Redhill League 23/24 - Week 15 - 06/02/2024

[billiardsmichael]

Week 15		-		06/02/2024
Salfords Y	5	v	0	Salfords A
Merstham VC B	3	v	2	Nomads
Jolly Brickmakers	3	v	2	Merstham VC A
Salfords B	0.5	v	4.5	South Park CC A
Old Oak		-		BYE
South Park CC B	3	v	2	Horley CC

[sleezy]

Salfords   B   0.5     Spcc A   4.5

First up Tom and Dc with Tom's Break. Tom off early leaving the one up short gave Dave a good chance. Dc clearing up but off
Himself with only 1k. Plenty of goes each with neither player gaining control. Eventually Tom got the balls back and playing better
Took a 2k lead. With game getting tense dc cleared the balls and going well to win the frame but one last twist and he was off. Tom 
On bar down had enough balls to win but ended up incredibly 100 up. Hundred to win but it just slid by. Dave has the choice 200
For glory or 100 for a draw. Perfect shot 100 and share the point.

Next up Mellissa and yours truly .Mellissa on with the break but like Tom left one up short. My chance for some points but not to
Be hitting an awful split. The next god noes how long we both spent time chasing balls round the top of the table. Mellissa having
No luck at all losing points. Eventually I was lucky enough to get the balls back and win the leg. Not.one of my finest frames but a
Win.

Third up Caroline and Ricky. And you've guessed it Caroline on one up short and off. Ricky's chance but like previous games going
OK but off on split. With Caroline struggling a bit Ricky cleared up and didn't need a second chance. A very good 4k gave him a good
Lead and one more fine go was enough.  Sorting the top out in fine style. 

Up Next Mark and Laurie. Mark on and off  Loz on and off a bit of a battle. Plenty of goes with a few pegs till we'll into the leg Laurie 
Made a good near 2k break. Mark adding a few more and then cleared up. Going well with time to catch loz the game was slipping
Away from us. Bar due disaster struck For Mark. On a 1k break to make it another nail-biting finish  one up not short this time as it
Slowly dropped in and 4 down.  Lucky Loz.

Last but not least DJ  and Tracy. Dave unbeaten this year we all thought for Trace. On she went for our only start of the night  and a
Steady start it was with a  1500 break. Plenty of goes with Dave struggling to clear the balls you could see his frustration. With the
Top playing just a little awkward Tracy was next to get them back. Under pressure making a fine 2k and a 4k lead. Time running  out
Dave made a great clearance and was in with a squeak but needing to race against the clock broke down. A few more goes and that
Was frame over. Well done skipper.

A very good win for us scoreline a bit flattering as we had the luck and run  , but that's sometimes how it goes. Thanks to Tom and
The Jones family for a lovely evening. 
 

[BB Warrior]

I know that Silent has been suffering in the last week in the absence of the normal excellent match report by Michael, however with Michael still feeling under the weather it has fallen on me to try to assist with Matthew's insomnia.... or was it amnesia, I can't remember! 

The top two teams in the league clashed at Fortress Merstham, with the visiting Nomads hoping to end the impressive recent run that has seen the Bees fly to the top of the table.  With Michael running a bit late, acting Captain Jim proudly presented his newly made name cards for the draw to be carried out....

			Merstham Club B	v	Nomads
Brk	Player	Legs	Score		Score	Legs	Player	Brk
*	Colin Robbins	1	6,730	v	450	0	Michael Wilson
	Geoff Jukes	1	6,730	v	830	0	James Nicot	*
	Tony Cross	0	570	v	3,940	1	Max Burt	*
	Gary Powell	1	7,960	v	1,010	0	Jim Balchin	*
	Bud Abbott	0	3,560	v	4,260	1	Dave Ingram	*
		3	25,550	v	10,490	2

With Michael's late arrival, it was agreed that his game would be switched around with game 4 and we got under way.

Gary v Jim
In a slightly bizarre start to the evening, Gary took the opening break and it was only after he had carefully made his way up to well over 3k that it was realised that it should have been Jim to break.  The game started all over again.... 
Unfortunately, it appeared that rather than watching Gary on his break, Jim had spent the time transforming into Jemima in all of her glory.  An overhit opening break shot meant that both balls whipped out and Gary was quick to take full advantage with a break of over 3k.  Jemima tried all sorts of weird and wonderful shots after that, however the back of the table was in a very unforgiving mood and resembled the dungeon of Miss Whippy (younger readers should probably think of the ice cream vans that drive around the streets selling the nice soft ice cream that usually comes with a chocolate flake) and nothing worked for her at all.  A couple more breaks from Gary and the first leg was secure for the home side. 1-0


Geoff v James
Probably mindful of the opening break of the first game, James hit his opening break shot a lot softer leaving the red ball up in front of the 50 hole.  A couple of pots there before he also claimed his first chocolate flake of the evening.  Geoff made a steady 2.5k break and the balls then stayed at the back for a long time, with both players having very little luck in potting any.  Geoff then did get the break back and played the rest of the table out, ignoring all of the heavy hints from his team mates that he should touch up as the bar approached. 2-0

Tony v Max
A very solid near 3k opener from Max gave him a good start and, with the balls going in some horrible places and the soft ice cream still flowing strongly, they stayed at the back of the table for the rest of the game leaving both players scratching their heads trying to work out how to get the balls to go in the holes.  A foothold back into the match for the visitors. 2-1

Colin v Michael
With Michael very much the form player for the visitors lately, Colin knew he had to make a good start and he made a very solid opening break to put Michael under pressure.  Michael then spent the rest of the game firmly locked in the dungeon having no luck in getting the break back while Colin definitely played the game of the night adding a couple more breaks to secure the match for the league leaders. 3-1

Bud v Dave
With only pride at stake in the last game, I made an opening break of about 3.7k after a very cautious start, I was just starting to relax and think I had worked the table out when I was caught out and off I came.  Thereafter, Bud played table far better than I did, he got the break back once but was off on just over 1k.  Although he left the balls in a nice position, I didn't take advantage and Bud was back on the break.  He got up to 2k and, with the bar getting closer, was poised to catch me when he came off.  I managed to stay on the table at the back until the bar dropped, potted the red ball and a couple of whites to keep out of reach and take the last game. 3-2

A well deserved win on the night for the home team, the table was very playable around the break but certainly not easy at the back with the ice cream van probably selling out of the 99's by the end of the night. As always, it was an enjoyable evening in good company.