It's taken them ten years to achieve, but Bayley Q have managed to win their first competition after they beat Maddocks A in a very closely contested Team Knockout. This season has been the teams first year playing at the Bayley Club after spending the previous nine years under the name of WBH F, the only achievement being runners up in the 1995/96 Fourth Division.

With a net handicap of 150 points, Bayley Q knew it was going to be a tough game playing a team made up of five very good players, but the game got off to a good start when Rob Cook played the former Chris Ward Trophy winner Phil Davies. With Maddocks seeking to regain an average of thirty points a game, Rob managed to hold his nerve after falling a long way behind early on and picked off the last six colours to make his final deficit a respectable 27 points.

In the next game the Under 21's finalist Darren Wincott played Bayley's Steve Weatherall, and after a series of good pots and a 21 break, the notoriously competitive Steve was able to win the frame and increase Bayley's handicap advantage. Steve had enjoyed a good lead for most of the frame, but by clearing up the last four colours for a 22 break, Darren was able to limit Steve's win to 19 points.

Going into the third frame with the handicap still standing at 142 in Bayley's favour, Maddocks were able to pull back some of the points in a high scoring game when Ian Skelton beat Chris Durham 82 points to 11. Frame four saw the three times Under 21 champion Ian Eldridge playing Bayley's Richard Tranter, and in another high scoring game Ian was able to win by 100 points to 22 with a series of good shots and a highest break of 32.

So after thinking they were in a very good position after the first two frames, Bayley Q found themselves seven points behind when they reached the final frame, Ian Skelton and Ian Eldridge having won back 149 points in their two frames. The deciding frame meant all the pressure was on Maddocks' Leigh France and Bayley's Pete Smith.

It was a very close game with both players taking it in turns to be in front, but when it came down to the final six balls, Pete held his nerve and after potting blue and pink, Bayley Q had scored enough points to win the match.

Rob Cook	49	76		Phil Davies
Steve Weatherall	65	46		Darren Wincott
Chris Durham	11	82		Ian Skelton
Richie Tranter	22	100		Ian Eldridge
Pete Smith	59	43		Leigh France
Handicap	150
	356	347