2012/2013 NEWPORT & DISTRICT POOL LEAGUE
For immediate release
Wednesday, December 5th, 2012
NRBL A, LSC, KINGS HEAD AND HABERDASHERS PREVAIL
IN FIRST NEIL CLARK MEMORIAL OPEN TROPHY ROUND
NEWPORT (Shropshire): NRBL A, LSC at the Tav, King’s Head A and the Haberdashers at Knighton were just four of the nine teams that made it safely through to the second round of the Neil Clark Memorial Trophy (Newport Pool League Cup) on Wednesday night.
Held in memory of the twice former league winner who passed away in October 2006, the competition runs in conjunction with the Newport & District Pool League and is now entering its seventh year.
NRBL A now face a tricky eliminator clash against the Railway Tavern to book their quarter-final match with LSC. Rob Holt and Mike Jones stunned the ‘galacticos’ with wins over Andy Miles and Wayne Dodd, but Anthony Heathcote and Darren Pountney redressed the balance with wins over Luke Jones and Simon Walley. Honours were shared in the doubles racks, but Pountney got the better of Holt in a tense tie-decider to see the cup favourites through.
LSC at the Tav coasted passed the Wheatsheaf in four straight frames, with Greg Heathcote accepting Mark Hodgkinson’s drunken black submission, Paul Cartledge beating Paul Skitt and Ben Longstaff beating Phil Collins to put the visitors into a 0-3 lead. John Williams sealed the match against Nigel Sandbrook in the fourth frame before ‘Eric’ raised his unpredictable head in the doubles.
Horns B prevailed over their Gnosall A team with the loss of just one frame. Welsh international Dai Smith stunned Market Drayton’s George Allen to put the home side into the lead, but Dean Smith, Stafford’s Neil Dale and Mick Manning hit back to make it 1-3 and Allen and Manning sealed a clash with the Haberdashers in round two with wins in the crucial frames.
Shakespeare A were made to work hard for their quarter-final clash with the Navigation. The home side appeared to be coasting after Neil Perkins and Andy Potter put them into a 2-0 lead, but Dave Marshall fouled on his black to let Dennis Holland into the equation and Alan Pritchett levelled the score in a black ball fourth frame.
Shake landlord Ben Holmes held his nerve to seal a black pot in the fifth to put the home side 3-2 ahead and Marshall redeemed himself with a superb clearance in rack six to win the match for the Shakespeare.
The Junction A dropped two frames on their way to knocking Shakespeare B out of the cup and the Navigation progressed to face Shakespeare A with a similar 4-2 result against Junction B.
The King’s Head A pipped the Sutherland Arms at Tibberton on a tie-break decider, with Graham Tigwell stealing the show for the Chetwynd End side. Knighton’s Haberdashers got the better of the King’s Head B with the loss of two frames in the final match of the night.
Horns B have now confirmed that all their future home games will be played from the Honeysuckle in Newport and the team will be renamed with immediate effect. We extend a warm welcome to the new venue and wish them every success in the Newport & District Pool League.
All second round matches in the Neil Clark Memorial Trophy will be played on Wednesday, January 23rd. The eliminator match between the Railway Tavern and NRBL A to reduce the number of teams to eight must be played before this date at a mutually convenient time and date for both teams.
Neil Clark Memorial Trophy – round 1 results:
Junction A v Shakespeare B, 4-2
Sutherland Tibberton v King’s Head A, 3-4
Horns Gnosall A v The Honeysuckle, 1-4
Barley Mow Hotel v Railway Tavern, 3-4
Haberdashers Arms v King’s Head B, 4-2
Navigation Gnosall v Junction B, 4-2
NRBL B v NRBL A, 3-4
Wheatsheaf v LSC at the Tavern, 0-4
Shakespeare A v Royal Navy Club, 4-2
Neil Clark Memorial Trophy – quarter-final draw
Haberdashers Arms v The Honeysuckle
*Railway Tavern or *NRBL A v LSC at the Tav
Shakespeare A v Navigation Gnosall
Junction A v King’s Head A
*The match between the Railway Tavern and NRBL A must be played at a convenient date before January 23rd.
Ends
For further information:
Neil Perkins, NDP Publicity Services, Tel: 07831 123153
www.ndp-publicity.com