2007-2008 NEWPORT & DISTRICT POOL LEAGUE
For immediate release
Thursday, January 31st, 2008
KING’S HEAD WIN CRUNCH CLASH AGAINST SHAKESPEARE
NEWPORT (Shropshire): The King’s Head brushed aside the Shakespeare 4-2 in a pivotal match which could eventually decide the outcome of the Newport & District league pool title.
The Chetwynd End side headed into the titanic clash leading their Upper Bar rivals on frame difference. The Shakespeare took a large group of supporters to witness the clash, but Ben Clewns’s solitary win over Neil Hallett was all the away side had to show for their efforts in the singles matches.
A rampant Ian Perry, Matt and Mick Collins disposed of Matt Hestor, Luke Jones and Richard Young to give the home side a 3-1 lead and honours were shared in the doubles as the King’s Head confirmed the win and headed into a three-point championship lead. Perry extended his unbeaten singles record to six games – the best singles performance in the league to date.
“Maybe we had been running a bit ahead of ourselves in recent weeks,” said Shakespeare captain Mick Andrews. “We need to keep our heads up now and look ahead. There are still 12 games to go.”
Lilleshall Sports Centre erased last week’s bitter 4-2 defeat to the Shakespeare with a rather fortunate 6-0 demolition of an out-of-sorts Boat side. Neil Perkins struggled to see off Gnosall skipper Dave Lakin in a scrappy opener and benefited from a cheeky back-handed pot on the final black, while Greg Heathcote was taken all the way by Nigel Sandbrook in frame two.
A shocking double miss on the black by Dave Rogers handed frame three to a relieved Ben Longstaff and Nick Clewley made no mistakes to seal a clean sweep in the singles. Heathcote and Longstaff set up the possibility of a bonus point for the Lilleshall side in the first doubles match with a win over Rogers and Mick Chambers and Perkins completed the rout with a treacherous black into the corner. “It’s nice to see an asterisk next to our team for the bonus point,” quipped team player Neil ‘Hurricane’ Hazeley.
Kim Worrall set the Sutherland Muxton on their way against an unbeaten Audco side with a fine win over Tom Sayce in frame one, but the Bellman’s Yard outfit hit back with a vengeance. Paul Trevor. Jack Jones and Andy Lycett got the better of G Hayward, Charlie Hayward and Keith Warrington to set them on their way.
Lycett and Jones secured the three points in the first doubles match, but Warrington and B Tulis hit back to rescue a second frame for Muxton in the final rack. Audco climbed to fourth place and have games in hand over their rivals.
In the final match of the week, the Wheatsheaf disposed of the New Inn with a useful 5-1 win at Stafford Street to climb to fifth. Al Harvey set the ‘Sheaf on their way with a win over Mike Stevens and the in-form Nigel Sandbrook made it 2-0. Chris Cooper and Paul Skitt completed the singles’ rout with wins over Jim Steventon and Tim Hartland and the Skitt/Cooper partnership set up the possibility of the bonus point.
Tim Hartland and Steventon had other ideas, however, and rescued a point for the home side. “We’re on a bit of a roll at the moment,” said Cooper. “We’re climbing that league so the King’s Head better watch out…”
Would teams ensure that all match forms are returned to the Railway Tavern after games to ensure that league tables and player statistics are as accurate as possible. Please also text the result to 07831 123153.
2007-2008 Newport & District Pool latest league table @ 31/01/08
Team P W D L F A Pts
King’s Head 7 6 1 0 31 11 20*
Shakespeare 8 5 1 2 30 18 17*
Lilleshall SC 9 4 2 3 31 23 15*
Audco 6 3 3 0 21 15 12
Wheatsheaf 7 2 4 1 22 20 10
Boat Gnosall 6 3 1 2 17 19 10
Junction A 5 3 0 2 17 13 9
Sutherland Muxton 7 2 1 4 19 23 7
Junction B 6 1 1 4 14 22 4
Navy Club 7 1 0 6 12 30 3
New Inn 8 0 2 6 14 34 2
* denotes bonus point awarded for 6-0 wins
League matches still to be played to date.
Junction A v King’s Head
Audco v Boat Gnosall
Boat Gnosall v Junction A
Junction B v Navy Club
Ends
For further information:
Neil Perkins, NDP Publicity Services, Tel: 07831 123153
www.ndp-publicity.com