Four still in hunt as title race goes down to the last week
Last updated 19:39, Thursday, 08 May 2008
WHAT a remarkable week in the Cockermouth and District Snooker League.
As division two entered its penultimate week the result of the evening has to go to Brigham with a 5-1 home win against table toppers Workington Legion.
The result ensures the title won’t be decided until the final week any one of the top four teams still in with a chance of claiming the championship.
Even though the Workington side were 5-0 down the last frame of the night was still battled out with Legion captain Eric McMullen winning a potentially crucial point against Alan Rice 63-37.
Host side Maryport Social B and Station Road had shared home wins in their previous fixtures meaning the tie advantage definitely lay with the Maryport outfit. From 2-0 down Maryport’s Ryan Ismay kick started a revival with breaks of 42 and 26 that was to be followed with wins from Pete Donachy, Paul Lister and finally cemented by Social captain Colin Sealby for a 4-2 match victory.
This ensures the Social side stay in second with just one fixture left, an away clash at Flimby next week.
Fourth placed Derwent B still have a slim chance of claiming the title after a 4-2 home win against Trades Hall while with Flimby and Glasson now having no chance of reaching the top four play-offs. They drew 3-3.
In division one with top team John Street Club postponing their fixture against second-placed Railway until next week, this gave third placed Maryport Social A the perfect chance to play catch up in their fixture against Senhouse B.
However, as home side Senhouse B started with a win from Andy Aitken in his frame against Ivor Messenger the opportunity never materialised and a 4-2 victory was sealed with a win from Neil Bower in his tie against Socials Sal Kacmack.
This is a second loss for Messenger in as many weeks and a third team loss in as many matches that now sees Messenger’s leading player and his teams’ title aspirations in jeopardy.
Seaton and away side Derwent A produced a 3-3 draw which keeps both teams in with a chance of making the top four play-offs with just three games remaining.
Another home defeat for Clifton, this time a 5-1 to Senhouse A, see them in a very sorry position at the bottom of the table with just 26 points.
The final semi-finals in the seven-a-side and doubles handicaps were completed this week with John Street defeating Railway 4-1 in the sevens and Steve Garroway and Paul Graham triumphing 3-0 over fellow Railway Club player Kevin Basnett and his partner Ivor Messenger.
The sevens semi produced drama as the second frame was turn on its head with just the last red remaining. Railway’s David Little was duly called for seven misses in his frame against Simon Frazer and from a position of 17 in front was to find himself 20 behind.
Even though Little dug deep and managed to take the game all the way to the pink the defeat was almost inevitable as the aforementioned ruling was to ultimately decide the frame.
Totally deflated the Railway hung on to the wrong side of a 3-1 scoreline and with Steve Garroway nearly 40 in front in his game against Stephen O’Hagan the tie was back in the balance.
However a gutsy comeback from the John Street player that included a break of 36 was to prove vital and even though Garroway had a difficult shot at the final black with the long rest it was O’Hagan who guaranteed his teams place in the final against Maryport Social B.
The doubles handicap semi produced some an excellent play from Garroway and Graham against four time doubles winners Basnett and Messenger.
Receiving 20 points start each frame Garroway and Graham potted fearlessly with breaks of 26, 27 and 27.
Even though Basnett and Messenger managed breaks of 48, 28 and 32 the handicap proved to be a little too much to handle for the former champions.
The winners now meet Peter and Stephen O’Hagan in the final later in the month.
Kevin Basnett and Dave Chapman will contest the first final of the season, the individual handicap, on Tuesday in Workington Legion club (7.30pm). The match will be played over five frames.
