Snooker: Black ball night

Firstly there were some very good snooker which produced some interesting results along with the first half-century break of the season.

There was also a bad side to the evening as two teams failed to turn up and others had significant omissions in their fielded sides. I would have to think that the Man Utd. European Championship match had a bearing in this but, if it did, then those responsible not only ruined the evening for their opponents but, by forfeiting all points for the fixture, created false positions in the league. There are rules for the cancellation of matches, which in future must be observed.

Getting back to the real purpose of this column no fewer than 25 per cent of the 102 frames played during the night wee settled on the black ball and therefore many players will consider themselves unlucky not to have won the frame.

The highlight of the B&G Engineering C section was Whitefield Bowling Club's 8-1 win at Bury Snooker D when, after losing the first frame, they took the remaining fire. Two of these were black games but the frames of Harry Wilkinson (70-37) and Vinny Crowe (66-23) were convincing. The long layoff by Mike Burdaky doesn't seem to have done him any harm as he hasn't been on the losing end of any frame since his return return.

Seedfield visited Whitefield Shooker Club and went down 2-6 in an exciting match which was decided in favour of the home team by the black ball in the final frame. Prior to this the first two frames were shared with good wins by Ken Davis (for the home team) and Geoff Radovic, then came three black games to set up the final nailbiter.

The two teams from each of Radcliffe Central and Stanley Cons. met each other and in each match the home side ran easy winners. Down at Radcliffe the two A teams faced each other with the home team winning 6-2 after winning the first four frames. The winning margin of 87 points was achieved thanks mainly to Mike and Barry Smith who won 79-37 and 79-33 respectively. Radcliffe's B team went to Stanley and narrowly avoided being whitewashed when Paul Griffiths pinched the black ball in the fourth frame to win by one point in their 1-7 defeat. Dave Bennett, who was outstanding for the home side with his 92-37 win, was ably supported by Peter Wilding and Paul Appleton.

As Fishpool B did not turn up at Summerseat the remaining match in this section, a low scoring affair, was at East Lancs between their B team and Huntley B who won 7-2 after losing the first two frames.

The top seven teams in the A section are separated by only three points but ominously for the rest Heywood Reform who have a game in hand, have only lost three frames so far. Two of those were the opening frames in their home match against Hollins A after which, the home side settled down to take the remaining four to win 6-2 with an aggregate of 85 after giving a total start of 110. Excellent performances from P. Bennett (85-42) and Tony Preston, who included a break of 34 unf. in his 91-59, win were mainly responsible for this result.

The highlight of the evening was the visit of Elton Lib C to Bury Snooker Club where they took on the C team and played a match that was much closer than the result indicates. Only Chris Beck's last frame 69-27 win or the home team was decisive and the previous five had a difference of ten or less with the first four being settled on the black. John Daniels recorded a 53 break but still lost his frame.

Radcliffe St Mary's entertained Walshaw B and after sharing the frames lost 3-6 in a low scoring affair. The black ball win in the fifth frame ultimately clinched the aggregate for the visitors but the highlight of his match was the return of Tony Davis who win his first frame following a long layoff through "cueitis".

Elsewhere in this section East Lancs A so far unbeaten and sharing top position in the table, visited Huntley and could only manage to win two frames in their 2-6 defeat. Things could have been much worse, though, as those two frames were won on the black. Bury Snooker B failed to turn up at Walmersley C and forfeit all points.

Elton's other team in this section , the B team, entertained Walmersley's A and raced into a four frame lead which was reduced by one in the fifth. They still had a 30 point aggregate advantage however and started the last frame with the expectation of a result that would enhance their position at the top of the table. Phil Jones, however, brought the home team down to earth with his fine 72-25 result and stole the aggregate to give the visitors an unexpected 5-4 win.

On the next table Elton Lib A was engaged in a B section match against Tottington Cons B and, like their B team, won four of the six frames only to lose the aggregate and match 4-5. Danny King had previously set the home side on the right path but Peter Woroniak (62-27) and Dave Brooks (78-45) restored matters for the visitors. A feature of this match was the number of doubles (some intended, many not!) that were successfully negotiated by the visitors.

In the local derby down by the river, Bury Bridge A visited their B team and lost after winning the first frame thanks to Graham Spencer and his 71-32 result. The B team fought back steadily, ad led, by Robin Jackson's 62-30 effort, ran out 602 winners.

Tottington's C and D teams made it a full house for their club in this section when they each took seven points in their respective wins. The C team were at home to Elton Lib, F and only lost the first frame, after which, Dave McGarity was best with his 72-38 score. Having also won the Dominoes 5-0, the took the rollup prize for the second time running. The D team visited Salisbury which meant giving a huge 160 points start to the C team but in a very solid performance which was led by Tony Burke with his 86-37 result won 7-2 with 75 points to spare. Unfinished breaks of 25 by John Daulby and 27 by Phil Heaton were recorded.

After Matt Gilmore's opening 62-27 frame for Walshaw A at home to Salisbury B there were three consecutive black balls before Paul Eslick put the match out of the visitor's reach by winning the fifth 82-32.

The final report covers a match which contained probably the finest snooker of the night and saw the surprise 6-2 defeat of Summerseat A when they travelled to Fishpool A. Del Redmond for the home team made the highest break of the season when he knocked in a 46 during his second frame 73-42 win but had to sit back later and watch this eclipsed by Garry Feanley's 51 in his last frame 86-37 for the visitors. In a high scoring match where almost everyone played well Steve Hilton had an outstanding night by winning 97-63 after giving 50 start.