2010/2011 NEWPORT & DISTRICT POOL LEAGUE
For immediate release
Thursday, May 26th, 2011
SUTHY FALL APART AS KING’S HEAD REGAIN TOP SPOT
NEWPORT (Shropshire): The King’s Head A retained a two-point lead in the Newport & District Pool League after a topsy-turvy week of high drama. The Chetwynd End side lost the league lead to the Sutherland Arms at Tibberton on Monday evening when the villagers demolished the Junction A, 5-1, but reclaimed top spot in the early hours of yesterday morning (Thursday) when the Sutherland were humiliated by the Railway Tavern in a 6-0 whitewash.
Greg Quinn, Adam Stone and Stu Morrey had put the Tavern side into a 3-0 lead against the Tibberton team in a rapid-fire three frames and the village side were clearly on the rack. Wayne Dodd struggled to overcome Rob ‘Tractor’ Hill in frame four and a heated exchange ensued as to whether the former England player had finished the frame using two shots, despite the fact a foul had not been called.
The frame was re-racked after a dispute and the pair began a marathon battle for supremacy, as the clock edged towards midnight and other teams filtered into the Railway to discuss the evening’s results. Within minutes the atmosphere resembled a cauldron for the re-racked frame and Dodd eventually conceded a complex rack after 40 minutes when gamesmanship and slow play had been the order of the day. He slammed the black into the cushion in disgust rather than witness a stubborn and time-wasting Hill take his moment of glory into the corner pocket.
Tom Fisken and Colin Smith lost a rapid fire fifth frame to the in-form Russ Porter and Morrey and a dejected Dodd conceded the sixth rack without picking up his cue to seal a sensational rout for the Upper Bar side.
The King’s Head A regained the league lead with a 4-2 victory over their B team, but it was not all plain sailing. Lucy Hennessey staked her claim for the A team by seeing off Irene Whittington and Lyn Day saw off a heartbroken Ian Perry to put the girls on their way to a sensational win.
Graham Tigwell seven-balled Chris Perry to pull a frame back and Mick Collins levelled the score in frame four. Collins and Whittington sealed rack five for the league leaders and Tigwell and Perry sealed the win to maintain the A team’s top spot.
NRBL are doing their best to throw away third position. Andy Potter beat Ant Heathcote to set the Shakespeare A off to a good start at Upper Bar, but Colin Farge pulled a frame back for the defending champions to level the scores. Dave Marshall sailed past Mick Beech to put the home side within sight of an upset, only for Luke Hayward to see off Ben Holmes and take the match to the doubles racks.
Beech and Heathcote secured at least a point for the away side in rack five, but Laura Brennan was firing on all cylinders in her partnership with Marshall and they forced a stunning draw against Farge and Charlie Hayward. “Wim not playing well at all at the moment ay we,” said NRBL skipper Beech.
LSC at the Tav have been the form side in recent weeks, but they very nearly came unstuck to a resurgent Wheatsheaf A at Chetwynd Aston. Greg Heathcote and Ian Roberts put the Newport side into a 2-0 lead, but Ian Trevor and Paul Skitt redressed the balance in two subsequent tense singles racks against Ben Longstaff and Neil Perkins
Longstaff and Heathcote held their cool to seal rack five for the visitors, but Andy Miles and Roberts only sealed the match and the final frame after 40 minutes of snooker-filled action in a tense final frame against Al Harvey and Skitt.
The Wheatsheaf B also kept up the pressure on NRBL for third place with a stunning 2-4 win at Shakespeare C. Gary Bolton ousted Mike Jones to set the home side on their way, but Tom Sayce levelled the match for the ‘Sheaf. Ben Clewes beat Luke Jones to make it 2-1 and Jack Jones levelled the match in frame four. Dave Haynes, Jack Jones, Sayce and Mike Jones prevailed in the doubles to seal a superb win for the visiting Chetwynd Aston side.
The Junction A bounced back from a disappointing 1-5 home defeat to the Sutherland Arms in a rearranged match on Monday night to trounce the Plough at Woodseaves without the loss of a frame. Sion Richards, Keith Rogers, Hyla Marklew and Steve Roycroft inflicted the pain in the four singles racks and there was no way back for the Woodseaves side.
The Royal Navy Club got the better of the Junction B by the odd frame and honours were shared between the Navigation at Gnosall and the Shakespeare B in the final match of the evening.
The Sutherland Arms and the King’s Head A will meet in the final of the Neil Clark Memorial Trophy next Wednesday night (June 1st) at the Royal Navy Club. The grudge match will take place after the game between the Railway Tavern and the Navigation to determine the winners of the third-place play-off. Action begins at 19.30hrs.
Wednesday night’s events have guaranteed a cauldron-type atmosphere. Spectators and other teams are more than welcome.
2010-2011 Newport & District Pool League – @ 25/05/11
|
Team |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Pts |
|
King’s Head A |
24 |
19 |
2 |
3 |
101 |
43 |
59 |
|
Sutherland Arms |
24 |
18 |
3 |
3 |
105 |
39 |
57 |
|
NRBL |
24 |
14 |
6 |
4 |
91 |
53 |
48 |
|
LSC at the Tav |
24 |
13 |
7 |
4 |
88 |
56 |
46 |
|
Wheatsheaf B |
24 |
13 |
6 |
5 |
84 |
60 |
45 |
|
Shakespeare C |
24 |
13 |
5 |
6 |
81 |
63 |
44 |
|
Junction A |
24 |
13 |
5 |
6 |
90 |
54 |
44 |
|
Shakespeare A |
24 |
10 |
6 |
8 |
77 |
67 |
36 |
|
Railway Tavern |
24 |
8 |
5 |
11 |
65 |
79 |
29 |
|
Navigation |
24 |
9 |
4 |
11 |
67 |
77 |
28 |
|
Plough Woods’vs |
24 |
8 |
4 |
12 |
60 |
84 |
28 |
|
Wheatsheaf A |
24 |
4 |
8 |
12 |
61 |
83 |
20 |
|
Royal Navy Club |
24 |
4 |
3 |
17 |
52 |
92 |
15 |
|
Junction B |
24 |
3 |
6 |
15 |
50 |
94 |
15 |
|
Shakespeare B |
24 |
4 |
3 |
17 |
43 |
101 |
15 |
|
King’s Head B |
24 |
1 |
5 |
18 |
39 |
105 |
8 |
Week 24 results:
Wheatsheaf A v LSC at the Tav, 2-4
Junction A v Plough Woodseaves, 6-0
King’s Head A v King’s Head B, 4-2
Shakespeare A v NRBL, 3-3
Shakespeare C v Wheatsheaf B, 2-4
Royal Navy Club v Junction B, 4-2
Railway Tavern v Sutherland Tibberton, 6-0
Navigation Gnosall v Shakespeare B, 3-3
Week 22 results:
Junction A v Sutherland Tibberton, 1-5
Shakespeare B v Junction B, 6-0 W/O
Team of the week: Railway Tavern
Player of the week: Rob ‘Tractor’ Hill
Numptie of the week: Wayne Dodd
Ends
For further information:
Neil Perkins, NDP Publicity Services, Tel: 07831 123153
www.ndp-publicity.com