Week 5 match reports (sent from sunny Weston-Super-Mare!).
Wallingford A v Wantage
Wallingford A faced their old arch rivals in their last match (home or away!) for a month! With a BYE in next weeks Jim Taylor Cup 1st round & 2 BYE weeks in the League after that, the A Team were hoping for a win... & needed to bank some good points to enhance their (so far) modest tally & back up the 5-0 from their last match.
Aaron Tame opened v Phil Hall. Now Aaron has fitted into the squad very well & has had some very impressive scores in his first 2 matches (his average frame score is 58-9!!!) & with Captains words of 'You can't let him score more than 9!' ringing in his ears... he did just that! Playing some great match play & scoring heavy, but leaving no chances (& the ones he did leave, Phil never managed to capitalise on), Aaron ran out a an impressive winner by 63 points to.... 8! 1-0 up & done in style! Well done Aaron - as they say, 'No Prizes for winning practice'!
Next up was Nigel 'VC' Prior v D. Williams. Now Mr Williams is something of an accomplished Pool player & certainly knows how to handle a cue. VC had his work cut out & the scoring rate was pretty good from both players. It looked like VC was going to finish with a flourish, but with a lax shot on the colours, Williams sniffed a chance to clear up! After potting successive colours down to the pink, he'd played good positional shots & had first chance to win, on the black! But, it wasn't to be as he fluffed the pot & left VC with his first chance to close the frame out... & VC didn't need any more chances as he 'Got out of jail' & ruthlessly made it 2-0 in frames with a 55-48 win! Close stuff, but we'll take the 'W'!
Next up was the Battle of the Gooners with Captain Pete Billingham facing fellow Gunner, Matt Todd. Now these 2 faced each other last year at Wantage in the Singles & I'm pretty sure Matt was out for some pay back. It didn't happen however as Pete slotted in pots & racked up the points, giving Matt very few chances with solid safety. Even though Captain missed a few pots, he left nothing (& when he did, again like Phil Hall, Matt failed to capitalise) & Pete sealed the win by 62-1! 3-0 up in frames & the match win secured, anything else would be a bonus!
The 4th frame was another re-match from last years Singles Semi Final when Tom Hamilton-Williams (to give him his full newly married surname, which he is quite passionate about! Sorry Tom, but it's just too long to put in the stats!), displaced Ian 'Sid' Barnes who was then the reigning Champion, by 2-0! Like Matt, I'm sure that Sid wanted to inflict some pay back, but there was a trend emerging here in the frames & it wasn't to be Wantage's night! Tom played awesome! His shot selection was great & he slotted pots in amassing the points & putting Sid under pressure from the off. With the pink over the corner pocket blocking several reds, it looked like it would be a long frame & both players would need to exercise due care in their safety. Tom got a break (literally), when he played a safety shot, sending a red down to baulk & planting another red! This gave him first opportunity to clear the pink & he made a lovely 34 break off that fluke (hey, Cliff Thorburn made a 147 off a fluke, so they all count!). It really was a sickener for Sid & he never recovered as Tom closed the frame out with an emphatic win, 66-3 to put the A Team 4-0 up!
At this point, Captain was desperately wracking his brains to try & remember if Wallingford A had EVER beaten Wantage by 4-1? It certainly hasn't happened in the last 3 years of his Captaincy, so he consulted with Dave 'Anchorman' Greathead (whose memory of matches is second to none!) & even sent an e-mail to his predecessor, Phil 'Stato' Hall (who incidentally can't remember if its definitely ever happened either!).
So, to the last frame & on the verge of an historic win (which may even displace their historic 0-5 loss to the B Team in the first match of the season?!). Anchorman faced Sean Dorrian & like VC's frame, it was a close run thing. Dave potted some great points, but then inexplicably missed a sitter of a pink! It went down to the colours & Anchorman had first pop after slotting in a lovely blue to pink & then over-hit the positional side of the pot on the pink to leave him in the 5% of the table area where he couldn't pot the black! Unbelievable! He played the black firmly to the yellow bag, but missed it, leaving it on the side rail in an awkward position. Sean played a safety to put the cue ball near the top rail & the black near the side rail, just below the middle pocket. Cue one of Dave's trademark 'Die like a Viking' shots as he hammered the black down the rail & into the corner pocket! Awesome! 59-46 & a 5-0 win!!!
