Bayley D won through to the final of the Telford Snooker League Team Knockout with a nail-biting late night finish against Coddon A last week - but it was a close run thing with Coddon's Adrian Smith narrowly failing to pull off the comeback of the season.

In the final they will play Hills Lane A, who kept their hopes of a League and Cup double alive with a comfortable victory over fellow division one side Maddocks A.

But it was the game on the adjacent table that produced all the excitement, with the Bayley side - making full use of home advantage, opening up a 135 point lead with just two frames to go.

A large crowd had gathered to see both semi-finals which were played at the Bayley Club, with the Coddon preferring to give up home advantage to play on the excellent playing surface provided by the Wellington Club.

And the Bayley jealously protected their 150 point start with Dave Dudley taking on Lee Szklarzewicz in the opening frame.

The Bayley man took all of the last four colours - including a brilliant long pink to gain position on the black - to keep the frame deficit to just six points.

Dave Williams went one point better against Ian Ferriday as he too rallied to clear with a break of 22 to lose out by 58 points to 53. And with Bill France holding Darren Weston to a narrow 62-58 win the writing looked to be on the wall as Coddon found themselves 135 points adrift with just two frames remaining.

Coddon captain Dave Lloyd had other ideas though as he took on his opposite number Steve Lane in the next.

The Bayley captain was once again sporting his lucky red socks - but their charm didn't work this time as Dave potted a series of blacks to claw back 54 points with a 92-38 victory.

That meant Adrian Smith took to the table to play Darren Rhoades some 81 points behind - but he was undaunted by the prospect and quickly put his opponent under pressure, opening up an early 30 point lead.

There seemed to be nothing the Bayley player could do as Adrian potted ball after ball - notching a 29 break to leave the overall difference just 16 points with two reds remaining.

However, an unlucky foul stroke which resulted in the Coddon player inadvertently knocking the black in, looked to have turned the match Bayley's way as Darren coolly potted the last red with a black to lead by 31 points with just the colours remaining.

A further foul left the Coddon requiring two snookers on the green - but as the tension grew, Adrian produced some fine safety play, forcing his opponent to concede six points by hitting the pink and when Darren went in off the brown the difference was just 20 points with 22 still on the table.

It was here that disaster struck for the Coddon as Adrian attempted to roll the white up behind the pink - but his slight misjudgment left Darren a simple pot to clinch victory for the Bayley at ten minutes to midnight.

Nonetheless Adrian's valiant effort was appreciated by the spectators who had remained behind to see the conclusion of this exciting match.

Hills Lane A also booked their place in the final, to be played at Shifnal on May 8th, when they accounted for Maddocks A on the adjacent table.

With both side's starting off scratch each team was looking to gain the early initiative and it was Hills Lane who marginally went ahead as Matt Bailey defeated Leigh France 67-61.

Ian Duffy increased that lead with a 70-23 win over Darren Wincott before former English Amateur Champion Matthew Davies all but secured his side's place in the final with a 118 -19 win over the unlucky Ian Skelton, who by everyone's account had been very unfotunate as the run of the balls didn't go his way.

The Madeley side took the next frame too thanks to Darren Pountney's 64-35 success against Phil Davis and with Shaun Harris completing the scoring with a 76-37 win over Maddocks captain Dave France, the champions-elect made sure that they stayed on track for a league and cup double.

The Consolation Cup final - to be played at the Bayley on May 8th, will feature Shifnal F against Maddocks D.

Shifnal F and Shifnal A both felt unlucky about being drawn against one another at the semi-final stage but the result certainly didn't prove to be unlucky for the F team as they ran out winners by just 23 points overall.

Carrying a 45 point advantage, the F team set about increasing their lead when a 22 break from Chris Painter looked to be ominous - but his opponent John Fallows had other ideas as he retaliated with a 25 break of his own before slipping into another gear to win 92-36.

The F team got swiftly back in the driving seat though as Nev Whitehead overcame golden wonder Linsay Knox 81-32 with the aide of a 27 break.

The A team's Roy Martin then came out with all guns blazing as a 30 break gave him the upper hand against Wally Harper. But Wally called on all his experience to eventually pip Roy 65-51 to keep the F team in control.

Once again the A team reduced the deficit as Andy Easthope defeated Spencer Rowley 61-48 to leave his side just 39 points adrift as former County Champion simon Biddluph took on the F team's "rock" Dave Peplow.

But the start proved too much for Simon to recoup as Mr Reliable defended his lead like the stalwart he is and ran out a 71-48 winner to cheers from his team-mates who will now join Maddocks D in the final.

The Oakengates side, receiving 80 points handicap, won through against Wellington Billiard Hall X by a total of 403 points to 347.

Mick Wincott added to their 80 point start with a solid 62-40 win over M Shabir and although M Surfraz replied for the Billiard Hall by taking the next by 27 points against Brendan Wincott, it was Maddocks who remained in the driving seat as Colin Smith won the third frame against D Khan by 58 points to 17.

A Ali's 67-35 success over Ken Davies kept the Billiard Hall's hopes alive, but M Shadab was unable to recoup the 84 point deficit facing him going into the final frame - his 56-28 victory over Roy Lowe proving to be a scant consolation as Maddocks moved into the final.

The finals of the league's various competitions are to be played shortly. The dates and venues are as follows…

A & D Team Knockout Final: Bayley D (150) v Hills Lane (Scr) at Shifnal on 8th May

Consolation Cup Final: Shifnal F (85) v Maddocks D (180) at Bayley on 8th May

Chris Ward Individual: N Fletcher (WBH) v K Price (Anstice) at Maddocks on 16th April

Oakengates Carpets Doubles: D Lloyd & L Szklarrzewicz (Coddon) v S Harris & I Duffy (Hills Lane) at Shifnal on 23rd April

Trebles: D Lloyd, D Weston & L Szklarzewicz (Coddon ) v D Pountney, S Harris & I Duffy (Hills Lane) at Shifnal on 15th April

Over 40's: J Lowe (Little Dawley) v S Rowley (Shifnal) at Bayley on 9th April

John Bethell: C Whitehead (Bayley) v L Drinkwater (Little Dawley) at Maddocks on 18th April

Under 21: C Walker (Broseley) v I Eldridge (WBH) at Bayley on 29th April

Telford A will be playing their semi-final of the West Midlands Inter-Town competition at Landywood Snooker club tomorrow night (5th April).

STEVE FLETCHER    

Steve.Fletcher@telfordsnooker.com

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