Player of the Season!

And finally (after an engraving issue!), I can proudly announce that the recipient of the prestigious Tanner Trophy for Player of the Season is Tom Williams!

Tom had a fabulous first season in the Comrades representing the A Team. He not only played a major part in the teams success in winning the Jim Taylor Final, but also achieving Runners Up in the League & John Evans Cup, Runner Up in the League Singles (beating the holder, Ian 'Sid' Barnes in the semi final), but he also won the League Novice Title at his first attempt!

His team win rate was a creditable 62%, only missing the 'Golden 1000' points by 11 after 21 frames!

I'm sure you all join with me in congratulating him & also wishing him & his Fiancée Clare all the best as they marry on 31st August! (Hmmm...does that mean you'll miss the start of the Season mate?!).

Congratulations Tom!

18th Annual Gilbert Shepherd Memorial Shield Tournament

Hi guys, just a quick Thank You from Andy Rance & myself for a good turn up of competitors & making this years Gilbert Shepherd Tournament such a success!

A good attendance always makes for a good day & we hope you all had a good time.

The final was contested between Phil Hall & Simon Ellam. Phil took the first frame but Simon fought back well to level winning the second. It was a close deciding frame but Phil took it on the pink (after a marathon day of 13 hours of snooker-it really was 'Last Man Standing'!).

Commiserations to Simon who gave it everything & congratulations to Phil who made the trip up from Devon worthwhile, taking the shield (for the first time since 2001) & winners Prize Money!

Congratulations also to Nigel Woods who won Best Non League Player (bowing out to Simon in the Semis) & Pete Billingham who nicked the High Break prize with a 48.

We will be running a pre season Green King Trophy (on the same format as the Gilbert Shepherd) sometime in September so keep ur eyes on the Snooker Board!

Thanks again & have a good summer!

New Snooker Room Lights!

The new style lights have now been fitted to tables 1 & 2 in the Snooker Room!

Thanks very much to A Team stalwart Dave Greathead & his son Peter for fitting them (in time for the end of season Gilbert Shepherd tournament) & to John Beardsley for his help!

Go check them out & enjoy a frame or two!

Snooker Season Review 2012-13.

Snooker Season Review 2012-13.

I'm pleased to say that the Wallingford Comrades Club has enjoyed a VERY successful season in snooker competitions this year.

The annual Gilbert Shepherd Final was contested between Jon Hawkins & Tom Williams & was a quality hard fought match with Jon eventually triumphing to win it for the first time. Gavin Twigg won the inaugural 'Amateur' trophy!

In the house competitions the Veterans Final was won by Dave Greathead who beat Hugh Baker. The Billiards Final was won by Rob House who beat Pete Billingham. The Doubles was won by 'new boys' Dave Rowe & Nigel Woods who beat Simon Ellam & Rob House. Dave Rowe made it a 'double' by winning the Singles event as well, beating Pete Billingham. I don't think some of the handicaps will be quite so generous next year, but thank you to the Secretary, Brian Orton for arranging all the house competitions.

In the League, the A Team were Runners Up in the Premier Division to Abingdon Con A & the B Team were Runners Up in Division 1 (for the second year in succession) & Dave Rowe also got the equal High Break in the 1st Division.

In the Cups, the A Team played Abingdon Con A in the John Evans Final & were Runners Up.

In the Jim Taylor Final the A Team played Challow C & it went to the wire with the A Team triumphing 3-2!

In Pairs & Individual League Competitions, Kev Higgs & Pete Billingham got as far as the Semi Finals of the Doubles & 2 Man Team before bowing out.

Tom Williams won the Novices Title (in his first year in the D&DS&BL!) beating Aaron Tame. A fantastic achievement!

In the Over 50s defending Champion Dave Greathead lost to Ian Barnes 3-1.

In the Blue Ribband Singles event, Tom Williams defeated defending Champion Ian 'Sid' Barnes in the semi finals (to make it 2 individual Finals!) & Pete Billingham beat Ollie Hoeblyn in the other semi final.
That meant that for the first time since 1995 (when Stuart Mogford beat Pete Billingham) the Final was contested by 2 Wallingford players!
The Final was played at a neutral venue (table 4!) & Tom came back from 2-0 down to level at 2-2 but Pete scrambled over the line to win the last frame & take the title (& hopefully make his late Father Bill proud!).
This is the first time since 1996 (when Nigel Prior won it for the 2nd time) that the title has come to the Club! And an unprecedented season of having 3 individual title holders in the same team (well for 1 week only before Dave succumbed to Ian Barnes in the Over 50s Final).

The Comrades will be collecting no less than 10 League Trophies at the D&DS&BL AGM & Presentation! A cracking year!

I would like to thank Kev Pickworth for all his hard work as B Team Captain & ALL the snooker players for their efforts & enthusiasm throughout the year!

The snooker players wish to thank the club & Committee for investing & maintaining the fabulous facilities-the addition of slip on cue extensions for each of the tables (thank u Brian) & upgrading the lighting on ALL 4 tables!

Also huge thanks to John Beardsley for his tireless high quality maintenance of the tables. The club hosted the Presidents Cup Final & the quality of the tables has been commented on during the season by several players from other clubs who are envious of the excellent facilities here!

