Snooker: Rockets stretch league lead once more

Table-toppers extend gap to four points with narrow win

Report by Mike Crook:

The Manx Car Store Snooker League has just five weeks to run after Finch Hill Rockets’ narrow win over St Olave’s, enough to take their lead back to four points. 

Interestingly, Rockets play second-placed Blinders in the last game of the season on 16 April... will the title race still be on?

Finch Hill Rockets 3-2 St Olave's

Marc Bolton 68-37 Mike Crook - Fairly equal until halfway but Bolton’s safety was very good and Crook was left few chances thereafter, a few solid pots from Bolton at the end. Leon Martin 82-56 Paul Smyth - Smyth very nearly got the 35 start back. With the frame at his mercy he potted the final brown with slightly too much pace and saw the white sneak into the middle. Martin dropped the brown into the middle and a trebled blue left snookers required. Paddy Delaney 67-30 Geoff Hall - These two have a combined age just north of a maximum break but both still playing to a very decent level. It was the part-time boxing coach Delaney who delivered the knockout blow with a nice 25 clearance. St Olave’s salvaged a couple of points taking the final two frames, Rodger Clague 69-76 Anthony Bayle and John Spellman 36-65 Dan Crawley, Bayle’s win coming after a re-spot. A 3-2 win for the league leaders but I’m sure they’d have loved another point after leading 3-0.

Cue Zone Blinders 2-3 Cue Zone Masters

There were no favours from the Masters in this derby match against the treble-seeking Blinders. All five frames were close affairs and the two frames Blinders won they were conceding very big starts. Frame scores: Conor Mahon 42-51 Martin Rigg, David Hill 88-78 Tommy Clague, Harry Ellis 53-66 Jez Hill, Brandon Forrester 52-73 Brendan Clague and Dollin Mercer (21 break) 98-75 Ivan McMaw. A special mention for Mercer who is now 10 from 10 this season.

Finch Hill Musicians 'A' 2-3 Malew

Sean Rolt 99-78 Tommy Lawler  Rolt was in devastating form with breaks of 33 and 45, though he did have to apologise on a couple of occasions as pots were made not quite as planned. Lawler was limited to just one red. Vinny Dale 63-51 James Goodwin - Dale nicked this from a long way back, forcing a foul or two from Goodwin before rattling the final blue across the baulk cushion and into the other pocket. He then dropped the pink in with the rest. Tom Randall 32-62 Mark Quinn - This was Quinn’s best display of the season. Simon Gardner 38-80 Tony Cubbon - Six in a row now for Cubbon and playing like this he’s a serious challenger for the individual league title. John Kennish 76-114 Alec Oates - Conceding a 77 start, Kennish hit the week’s highest break of 57 but it wasn’t enough to prevent Malew picking up a 12th win this season, only the Rockets, who Malew beat last week have more wins with 14.

The Miscues 2-3 Finch Hill Musicians 'B'

Report by Matt Dodd:

Ollie Pickford 44-23 Pat Maher - Neither player got going and it could have gone either away. Olllie secured it when the pink disappeared after just over an hour. Rob Dolby 61-72 Noel McConville - Rob received a 42 start and started off very well and looked out of sight, but Noel fought back well with some cracking pots and cueing well it went down to the black. Noel potted it, cueing off the cushion, a tremendous shot to take a win after losing his last in three. Frames three and four were shared, Reiner Naylor 35-58 Vic Rigby - Vic playing well and Luca McDermott 93-56 Paul Tangeman - Luca successfully defending his 49 start. Ben Peach 48-59 Matthew Dodd - Dodd was chasing 28 which he managed but spurned chances to finish it off. Ben almost stole it until his white went in-off and left Dodd a straight pink to middle for frame and match.

The Hurricanes 2-3 Port St Mary Legion

PSM don’t have the greatest of records away to the Hurricanes, but they improved this to two wins in nine visits and also put behind them a run of five 3-2 defeats. Frame scores: Darran Creer 59-29 Marc Morley, Nialls Wilson 46-67 Phil Joynes (22 break), Lee Butterworth 45-50 Andrew Hutchison, Shaun Roberts 43-56 Dave Pickersgill. There was a very good performance from Hurricanes’ Jamie Wilson in the last, he hit breaks of 24, 23 and 20 where the final black just stayed up, Jamie Wilson 84-44 Terry Boyle.

Snooker Bar-barians 4-1 Finch Hill Mob

Bar-barians, bottom of the league at the start of play were the biggest winners of the week and now prop up the table with the Miscues. Ironically, it was their most successful player of the season, Chris Reynolds who was the only one of the quintet to lose. Frame scores: Chris Lawless 73-47 Paul Smith, Chris Reynolds 43-74 Steve Finnegan, Neil Birchenough 58-30 Lee Hunt, Andy Moore 96-64 Peter Kirkham and Mark Davenport 70-35 Jonny Hogg.

**

Top League Standings

1.) Finch Hill Rockets - 62 points
2.) Cue Zone Blinders - 58 points
3.) Finch Hill Musicians 'A' - 54 points
4.) Finch Hill Musicians 'B' - 53 points
5.) Port St Mary Legion - 51 pints

Top Individual League Standings

1.) Paul Smyth - 13 wins
=.) Matt Dodd - 13 wins
3.) Tony Cubbon - 12 wins

High Break League Standings

1.) John Kennish - 46.5 points
2.) Peter Kirkham - 25 points
3.) Sean Rolt - 24 points