2012 NEWPORT POOL OPEN

For immediate release
Wednesday, October 17th, 2012

NEIL DALE EDGES OUT ANTONY HEATHCOTE IN POOL OPEN THRILLER

· Market Drayton’s Manning and Allen win legendary doubles final

NEWPORT (Shropshire): Stafford’s Neil Dale clinched the 2012 Newport Pool Open trophy after winning a tense, safety-dominated final at the Royal Navy Club against Newport’s former champion Antony Heathcote.

Heathcote won a marathon opening frame in just under half an hour to put the Stafford fishery owner under pressure, but Dale prevailed in an even longer second frame to redress the balance. Heathcote nudged ahead in a cagey third frame and had his chance to close out the match in rack four, but he fouled and gave the Stafford cue two shots. Dale held his nerve to set up a tiebreak encounter in front of a captivated audience.

The final frame was nip and tick for over a quarter of an hour but both players made mistakes and were unable to close out the match. Dale manoeuvred himself into a better position and managed to win two shots with a canny snooker.

He looked to be in control of the frame until he snookered himself on his final colour and left Heathcote with a chance. The Newport cue was unable to pot a ball and Dale returned to the table to leave the former champion snookered on his red behind Dale’s final black. Heathcote took on the attempt to pot the ball in the middle pocket, but he cannoned the black down the cushion and left it over the pocket, before conceding the frame and the match to an elated Dale, who became the sixth winner of the prestigious trophy in seven years.

Market Drayton’s Mick Manning and George Allen won a nailbiting Shakespeare Newport Doubles Open final against Newport’s Graham Tigwell and Ross Goodchild. The Drayton duo hadn’t dropped a single frame on their way to the final and they coasted into a 1-0 lead and made it 2-0 after errors by their opponents on the black.

But the match turned around on a dime and entered local folklore in the third and fourth frames. Allen snookered himself on his final red as he tried to seal the whitewash and then potted both the red and the white with his next visit to the table. Goodchild somehow overcame the pressure and managed to pot the black with the two shots to win the frame for the King’s Head pair.

After being given a stay of execution, the King’s Head duo relaxed and raised their game. In the business end of the frame, Goodchild missed a pot and saw the ball cannon across the table into the pocket. He managed to make an outrageous fluke on the next ball as well and tapped the black in the pocket to keep the game alive and level the match much to the delight of a deafening crowd at the Royal Navy Club.

Tigwell started well in rack five and the Newport duo were in command of the frame as the atmosphere intensified. Tigwell somehow potted all seven colours and tried to squeeze himself into position on the winning black, but he left the cue ball short and was unable to get out of the snooker. Allen duly stepped up with two shots and the balls nicely positioned around the table to make a seven-ball clearance and confirm his first doubles triumph and the fourth successive title for Manning.

Irene Whittington claimed her third successive Newport Ladies’ Open title after defeating a spirited Lauren Heathcote in four frames. The defending champion won the first two frames, only for Heathcote to claw a frame back. But it was a bridge too far for the youngster in the fourth frame and Whittington sealed the win in tense circumstances.

Heathcote and Dale clinched their places in the singles final by getting the better of Charlie Hayward and Andy Miles in two semi-finals at the Tavern last week. Heathcote admitted to being a little off form and dropped one frame to the Aqueduct player, while Miles missed a couple of crucial chances against Dale and was left to rue his mistakes in a straight frame defeat.

Ross Goodchild and Graham Tigwell secured their place in the doubles final by beating Stafford’s Brendan Ruttledge and Neil Dale in straight frames and that set up a clash with Market Drayton’s Mick Manning and George Allen, who disposed of Mike and Luke Jones with a similar score line.

Newport Pool League’s Desert England Trophy, which is awarded annually to a league player who is either the most improved or taken the season in a true sporting spirit, was awarded to Royal Navy Club veteran Gerry Nunn – the oldest player in the league who claimed several memorable scalps during the year.

The 2012-2013 Newport Pool League gets underway on Wednesday, October 31st.

2012 Railway Tavern Newport Women’s Pool Open
Lauren Heathcote lost to Irene Whittington, 1-3

2012 Shakespeare Newport Pool Doubles final
Mick Manning/George Allen beat Ross Goodchild/Graham Tigwell, 3-2

2012 NDP Publicity Services Newport Pool Open final
Neil Dale beat Anthony Heathcote, 3-2

2012 NDP Publicity Services Newport Pool Open
Semi-final results

Andy Miles lost to Neil Dale, 0-3
Antony Heathcote beat Charlie Hayward, 3-1

2012 Shakespeare Newport Doubles Open
Semi-final results

Luke Jones/Mike Jones lost to Mick Manning/George Allen, 0-3
Ross Goodchild/Graham Tigwell beat Neil Dale/Brendan Ruttledge, 3-1

Ends

For further information:
Neil Perkins, NDP Publicity Services, Tel: 07831 123153
www.ndp-publicity.com

Facebook group: 2011-2012 Newport Pool League and 2012 Newport Pool Open

Published On: 17 October 2012