2008 COORS NEWPORT POOL OPEN
For immediate release
Friday, August 15th, 2008
LONGSTAFF AND KEENAN
SAFELY INTO OPEN LAST 16
NEWPORT (Shropshire): Newport entrepreneur Ben Longstaff and Ed Keenan cruised through to the last 16 of the 2008 Coors Newport Pool Open, with relatively straightforward wins over Matt Hestor and Tom Sayce.
Longstaff won the first frame against Wellington-based Hestor, but his opponent hit back and levelled the match. The third rack was a scrappy affair with both players giving away two shots, but Longstaff took the advantage and, when Hestor jawed a desperate final black in the fourth frame, the LSC star was suitably composed to take out his final three reds and seal the match.
Keenan overcame his Open jinx to progress to the third round for the first time. The King’s Head ‘Conkerer’ overcame Audco’s Tom Sayce in straight frames to keep alive his wildest dream of both the singles and doubles titles.
He will be joined in the last 16 by snooker player Jim Kelly, who was taken to a deciding fifth frame by the Tavern’s stubborn Andy Richardson in a thrilling match at Upper Bar.
The shock of the week occurred in the Worthington Newport Doubles Open, when Stu and Wayne Morrey rocked the Junction’s Keith Rogers and Ian Mason to progress to the final eight in the fifth frame. Rogers is one of the favourites to win the singles title, but the uncle and nephew pairing did enough to get through to the next round after a bruising encounter.
Defending Doubles champions Andy Lycett and Anthony Heathcote were made to work hard for their place in the last eight. Lycett settled a marathon first frame against Neil Perkins and Nick Clewley with a tidy five-ball clearance to put the Audco side 1-0 up. But the LSC duo hit back in frame two and Clewley held his nerve to slot a tricky black into the middle to level the match.
Safety play dominated frame three, but Lycett found an opening, only to see the black lip out of the pocket. Perkins potted three of his remaining reds and opted out of a tricky corner pot to leave a straightforward black, electing instead to cover a crucial pocket with his final ball. Lycett duly laid Clewley in a crafty snooker and Heathcote made no mistake from the two shots to put the champions 2-1 up.
Frame four was another grueller as the match reached the one-hour mark. The Audco side held the advantage, but Clewley was given an opening to clear his remaining six balls that were all in open play. He removed two without a problem, but the third jawed in the corner pocket and the white landed nicely for the Audco side to clinch the final black and seal the match.
All remaining ties are to be played by Wednesday, August 27th and
results should be sent by text message to 07831 123153, clearly stating the names of players and the score.
Results – singles
Tom Sayce lost to Ed Keenan, 0-3
Andy Richardson lost to Jim Kelly, 2-3
Ben Longstaff beat Matt Hestor, 3-1
Results – doubles
Neil Perkins/Nick Clewley lost to Anthony Heathcote/Andy Lycett, 1-3
Stu Morrey/Wayne Morrey beat Ian Mason/Keith Rogers, 3-2
Ends
For further information:
Neil Perkins, NDP Publicity Services, Tel: 07831 123153
www.ndp-publicity.com