Wantage Captain Sid was gutted (understandably), but they took it well, even joking on how few points 3 of their players amassed! Don't worry Sid, we know how it feels (don't we B Team!). With that massive 5 point haul against Wantage, it leapt Wallingford up the table to 2nd. Not a bad response from the A Team after 0 points in the first match!
Abingdon RBL v Wallingford B
Current League leaders Wallingford B were disappointed after their last home match defeat, but consoled themselves with remaining top. They needed a win, but away to Abingdon RBL was always going to be a tough ask!
Simon Ellam started well with a break of 12 but Harvey Pearce potted solidly taking what was there and leaving Simon very little. Simon was not allowed to show the form of previous weeks and went down to a 69-31 defeat.
Dave Rowe looked as though he had his work cut out judging from the initial cut and thrust. Both showing very good pedigree, missing very little with nice clean potting. It was a game of 8's and one 16 by Dave. Dave was in front by a few points on the yellow, when Aaron Downey left it over the right black bag. It was made extremely difficult by the white being close to the top cushion, straightish pot and a shepherding pink that would have caused the white to follow the yellow into the pocket. However an expertly screwed white potted yellow avoided the pink and skimmed of the bottom cush bounced off the side cush missed a colour by a gnat's .... and you've guessed it sailed into the middle bag. Aaron takes advantage, yellow into middle green into it's own pocket but leaves a slightly more tricky brown than intended and off both middle bag knuckles leaves it up. Dave seizes the day and takes brown, blue and pink for the frame 62-48. I have noticed since that Aaron has the 1st div high break of 48.
As seems to be the natural order this season up third was the 'Thai Typhoon' Pirom Phai. Phai started with an opening gambit of 5 beautifully struck red pots, but leaving no colours on. From then on it was 'nip and tuck' until Nigel Archer potted a cracking long blue leaving perfect position on the pink and again on the black to run out a 45-32 winner. Tough opponent but Phai seems to have got over last weeks blip (he's not drinking coffee before a match ever again!!!).
Rob House started as he left off from previous weeks. He was a bit generous leaving reds over pockets and letting Keith Bennett get away. Keith in his unique style was potting some lovely balls and laying some nice snookers. Not to worry Rob was just giving him a false sense of security. The old Rob slowly started to show and with the aid of a couple of 16's overtook and pulled away to an 86-50 victory.
Last but not least Captain Andy Rance, put at an immediate disadvantage by the arrival of the sandwiches, faced an old adversary in Doug Young. Junior reporters Dave Rowe and Rob House take up the story.
A natural billiards player, shame he was playing snooker. In between potting the white their were a number of solid pots. After a period spanning 13 egg sarnies, 22 pork pies plus 12 sausage rolls we were down to the final few balls (plus a touch of indigestion). With the midnight hour approaching a titanic safety tussle ensued. Ground down by consistently accurate play Andy takes the blue to tie the scores. Another safety battle lasting another 7 pork pies ends with Andy taking pink and black for a 62-49 win and a great 3-2 victory.
Dave Rowe looked as though he had his work cut out judging from the initial cut and thrust. Both showing very good pedigree, missing very little with nice clean potting. It was a game of 8's and one 16 by Dave. Dave was in front by a few points on the yellow, when Aaron Downey left it over the right black bag. It was made extremely difficult by the white being close to the top cushion, straightish pot and a shepherding pink that would have caused the white to follow the yellow into the pocket. However an expertly screwed white potted yellow avoided the pink and skimmed of the bottom cush bounced off the side cush missed a colour by a gnat's .... and you've guessed it sailed into the middle bag. Aaron takes advantage, yellow into middle green into it's own pocket but leaves a slightly more tricky brown than intended and off both middle bag knuckles leaves it up. Dave seizes the day and takes brown, blue and pink for the frame 62-48. I have noticed since that Aaron has the 1st div high break of 48.
