2015/2016 MARSTON’S NEWPORT & DISTRICT POOL LEAGUE
For immediate release
Thursday, March 10th, 2016
HARRIERS’ NIGHT RAID DAMPENS LEGION’S POOL TITLE BID
NEWPORT (Shropshire): The pendulum swung in favour of Market Drayton’s Stag after Newport Legion suffered a shock defeat to fourth-placed Honeysuckle Harriers in week 19 of the Marston’s Newport & District Pool League.
Separated only by the fact the Stag has beaten the Legion in their meeting earlier in the season, the Newport side needed to overcome the Harriers to stay in contention. When Harriers’ opener Tom Tonna allowed Simon Walley to break and then cleared the table when his rival failed to pot, it set the tone for a thrilling night.
Dean Smith made it 0-2 in a tense second against Jack Dicken and, when Legion skipper Mick Beech made a vital error attempting a clearance at a middle pocket, Greg Quinn held his nerve to make it 0-3. Antony Heathcote ground Russ Woodhouse down in a nervy safety rack to give the home side the vital lifeline but, when Chris Eaton – playing alongside Heathcote – jawed the black in an eight-ball clearance attempt from the break in frame five to make it 2-3, it laid the foundations for a marathon black ball safety frame.
After several nervy minutes against Neil Perkins and Tonna, the away side were left with a tricky black into the middle and Tonna held his nerve to seal the match. A Greg Quinn in-off from the break in rack six enabled Walley to clear for the consolation frame and left poor Owen Rigby without a shot.
The Stag overcame Junction B without losing a frame. George Allen, Mick Manning and Owen Bennett put the home team into the lead against Dave Blount, James Morris and Mick Ashforth and an eight-ball clearance from Neil Dale pushed Ryan Morris aside to seal the points.
King’s Head A remain in contention for fourth place after beating Gnosall’s Horns by the odd frame in a tense match at Chetwynd End. Dai Smith cracked the pack open in frame one and Bobby Perry cleared from the result to make it 1-0 to the home side, but Jamie Wright and a seven-ball clearance by David Jolley against Irene Whittington and Ed Keenan made it 1-2. Mick Collins made it 2-2 with a win over Martyn Holford, but another seven-ball clearance from Keenan made it 3-2 and Perry sealed the points in the final frame.
Sutherland Arms had been held to a draw by Honeysuckle Hawks earlier in the season, but the Tibberton side won a rapid-fire contest in less than an hour to stay in control of third place and move closer to Newport Legion. “That’s the way pool should be played,” quipped the Sutherland’s Matt Mansell.
The Wheatsheaf extended their lead in the Newport League Plate to two points after beating the Shakespeare, 4-2.
Junction A played their first game for two weeks and put the Royal Navy Club to the sword in Norbury with the loss of one frame. Hyla Marklew and Steve Roycroft made it 2-0 with wins over Dan Piper and Gerry Nunn, although Gordon Sidebotham was outgunned in the third rack. Sion Richards got the better of Allan Pritchett to make it 3-1 and the home team won the doubles frames.
Haberdashers entertained King’s Head B in the final match of the night and honours were shared, but there were byes for the Pheasant and Wrockwardine Wood Football Club.
2015-2016 Marston’s Newport & District Pool League @ 09/03/16
Team |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Pts |
|
Stag Mkt. Drayton |
17 |
16 |
0 |
1 |
85 |
17 |
32 |
|
Newport Legion |
17 |
15 |
0 |
2 |
81 |
21 |
30 |
|
Sutherland Arms |
16 |
12 |
3 |
1 |
64 |
32 |
27 |
|
H’suckle Harriers |
17 |
11 |
3 |
3 |
66 |
36 |
25 |
|
King’s Head A |
17 |
10 |
3 |
4 |
63 |
39 |
23 |
|
H’suckle Hawks |
17 |
8 |
4 |
5 |
63 |
39 |
20 |
|
WWFC |
16 |
10 |
0 |
6 |
55 |
41 |
20 |
|
Wheatsheaf |
17 |
7 |
3 |
7 |
45 |
57 |
15* |
|
Junction A |
16 |
5 |
3 |
8 |
42 |
54 |
13 |
|
Horns Gnosall |
17 |
5 |
4 |
8 |
45 |
57 |
12* |
|
Junction B |
17 |
4 |
4 |
9 |
41 |
61 |
12 |
|
Haberdashers |
17 |
4 |
3 |
10 |
43 |
59 |
11 |
|
Pheasant |
16 |
3 |
3 |
10 |
32 |
64 |
7* |
|
King’s Head B |
17 |
2 |
4 |
11 |
33 |
69 |
6* |
|
Shakespeare |
17 |
1 |
1 |
15 |
22 |
80 |
3 |
|
Royal Navy Club |
17 |
1 |
2 |
14 |
24 |
78 |
2* |
*Horns, Pheasant, King’s Head B, Wheatsheaf and Royal Navy Club deducted two points for missing a fixture
2015-2016 Marston’s Newport Plate League @ 09/03/16
Team |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Pts |
|
Wheatsheaf |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
4 |
4 |
|
Junction A |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
1 |
2 |
|
Pheasant |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
|
Horns Gnosall |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
7 |
1 |
|
Shakespeare |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
7 |
1 |
|
Haberdashers |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
9 |
1 |
|
King’s Head B |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
9 |
1 |
|
Royal Navy Club |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
11 |
0 |
Week 19 results:
Wheatsheaf v Shakespeare, 4-2
Stag Market Drayton v Junction B, 6-0
Junction A v Royal Navy Club, 5-1
NRBL v Honeysuckle Harriers, 2-4
Haberdashers Arms v King’s Head B, 3-3
King’s Head A v Horns Gnosall, 4-2
Honeysuckle Hawks v Sutherland Arms Tibberton, 2-4
Byes: Pheasant and WWFC
Ends
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