2011 CARLING NEWPORT POOL OPEN
For immediate release
Wednesday, October 19th, 2011
PINK ENTERS HISTORY BOOKS BY BEATING PERRY
IN PULSATING CARLING NEWPORT POOL OPEN FINAL
NEWPORT (Shropshire): Hinstock’s Colin Pink is the new Carling Newport Pool Open champion after defeating Newport’s Robert 'Bobby' Perry in five thrilling frames at a packed Newport Royal British Legion on Wednesday night.
The pulsating match hung on a knife edge throughout, but Pink prevailed in a tense fifth frame decider to ensure that he became the first player to win the Open twice and the first cue to hold both Newport majors in the same year, after he had teamed up with Market Drayton’s Mick Manning to claim victory in the Worthington’s Newport Doubles Open earlier in the evening.
Pink benefited from a Perry in-off to see himself on the way to a 1-0 lead, but Perry hit back to level the match in frame two, after Pink had made a mistake, and it was a similar story in frame three, with Perry edging into the lead, courtesy of a useful clearance after a Pink error.
The dramatic fourth frame could have gone either way, with Pink precariously nestled over the pocket with his sole-surviving black ball and Perry playing catch up. A canny Perry snooker nearly forced the frame into a re-rack situation, but the referee adjudged that Pink could hit the ball and he ‘ran’ short on the subsequent shot to leave Perry none the better off. The tension continued through the next visits and Perry was again awarded two shots for a Pink foul.
He may have been too eager to see off the match too quickly and tapped a ball into the pocket by mistake to leave Pink a simple clearance to level the match at 2-2.
Tension was paramount in the fifth frame and Perry, who won the toss and elected to break, started well by potting five of his balls from the first visit. Pink hit back and the match was nip and tuck until Perry got out of position, gifted Pink the chance to pay a tricky snooker and the Hinstock player held his nerve with two penalty shots to seal the match and his place in local cue sport history.
Earlier in the evening, Pink had ridden his luck in the doubles final alongside Mick Manning. Bidding for a third successive final, the pair brushed Irene Whittington and Phil Emery aside in four frames, but the score line flattered to deceive. Emery went in-off in one frame and the King’s Head pair had chances in the other two they lost to prevent Pink and Manning completing a stunning hat-trick of doubles’ final wins.
Whittington’s consolation was retaining her Newport Women’s Open title at the expense of Lauren Heathcote. The pair were closely matched for long periods and Heathcote took her rival to the black ball in two of the three frames, but she lacked the killer instinct at the crucial time and Whittington overcame her own nerves to seal the match in straight frames.
Heathcote’s consolation was winning the ‘Desert England Trophy’ for the most improved player of the year in the Newport & District Pool League.
“A big thank you to the NRBL for their excellent hospitality and to Caroline King and Molson Coors for their ongoing support,” said tournament organiser Neil Perkins.
“The new Newport & District Pool League has a capacity 16 teams and starts on Wednesday, November 9th.”
CARLING NEWPORT POOL OPEN – results
2011 Newport Women’s Open final
Irene Whittington beat Lauren Heathcote, 3-0
2011 Worthington’s Newport Doubles Open final
Colin Pink/Mick Manning beat Irene Whittington/Phil Emery, 3-1
2011 Carling Newport Open final
Robert Perry lost to Colin Pink, 2-3
Ends
For further information:
Neil Perkins, NDP Publicity Services, Tel: 07831 123153
www.ndp-publicity.com
Facebook group: 2010-2011 Newport Pool League and Newport Pool Open