As seems to be the natural order this season up third was the 'Thai Typhoon' Pirom Phai. Phai started with an opening gambit of 5 beautifully struck red pots, but leaving no colours on. From then on it was 'nip and tuck' until Nigel Archer potted a cracking long blue leaving perfect position on the pink and again on the black to run out a 45-32 winner. Tough opponent but Phai seems to have got over last weeks blip (he's not drinking coffee before a match ever again!!!).
Rob House started as he left off from previous weeks. He was a bit generous leaving reds over pockets and letting Keith Bennett get away. Keith in his unique style was potting some lovely balls and laying some nice snookers. Not to worry Rob was just giving him a false sense of security. The old Rob slowly started to show and with the aid of a couple of 16's overtook and pulled away to an 86-50 victory.
Last but not least Captain Andy Rance, put at an immediate disadvantage by the arrival of the sandwiches, faced an old adversary in Doug Young. Junior reporters Dave Rowe and Rob House take up the story.
A natural billiards player, shame he was playing snooker. In between potting the white their were a number of solid pots. After a period spanning 13 egg sarnies, 22 pork pies plus 12 sausage rolls we were down to the final few balls (plus a touch of indigestion). With the midnight hour approaching a titanic safety tussle ensued. Ground down by consistently accurate play Andy takes the blue to tie the scores. Another safety battle lasting another 7 pork pies ends with Andy taking pink and black for a 62-49 win and a great 3-2 victory.
So that last frame point kept the B Team top of the Premier... by just 1 point! They face a test of integrity next week in the Jim Taylor Cup though as they play the newest team in the League... Wallingford C! Now you lads play nicely!
Wallingford C v Crown Technology
This match was always going to be a stern test with the newly formed C Team of the 3rd Division playing Crown Tech, ex-Premier.
It was to be a baptism of fire for début boy Luke Wells as he faced Mark Rowland. Luke showed a lot of promise with some good pots & safety, but his opponent fluked the frame ball blue to win 20-51 to put Crown 1-0 up! Tough to take Luke, but it'll change round. Chin up.
Frame 2 saw Hugh 'Mr 100%' Baker take on Andy Harper. It was nip & tuck all the way in a low scoring frame with Hugh coming out on top, winning 58-33 to level at 1-1 & keep his unbeaten record going! Well done mate, but you do realise that your handicaps in GSMS & Greene King will go down now!
In the 3rd frame Alan 'Also on 100%' played Anthony Whitton. Unfortunately for Alan he never really got a sniff & before he knew it he was 30 behind. Despite a late rally from Alan he lost 15-50 to make the frame score 1-2.
Next up was the Captain Kev Pickworth (playing his début frame in this season! In match 5!!!) facing Trevor Russell. Captain Kev went into a 20 lead but got caught by Trevor & then trailed by 15 on the colours! But Kev's got loads of experience & kept his nerve to win on the pink 52-39 to level the match at 2-2!
So, like the B Team (but finishing slightly earlier, i.e. before Closing Time!), it was to be a final frame decider for young Jake 'Biker Boy' Crockett who played Roger Cole. Jake went 20 behind & unfortunately never really recovered from that deficit. Jake went down 22-60, but as Captain Kev said 'the more games the youngsters play, the better they will get! It's all leaning experience for them!' Every days a School Day lads!
So with a final frame score of a loss 2-3, the C Team took the consolation of also retaining (joint) top spot in the 3rd Division! Big match next week though as they face Top of the Prem, B Team! The question is... who will they play? 'Blood' some of the younger players or rely on experience of the 'old' campaigners?
'Til next time, see you on the practice tables!
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