Matthew Davies (pictured) will enter the snooker New Year on a potential hat-trick of century breaks as he followed his magnificent total clearance of 131 two weeks ago with yet another hundred break in the second round of the Telford Snooker League’s Team Knockout sponsored by Dones Bookmakers of Madeley.

Not content with overcoming Anstice A captain Ian Duffy’s highest league break the Shifnal E player proceeded to knock Ian’s break of exactly one hundred into second place in the race for the competitions highest break prize with a superb clearance of 107.

Matthew’s Shifnal E side were conceding 50 points handicap to their second division opponents from Maddocks C and the visitors looked good early on as league president Nev Whitehead increased Maddocks lead by 12 points with the help of breaks of 24 & 27 against Jeff Sparkes.

However profit then turned to loss as Shifnal’s Chris Petford got the better of Bill Rushton 77-42 before Matthew Davies produced the highlight of the evening with his century break completing a 113-4 win in what was undoubtably the match of the day over the unfortunate Jim Hill.

Arron Sparkes then clocked in with a 45 break to overcome Colin Smith 83-19 leaving Maddock’s anchor man Joe Oliver to retrieve 136 and against Dave 'The Rock' Peplow.

This would have been some feat and Joe went out to enjoy his game and did just that punching in a 41 break on his way to victory 94-30.

There was however a great comeback at Minnesota Fats where Broseley’s Mick Brezwyn retrieved a 56 point deficit at the start of the last frame to overcome Kev West 88-31 to edge Broseley into the next round by a single point.

Last season’s first division runners-up made the trip to Oakengates in the knowledge that their opponents have only lost three times in the league this season and are currently seven points ahead of them in the table.

Nonetheless they made light of the 30 points start they were conceding as Simon McLeod got the better of Jon Wright by 18 points to reduce the deficit to just twelve points overall.

And Broseley then went in front for the first time courtesy of a 79-45 win for Richie Hulme over Steve Collins.

However any thoughts the visitors had of an easy passage through to Round 2 were put on the back burner as first Keith Blackham beat Paul Humphries 91-40 and then Paul Devey overcame Graham Long 69-44.

However the topsy-turvy encounter continued as Mick Brezwyn clawed his way back into contention slotting home the final black for a dramatic finish which see Broseley join Shifnal E in the hat.

Minnesota Fats B fared little better than their A side as they too went out of the competition to first division opposition in the shape of Maddocks A.

The second division outfit began the evening with 80 points start but were soon put under pressure as Ian Eldridge took the first frame 57-29 from Rob Palin.

A 22 break from Darren Wincott secured the next frame too for Maddocks and although a superb performance from Neil Pearson saw him defeat reigning Individual Champion Phil Davis 53-36 the two remaining frames both went the visitor’s way.

Leigh France’s victory over Mick Pearson saw Ian Skelton enter the final frame with 22 points start over Mick Egan and although Mick put up a brave attempt it was Ian who ran out a 69-22 winner to see Maddocks safely through.

Maddocks B were unable to follow their A team into the draw however as they fell to a shock defeat away to Anstice B.

The Madeley side set off protecting a 60-point start but in the end they ran out comfortable winners by 379 points to 249.

Danny Weaver was in superb form early on with a 78-46 win over former individual champion Wally Harper.

Doug Morrey replied for Maddocks with a fine win over John Darrock but Mick Cahill’s 81-42 defeat of Nigel White put the home side back in control.

And that’s exactly where they stayed with George Hammond winning a close fourth frame 63-55 against Les Hicks and Stewart Wimbush claiming the last from John Archer.

Reigning league champions Anstice A also made it safely through taking four out of five frames against fellow first division side Bayley E.

The visitors started brightly however and added to their 40 points start when Andy O’Brien took the opening frame 58-46 against Ian Duffy.

Neil Price redressed the balance with a 61-41 win over Steve Hoof and the league leaders took the three remaining frames for what was, in the end, a comfortable win.

Keith Price’s victory over David France was swiftly followed by wins for Nick Oakley over John Squire and Noel Stones who beat Ali Jones 45-15 in the final frame.

Another side from the top flight to make it through to the second round were Shifnal B who made good use of the 20 points start they received against Little Dawley A to eventually win by some 59 points overall.

The visitors wiped out Shifnal’s advantage after the first frame though as Ade Henry completed a 61-38 win over M Shadab to give Little Dawley a 2-point lead.

That didn’t last long though and John Powell’s 72-50 triumph over Richie Heighway put the home side back on track.

A fine win for A Ali over Lee Elcock continued Shifnal’s march towards a place in the next round and they all but made sure that their name would be in the hat when Ray Evans got the better of Jesse Lowe 71-37.

