Post by barneybear on Feb 16, 2007 11:17:12 GMT
There was an excellent match at the Elms with a nailbiting finish between holders Warren Club and Stadium A.
No boring 20k split breaks on this top – you had to work hard for every point, but scores were there to be had if you concentrated full-time. As soon as you lost it you were off. To me this is the best top in the league – a difficult break, but relatively easy to get it back.
Game 1 – I broke off against Geoff Jukes and promptly missed the white with my first 2 efforts at the break. I managed to put 1500 on the board though and kept a little ahead of Geoff all the way through, until I got break back with a fluke a minute and a half from the end. Had I come off then Geoff might just have caught me. 1-0 to the Warren Club.
Game 2 – Martin Smith against Gary Ridley. Similar to mine in reverse with Martin holding the upper hand. The shot that probably decided it was when Gary got the break back when 2000 down with 5 minutes left and promptly missed both balls. 1-1
Game 3 – Low scoring but tense – the two Tonys – Burgess and Lewis. Our Tony was again ahead most of the way through, but only just – no more than 1000 but mostly a lot less. When it was almost level near the end our one made a 700 break that one the game. 2-1 to the Warren.
Game 4 – Grant Tully against Neil Higgins. Grant opens with 2000. Neil comes back with 3500. Break back for Grant but soon off. Same with Neil. Grant eventually wins with by a couple of thousand in the highest scoring game of the evening.
Game 5 – And so to the decider – old foes Nick Brown and Ian Lelliott who normally face each other in the opener. Nick soon off and Ian whizzes past him, but surprisingly is suddenly off. Nick gets the break back a couple more times, but can't get the white to go in. Ian gets it back – doesn't miss a break all game, but again is off. One minute to go and Ian is 800 or so up. Nick gets break back and in desperation tries the wrong way round. Plop. plop. Bar goes and Nick still behind, but can catch Ian if he stays on. Comes off with one ball left in the tray and 2 on the table. Ian is 70 ahead. Pots one in left 30. 100 up. Both balls for the match. One ball for Nick to need the 200 (if he gets a chance). Ian misses. Nick has to get one down and only one and proceeds to fluke one in the 10 hole. 90 behind – white in the 100 to win. Neil had told him before the game where it was – one inch short of bottom rivet. In it goes – just! Nick wins by 10 points.
I totalled up the aggregate points afterwards and it was dead level before that final 100 shot.
I am struggling to remember having played in a better match.
Incidentally I managed to remove one of the Stadium's bigger threats earlier in the day by taxiing Mark James to Stansted, so I reckon the win is down to me!! ;D
No boring 20k split breaks on this top – you had to work hard for every point, but scores were there to be had if you concentrated full-time. As soon as you lost it you were off. To me this is the best top in the league – a difficult break, but relatively easy to get it back.
Game 1 – I broke off against Geoff Jukes and promptly missed the white with my first 2 efforts at the break. I managed to put 1500 on the board though and kept a little ahead of Geoff all the way through, until I got break back with a fluke a minute and a half from the end. Had I come off then Geoff might just have caught me. 1-0 to the Warren Club.
Game 2 – Martin Smith against Gary Ridley. Similar to mine in reverse with Martin holding the upper hand. The shot that probably decided it was when Gary got the break back when 2000 down with 5 minutes left and promptly missed both balls. 1-1
Game 3 – Low scoring but tense – the two Tonys – Burgess and Lewis. Our Tony was again ahead most of the way through, but only just – no more than 1000 but mostly a lot less. When it was almost level near the end our one made a 700 break that one the game. 2-1 to the Warren.
Game 4 – Grant Tully against Neil Higgins. Grant opens with 2000. Neil comes back with 3500. Break back for Grant but soon off. Same with Neil. Grant eventually wins with by a couple of thousand in the highest scoring game of the evening.
Game 5 – And so to the decider – old foes Nick Brown and Ian Lelliott who normally face each other in the opener. Nick soon off and Ian whizzes past him, but surprisingly is suddenly off. Nick gets the break back a couple more times, but can't get the white to go in. Ian gets it back – doesn't miss a break all game, but again is off. One minute to go and Ian is 800 or so up. Nick gets break back and in desperation tries the wrong way round. Plop. plop. Bar goes and Nick still behind, but can catch Ian if he stays on. Comes off with one ball left in the tray and 2 on the table. Ian is 70 ahead. Pots one in left 30. 100 up. Both balls for the match. One ball for Nick to need the 200 (if he gets a chance). Ian misses. Nick has to get one down and only one and proceeds to fluke one in the 10 hole. 90 behind – white in the 100 to win. Neil had told him before the game where it was – one inch short of bottom rivet. In it goes – just! Nick wins by 10 points.
I totalled up the aggregate points afterwards and it was dead level before that final 100 shot.
I am struggling to remember having played in a better match.
Incidentally I managed to remove one of the Stadium's bigger threats earlier in the day by taxiing Mark James to Stansted, so I reckon the win is down to me!! ;D