Also a huge Thank You to Will Spinner who as you know set up the Wallingford Comrades Club Website. Will also set up the Snooker Link & a 'technology 4 idiots' e-mail address that makes the Club Snooker Reps job sooooo easy! Thank u Will!

A point to note was that duing the season the Club Rep received a very nice Thank You e-mail from Kennington Secretary Martin Clements. Kennington came over for a Cup match & all the team stated how hospitable their players found the club, staff & members.

Lastly a huge Thank You to Oz & Lucy & their bar staff for the consistently high quality of the food & their hospitality extended to the away teams-again we have a reputation for our snooker suppers that has been continued to a very high standard. Thank you.

Thanks to all the blog readers! Have a great summer & see you in September when it all starts again!

Comrades Snooker Rep & A Team Captain, Pete Billingham.

Wallingford Comrades Club Team Stats (Match 30) 17th April 2013

A TEAM	Pl	W	L	Pts for	Av	Pts ag	Av	%	Breaks over 25
Nigel Prior	22	19	3	1185	54	568	26	86	32, 32, 32, 33, 31
Pete Billingham	26	19	7	1424	55	885	34	73	26, 30, 26, 40, 50
Jon Hawkins	7	5	2	478	68	264	38	71
Kev Higgs	22	15	7	1191	54	891	41	68
Dave Greathead	21	13	8	1000	48	939	45	62	25
Tom Williams	21	13	8	989	47	797	38	62
Kev Gray	7	4	3	334	48	322	46	57
Nick Somarakis	0	0	0	0	##	0	##	###
	A TEAM WIN THE JIM TAYLOR CUP! A Team beat Challow C 3-2. Novice Champ, Tom wins the opener v Matt Dixey with a nice blue to black clearance to win 47-39. Cuz has a 'mare v Chris Rose & loses 40-53 before Captain beats Jason O'Hanlon 63-33 to make it 2-1. In a cracking 4th frame Ian Bowman just edges past Anchorman 56-46 to level at 2-2! 'Cue' VC to play a fabulous deciding frame (& knock in a lovely 31 in the process, winning 59-29) to clinch the title! Good job A Team!
B TEAM	Pl	W	L	Pts for	Av	Pts ag	Av	%	Breaks over 20
Dave Glaves	6	4	2	310	52	281	47	67	25
David Rowe	14	9	5	681	49	505	36	64	21, 32
Brian Orton	8	5	3	440	55	325	41	63
Rob House	21	12	9	997	47	742	35	57	31, 30, 29, 21
Simon Ellam	2	1	1	80	40	91	46	50
Andy Rance	22	8	14	907	41	1064	48	36	27, 32
Pete Beaumont	13	4	9	520	40	672	52	31	25
Bob Elliott	5	1	4	161	32	301	60	20	20
Kevin Pickworth	19	3	16	585	31	1073	56	16	42
	Congratulations to the B Team on securing Runners Up in the 1st Division for the second year in succession! And congratulations to Dave Rowe for equalling the 1st Divisions High Break! Another good solid year's performance & thanks to the Captain, Kev Pickworth for all his hard work & dedication (& who will be wearing another 'hat' next season as he joins the D&DS&BL Committee!).

D&DS&BL Jim Taylor Cup Final

Wallingford Comrades Club Team Stats (Match 29) 10th April 2013

A TEAM	Pl	W	L	Pts for	Av	Pts ag	Av	%	Breaks over 25
Nigel Prior	21	18	3	1126	54	539	26	86	32, 32, 32, 33
Pete Billingham	25	18	7	1361	54	852	34	72	26, 30, 26, 40, 50
Jon Hawkins	7	5	2	478	68	264	38	71
Kev Higgs	21	15	6	1151	55	838	40	71
Dave Greathead	20	13	7	954	48	883	44	65	25
Tom Williams	20	12	8	942	47	748	37	60
Kev Gray	7	4	3	334	48	322	46	57
Nick Somarakis	0	0	0	0	##	0	##	###
	A Team lose 1-3 the John Evans Cup Final v Abingdon Con A. Cuz loses 32-65 v Nigel Barker, Dave beats Colin Bark by 59-43 to level it but Captain loses v Ollie Hoeblyn 27-64 & Jon loses 39-51 v Jamie Saczak. Poor old VC (Top of the Averages!) doesn't even get to show his mettle in the decider! Best we do better in the Jim Taylor Final next week v Challow C at Fawley!
B TEAM	Pl	W	L	Pts for	Av	Pts ag	Av	%	Breaks over 20
Dave Glaves	6	4	2	310	52	281	47	67	25
David Rowe	14	9	5	681	49	505	36	64	21, 32
Brian Orton	8	5	3	440	55	325	41	63
Rob House	21	12	9	997	47	742	35	57	31, 30, 29, 21
Simon Ellam	2	1	1	80	40	91	46	50
Andy Rance	22	8	14	907	41	1064	48	36	27, 32
Pete Beaumont	13	4	9	520	40	672	52	31	25
Bob Elliott	5	1	4	161	32	301	60	20	20
Kevin Pickworth	19	3	16	585	31	1073	56	16	42
	And finally the news is posted (Vic being in Serbia meant a late League table) & the B Team hear that Challow managed to get 2 points v Abingdon Con A to secure the 1st Division & confirm the B Team as Runners Up (for the second year in succession!). Not a bad result boys & always difficult watching for your last 2 weeks of 'byes'.