2009/2010 NEWPORT & DISTRICT POOL LEAGUE
For immediate release
Thursday, May 27th, 2010
NEWPORT LEGION ‘GALACTICOS’ ON THE VERGE OF POOL GLORY
NEWPORT (Shropshire): Newport Royal British Legion (NRBL) moved to within one win of retaining the Newport & District Pool League title in their new guise after a 6-0 demolition of the luckless Shakespeare A.
Mick Beech, Colin Pink, Paul Trevor and Anthony Heathcote did the damage in the singles’ racks, although Richard Young was unlucky not to snatch a lifeline for the shattered home side. The quartet rubbed salt into the in-form Shakespeare’s wounds with a rout in both doubles’ racks. A win over the rival Sutherland Arms at Tibberton next week would seal the title for the Audley Avenue side with five matches remaining.
NRBL’s title challenge was dealt a lucky hand by an in-form Tavern at the Railway in Upper Bar. Craig Mason, Ben Clewes, Ray Talbot and Louis Fudge put the home side 4-0 up against the high-flying Sutherland Arms and a solitary Jenni Dandy/Wayne Dodd doubles’ win was scant consolation for the battered village side.
The Shakespeare B stunned ‘Audco at the Shake’ with a 4-2 victory. James Grice, Kim Rigby and Hazel Ford-Lewis set the ‘away’ side on their way, only for Steve Tonks to get the better of Sam Frost to give the ‘home’ side hope. Rigby and Frost sealed the match in rack five, but Matt and Steve Tonks restored some pride for the youngsters in the final frame.
The Wheatsheaf’s cruel run continued with a shocking 4-2 home defeat to the inconsistent Swan. Ian Trevor remained ‘compos mentis’ to put the home side in front, but Stu Morrey joined forces with a pair of newcomers to push the Swan into a 3-1 lead. Trevor and Nigel Sandbrook prevailed in the fifth frame to give the Wheatsheaf hope, but the Swan sneaked the win in the last rack.
The Junction A kept their composure before next Wednesday’s Neil Clark Memorial Trophy final with a 4-2 win over the New Inn. Sion Richards edged in front of Rich Talbot to set the Norbury side on their way, but Luke Jones hit back to level the scores. Ian Mason and Keith Rogers swung the pendulum in the Staffordshire home side’s favour and the duo sealed the match with a win over Jones and Talbot in rack five.
The Navigation and Lilleshall Sports Centre fought out a gritty stalemate in Staffordshire. Dave Price and Ian Roberts recovered well from difficult situations to put the away side 2-0 ahead. Some useful potting by Steve Whitlock handed the home side a lifeline in frame three and Scott Smith levelled the scores in the final doubles rack.
An unforced error by Roberts in the fifth frame handed Geoff Arrowsmith and Smith the advantage for the Gnosall side, but Neil Perkins secured a vital point for the visitors with a useful four-ball clearance in the final frame.
King’s Head A hammered the King’s Head B into submission. Jamie James was in inspirational form for the senior side, although the B team have their eyes firmly on the forthcoming first round draw for the Fusion Hair and Beauty Newport Womens’ Open.
In the final match of the night, the Junction B managed to edge a draw against the Navy Club at Bellman’s Yard.
The Navy Club hosts the Neil Clark Memorial Trophy final and third-place play-off on Wednesday night (June 2). The Navigation will play Audco at the Shake from 19.45hrs and will be followed by the final between the Railway Tavern and the Junction A. All teams and guests are welcome to attend what is hoped will be a full house at the Bellman’s Yard venue.
2009-2010 Newport & District Pool league table @ 26/05/10
Team |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Pts |
|
NRBL |
24 |
20 |
3 |
1 |
111 |
33 |
63 |
|
Sutherland Arms |
24 |
15 |
5 |
4 |
97 |
47 |
50 |
|
Shakespeare A |
24 |
13 |
6 |
4 |
85 |
59 |
45 |
|
King’s Head A |
24 |
10 |
10 |
4 |
85 |
59 |
40 |
|
Junction A |
24 |
10 |
10 |
4 |
80 |
64 |
40 |
|
New Inn Newport |
24 |
11 |
5 |
8 |
76 |
68 |
38 |
|
Swan Newport |
24 |
11 |
4 |
9 |
74 |
70 |
37 |
|
Navigation |
24 |
10 |
6 |
8 |
73 |
71 |
36 |
|
Railway Tavern |
24 |
9 |
9 |
6 |
82 |
62 |
36 |
|
Wheatsheaf |
24 |
9 |
5 |
10 |
62 |
82 |
32 |
|
Lilleshall SC |
24 |
7 |
9 |
8 |
74 |
70 |
30 |
|
Junction B |
24 |
6 |
6 |
12 |
63 |
81 |
25 |
|
Audco at Shake |
24 |
7 |
3 |
14 |
59 |
85 |
24 |
|
Navy Club |
24 |
5 |
3 |
16 |
55 |
89 |
19 |
|
Shakespeare B |
24 |
4 |
1 |
19 |
43 |
101 |
13 |
|
King’s Head B |
24 |
1 |
1 |
22 |
32 |
112 |
4 |
Week 24 results:
Junction A v New Inn, 4-2
Navigation v Lilleshall Sports Centre, 3-3
Wheatsheaf v Swan Newport, 2-4
Shakespeare A v NRBL, 0-6
King’s Head A v King’s Head B, 6-0
Navy Club v Junction B, 3-3
Audco at the Shake v Shakespeare B, 2-4
Railway Tavern v Sutherland Arms, 5-1
Week 23 result:
Swan Newport v Navy Club, 3-3
Ends
For further information:
Neil Perkins, NDP Publicity Services, Tel: 07831 123153
www.ndp-publicity.com