Round One - Team Cup 2007-8

Matches to be played on Wednesday 31st October 2007

Brewers Bravos 1 Plough 4 @ Sportsman
Handcross Z 2 Brewers Droops 3 @ Plough
Watermill B 0 Hurst B 5 @ Brewers
Hurst A 2 Greyhound 3 @ Handcross SC
White Horse 3 Windmill 2 @ Hurstpierpoint Club
CKRBL 1 St Francis 4 @ Watermill
Watermill A 4 Sportsman 1 @ Clayton & Keymer RBL

First-drawn have breaks 2 & 4;
Second-drawn have breaks 1 & 3
Toss for first break but even breaks in games 5.
Winners (Plough, Droops, Hurst B, Greyhound, White Horse, St Francis & Watermill A) proceed to Cup 2nd Round,
losers (Bravos, Handcross Z, Watermill B, Hurst A, Windmill, CKRBL & Sportsman) to Plate.

A rare occurence took place tonight - the Z's had an ignominious first round exit from the Team Cup. Only once before in the last 25 years has this happened to the team that can trace its origins back to the Victory 'B' days. That was in 1994/95 when it lost to the Windmill A at the White Horse.
Once again faced the Brewers and for the fourth match running against these opponents it finished 3-2 to them in a competitive struggle.

Handcross Z 2, Brewers Droops 3 (played at the Plough)
John Turner 1560, Andy Farmer-Wright 3010
A rum do, Turner at one stage scored 800 in two shots but was unable to build on his advantage as Andy ground out the win.
tommo 1950, Lorraine Hall 1470
Every point was fought for here on the difficult Plough table, even a break of 300 was worth banking.
MrMike007 1560, Sir Jock'o'the Strap 2480
Mick has been in good form at the start of the season but was unable to make an impact against the steadier Jock.
Barry Timson 4280, Noddy 1840
tommo used some reverse psychology on Barry and told him it didn't matter we were losing as there is always the Plate competition. This heralded a 100-mile-an-hour shot from Noddy which went straight down the 400, clean as a whistle. Barry's reaction was to get his head down and play the table like he was born to it. On about 3000 tommo started muttering about "little towns up north" - out of earshot of course - and Barry, still trying to score off every shot, had one whip out and position itself out of direct view between 100 and 200. Barry pulled off an amazing hit with bags of side to clear both pegs, and banked soon after.
That made it 2-2.
Alan Downs 1350, Sparky 2270
Finally Sparky made the match safe with a solid performance, remaining 1000 ahead for the whole game after the luckless Alan had pegged his opener.

So well done yet again to the Brewers, and for the Z's a new experience awaits.

[Chunky Monkey]

Greyhound 3 V Hurst 2

What a struggle last night, the table was alot harder and trickier than normal, just couldn't tell where the ball was going to roll next. But a good evening was had by all.
All matches went against the break.
Well done to the Greyhound

[TIR]

Re Hurst 2 Greyhound 3

Hard luck Hurst - I have never known this table so diffuclt.

If someone wants to use it for an alternative purpose on Monday I will happily supply the matches.

The Handcross Club table is my responsibility on Wednesday nights - the Z's being the sole home team there remaining in Mid Sussex. I must therefore apologise for not having gone in beforehand to check it was okay.

The table seems to get moved around between our fortnightly matches, and when I go in there to 'prepare' it before the home game I make sure I bring my spirit level with me.

At the start of the season it was wildly 'out of true' a couple of times and needed adjustment to the legs on one side before I was happy there was a level playing field. Originally I had set it a shade uphill, but someone in the Tuesday team didn't like that and set it too far the other way, it now plays slightly downhill, which means the balls gather at the back of the table - which I would imagine is what you found last night.

When I have checked it with the level I will not touch the legs -providing there isn't a pronounced roll to left or right. The break is easier when the table is downhill which is easier for the opposition (a slight disadvantage to my home team). All I do is I test straight balls to the 30,20,20,30 and both 50s and if they go in in a straight line then the table is okay to play a match on - IMHO.

I will also brush and 'block' the table and make sure the balls and pockets are clean, and put the light on (at 7.15) to give it a chance to heat up.

For the last couple of home matches, I have followed the above routine, and it has not needed any 'correction' - just the brush and block - and though the scores haven't been brilliant, no-one has complained. I thought therefore that it had more or less settled down.

