Maddocks Players Grab Individual Honours

What a year it was for three Maddocks players in particular as they grabbed a hat-trick of top individual snooker titles at the end of last season.

Phil Davis led the way by clinching the Chris Ward Individual with a 4-1 victory over Wellington Billiard Hall’s Steve Minshall and Ian Skelton followed up, winning a dramatic deciding frame on the last black to deny another Billiard Hall man, Kevin Whitehead in the inaugural Individual Handicap final.

League Chairman Dave France also got the better of Coddon’s Ian Ferriday to lift the Over 40’s crown for the second time which meant the only individual title to elude the Oakengates club was the Under 21 trophy which went once again to the Billiard Hall’s Ian Eldridge.

Ironically, Ian has now joined Maddocks and is now a member of their A side who are currently lying second in the first division table behind last season’s champions Anstice A who ended the 2002/3 campaign four points ahead of runners-up Broseley A.

Bayley E returned to the top flight at the first attempt – winning the Second Division title after being relegated at the end of the previous season and they were joined there by Shifnal E who finished runners-up in Division 2.

Anstice C held off a late challenge from Maddocks B to lift the Third Division crown – finishing two points above the Oakengates boys who in turn just pipped newcomers Bayley F to the last promotion spot.

The race for the coveted most wins trophy in Division One went all the way to the final match of the season – and it was perhaps fitting that two of the League’s top players Shaun Harris and Richie Hulme should share the trophy with 19 wins apiece. Richie also claimed the First Division high-break prize with a run of 75.

Matt Davies and Ian Duffy took the Oakengates Carpet Doubles title after Matt added a second century break of the season in the semi-final to add to his run of 103 which claimed the highest competition break prize.

The Shifnal trio of Darren Pountney, Linsay Knox and Angus Way claimed the Rex Williams Three-A-Side title by defeating the Billiard Hall team of Nigel Stallard, Ray Evans and Phil Whitby whilst in the John Bethell Trophy final Darren Wilkie defeated fellow Anstice player Steve Camp.

It proved to be a good first season in the Telford League for Darren as he also walked off with the most wins in Division Three – although he wasn’t able to claim the division’s highest break prize as that went to Bayley F‘s Andy Summers with a break of 50.

Coddon A lifted the A & D Billiards Team Knockout Trophy for the second time in five years against second division champions Bayley E whilst Little Dawley A proved too strong for Bayley A in the final of the Consolation Cup.

There was a disappointing turnout for the end of season individual tournaments which saw John Fallows defeat Neil Price in the first division final with Bayley players Steve Fletcher and Jim Lewis winning the second and third division tournaments.

Ian Duffy has so far been the player of the current season knocking in a 100 break on the way to taking this season’s first division individual title. The Anstice captain is also unbeaten in the league and currently holds the highest league break of 67.

Anstice also lead the title race in division 1 and look set to retain their title ahead of Maddocks A who currently look favourites for second spot.

Bayley player Chris Morgan-Adams won the Second Division individual title having lost in the final the previous season and his side, Bayley A are currently amongst the promotion hopefuls in Division 2 along with Maddocks B, Little Dawley G and Dawley A who were relegated from the top flight last season.

Dave Dudley’s win over teammate Darren Rhoades secured this season’s third division individual title for the Bayley D player – and his side are amongst a trio of Bayley teams vying for promotion to Division 2 – although current leaders Maddocks D may have a strong say in the promotion stakes come next May.

STEVE FLETCHER    

Steve.Fletcher@telfordsnooker.com

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