Not even an 81-36 win for Darren Pountney over Nigel Stallard could deny Shifnal of a well-earned victory as last season’s Consolation Cup winners fell by the wayside.

CONSOLATION CUP

There were few shocks in what was the first round of the Consolation Cup – which is for those teams who lose out in the first round of the main cup.

However one side that moved smartly through to Round 2 were Wellington Billiard Hall F who celebrated their final match before the Christmas break in their usual festive style by donning waistcoats and bow-ties on the way to beating second division Dawley B.

The third-division side started the day with 40 points start on their opponents and although Rob Cook lost the first frame against Alex Jones the four-point deficit did little to dampen the Wellington side’s sprits.

Chris Fletcher (pictured right) will start wearing formal dress more often as there was nothing casual about his 65-21 defeat of Gareth Jones which put the Billiard Hall in the driving seat and they continued to impress as Steve Weatherall (pictured left) won a close third frame on the black against Don Pugh.

Although the visitors took the final two frames of the evening through Kev Jones and Barry Roden their respective victories by four and three points against Richard Tranter and Martin Chapman wasn’t enough to prevent the third division side booking their place in the last eight.

Another third division side, Bayley F, put up a brave fight away to solid first division side Shifnal A before losing out on the final frame.

The visitors were protecting 110 points handicap and soon found the going tough as Linsay Knox took the first frame against Chris Shaw and John Fallows got the better of young starlet Tom Maxfield with the aid of a 45 break.

However the Bayley side were not down and out and Paul Maxfield produced possibly his best performance of the season just when it mattered to defeat Angus Way 56-46. Angus will no doubt be celebrating over the festive period as his wife Erica gave birth to a 7lb 2oz baby boy, Joe just five days before Christmas – our congratulations and best wishes go to them both.

There was more joy for the Bayley when Eddie Whitehead got the better of Andy Easthope by 56 points to 43 to leave the overall aggregate scores level.

However Andy Summers was unable to make it three wins in a row for the Wellington side as Simon Biddulph secured Shifnal’s passage to the quarter-finals by taking the final frame 65-23.

One third division side safely through are Maddocks D who beat fellow third division side Newport British Legion B by 47 points overall.

Maddocks arrived in Newport some nine places above their opponents and they set about diminishing the 40 point-start they were conceding as Mick Wincott took the opening frame from John Yapp 78-29.

Mike Doverskog’s 38-26 win over Mick Lucas kept Newport in contention as did Keith Gardner’s fine 64-43 success against Harry Hulme.

However the final two frames went Maddock’s way courtesy of Brendan Wincott who beat Manjit Gidda and Fred Spragg who got the better of Alan Davies.

Bayley B were also left to concentrate on promotion to division two after they fell to defeat against their A side in the only game played at the Bayley last week.

The 40 points start they received always looked to be difficult to retain and so it proved as Steve Nicholls and Bob Mason put the A side in front on aggregate with opening frame wins over Kelvin McLeod and Bob Tracy respectively.

Some superb safety and a brilliant brown to black clearance saw Danny Oliver restrict Bayley captain Steve Fletcher to a 63-35 win but Spencer Rowley’s black ball victory over Danny’s dad Dickie meant that Chris Morgan-Adams started the final frame some 50 points ahead.

And despite a brave fightback from Dickie Beddall last season’s runners-up in the Consolation Cup moved into the last eight on the back of Chris Morgan-Adams’ 52-47 final frame victory.

They will be joined there by another side looking for promotion from Division 2 as Coddon B made light of the 90 points start they were conceding against Hadley A.

Andy Jones led the way with a 34 break on the way to taking the first frame from Rich Goldie and further wins for Simon Yeats over Dave Barnett Senior and Mark Wall who beat S Dicken saw the Donnington side enter the final two frames in front overall.

Steve Downs and Phil Szklarzewicz took the last two frames as well as Coddon moved swiftly into the last eight.

Little Dawley B were another third division side who fell by the wayside – but not without a fight as they entertained first division Wellington Billiard Hall A with 130 points start.

Alex Turnbull’s 53-28 success over Tom Wotherspoon was surpassed by a brilliant display from Graham Darrall.

The former County Champion rolled back the years with an outstanding performance against Craig Darrock to turn the game the Billiard Hall’s way.

However the pendulum swung back in the home side’s favour when Phil Cottey completed a fine 70-32 win over John Rawlins only for the Billiard Hall to claim the last two frames courtesy of Andy Kendrick and Alan Turner to take the match by 334 points to 287 on aggregate.

STEVE FLETCHER    

Steve.Fletcher@telfordsnooker.com

Return To Top