I assure all away teams visiting to play my team in the Mid Sussex league will play on a table prepared as honestly as possible my myself. I regret if last night it did not meet this standard and hope it didn't ruin your evening too much.

Having said that, there are at least three other tables in the league for which I could find a better use for TIR's matches on Nov.5th. ;) ;D ;D

[Chunky Monkey]

i am sure there are i also can think of a couple.

I am sure there was only one break last night of over 1k, and a strong right hand roll but not to worry the Greyhound struggled better than we did so well done to them.

We have an away match next week so I won't be going in the Club to check it.

If anyone connected with the Handcross Tuesday side is reading this and has a home game on the Tuesday, they ought to get down there before-hand and do what they can to it.

[TIR]

I apologise Tommo it was not meant as a personal reflection on you I am sure the table is ok when you set it up.

It was just frustration as two good sides failed to produce one decent game in a whole match on a table which has always been reasonable in the past.

No personal offence taken, Trevor.

I'm glad in a way that you have raised the subject of awkward tables, as we do appear to have more than our fair share in Mid Sussex.

You just have to look at the BB Reaper's averages from last year:
8k in Redhill but less than 3k in Mid Sussex.

We seem to have to cope with tables being moved around; draughty venues; tables with dead cushions; tables which get heated up on one side only - and - apart from Ros's table of course - tables that have never seen such a thing as an iron.

Looking forward to next Wednesday and the chance to play on a half-decent one: we're at some place called the Greyhound. ;)

[Sparky]

Oh dear Tommo, had you forgotten :-[ or has modesty struck you :-X never mind I'll recall the sorry tale of the errant coin toss :'(!

At the start of the final game of the match between The Handcross Z & The Brewers Droops at The Plough and it was the duty of the scorer, one Mr 'Tarty' Tommo ;D to toss the coin for which I :) was due to 'call' however Tommo managed, somehow, to launch the coin across the room and it took sometime to find the errant coin >:(, complete with various people helpfully ::) pointing to odd coloured patches on the floor :-/

The final straw was when Tommo gleefully asked "will I get Tart points for that ;D, which pretty much convinced me it was a put up job :o

Cc to Northants Board.

Very good, Sparky.
Even shocked myself with such ineptitude, normally not being a very good tosser is something I'm rarely accused of. Even had to dislodge Mama Hall from her comfy chair while scrabbling around under her table. :o

Trouble was, they'd put a tasty drop of lager on (to replace that Carling black Label shite) and tommo had that extra one too many, especially after margo had won on the football card. 8-)

Did the favourite party piece of falling out of Turner's car with laughter at the end of the journey home after he spotted a fox (long story) and after logging back on here, had to apologise to Stormin' for being too pi$$ed to answer a PM.

Good match by the way, well played in the decider. Oh and they always do nice food at the Plough, corned beef and pickle sarnies and roast potatoes, not too hot so's they'd burn your hand. 8-)

[iang]

Watermill B 0 Hurst B 5
A good friendly crowd who thought the Brewers top was quite fast, boy have they got a shock when they come to the Hurst next week :D :D

[Sir Jock o The Strap]

iang said:

Watermill B 0 Hurst B 5
A good friendly crowd who thought the Brewers top was quite fast, boy have they got a shock when they come to the Hurst next week :D :D

Hey Ian

Just as a matter of interest how did the brewers table 'play'. I know it's my own table, but it seems to change from week to week, despite my best efforts to maintain a decent playing field for all.

See new thread on table conditions for more comments!!!!

[iang]

Quite ok.
I dont think it is a high scoring top for some reason, I think you have to concentrate & keep what you get & just when you your getting somewhere you off. You have to get the pace right.

[Sir Jock o The Strap]

And yet young kevin stoner (lewes) hit the highest break of the season on it with 9k+. Admittedly it was the final game of last season.

[jen]

>:( CKRBL 1, St Francis 4. At the Watermill. table well how difficult is it to play on a table which rolls to the left by about and inch and has an uphill gradiant like climbing everest!!. :o Never mind St Francis did well they grasped the table better and well done they showed us how to play the table. Good luck to them in the next round :D.sorry for being late getting this on but have been decorating and wanted to finesh the living before going to Jersey tomorrow. :)