a 1-0 lead over Alistair Griffiths and Russ Woodhouse capitalised on a Craig Hutchinson error to make it 2-0.
Dean Smith went out of position on the black and Luke Jones held his nerve to keep the tie firmly in the balance, but the pendulum swung in the Suckle’s favour when Tom Tonna managed to squeeze through against Tom Sayce to make it 3-1.
Perkins broke in rack five and jawed his penultimate ball to seal the match with an eight-ball clearance and the frame continued for several more nervy minutes until he was given another opportunity alongside Woodhouse to pot the remaining two balls and snatch the fifth frame and the match from Sayce and Jones.
Junction B coasted into round two after they were granted a bye following the withdrawal of the Navigation from the league.
Remaining ties are to be played no later than January 31st, 2016.
Neil Clark Memorial Trophy – round 1 results:
Honeysuckle Harriers v Pheasant 4-1
WWFC v NRBL A, 3-4
Junction B, BYE
TO PLAY
Royal Navy Club v Wheatsheaf
Shakespeare v Sutherland Arms Tibberton
Horns Gnosall v King’s Head A
Haberdashers Arms v Honeysuckle Hawks
Stag Market Drayton v Junction A
King’s Head B v NRBL B (Royal Vic)
Ends
For further information:
Neil Perkins, NDP Publicity Services, Tel: 07831 123153
www.ndp-publicity.com