The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
Tulips B had their lead at the top of Division One trimmed in Spalding and District Snooker League last week.
The title favourites’ advantage was cut to six points following their 5-1 defeat at in-form Holbeach D.
Mark Woodberry was their only winner, with Denis Hix, Donald Mink, Ashley Bunn and Ian Woodberry grabbing the wins for the home side.
However, the night could have been worse for Joe Garland’s side, with second-placed Donington C dropping a couple of points, although a 4-2 defeat at Whittlesey A was a decent result.
Neil Reynolds found the 56-point handicap start for Laurie Smith too hot to handle, but wins for his team-mates Lee Hempsall, Matt Turner and Graham Slater ensured it was a good night’s work for Donington C.
It was a forgettable week for Tulips’ other side. The A team were beaten 5-1 at home by Holbeach A, who have improved their league standing in recent weeks.
Mick Ayres (28) and Jem Merrison (30) had decent breaks as Holbeach headed home the happier.
However, it wasn’t such a good journey back along the A151 for Holbeach B.
Phil Coaten’s team took a 6-0 hammering at title-chasing Consti B in Division Two.
The Spalding side moved to within one point of leaders Bourne SC A with the win.
That was because bottom side Services B excelled by grabbing a couple of points at Bourne, Alan Hansard and Tim Nash with the morale-boosting wins.
However, the narrow gap at the foot still grew when Gosberton A won 4-2 at Crowland B. It could have been a five-point haul but for Peter Waterfall’s black-ball defeat to Jeff Roberts.
Two days earlier Crowland B had exited the Knockout Cup, beaten by the narrowest of margins by Division One side Services E.
Wins for Derek Tinkler and Russell Morse had edged them into a 2-1 lead before Phil Spencer’s 57-36 defeat of Jim Howe sent the tie into a last-game decider.
And the level handicap R14 of Crowland’s Danny Rose and Services’ Kev Emerson proved spot on as it went to the black ball, Emerson sinking it to put the Spalding side into the semi-finals.
In fact, Services have three of the last four teams in the competitions, with E now joining A and C. Gosberton A complete the semi-final line-up.
And another Services side – the D team – last week boosted their Division Three title hopes.
Wigs Harrison, Mike Small, Mark Howlett and Tanya Peel were their winners in a 5-1 result against Pyramid E.
- An impressive 64 break from Hugh Pinner guided Holbeach A to a 5-2 Spalding and District Billiards victory at Consti C on Monday.
The veteran, who plays off a handicap of O170, also pocketed breaks of 47 and 29 en route to winning his frame.
Alan Yardley (R10) wrapped up the victory in the final frame.
Donington kept the pressure on title rivals Long Sutton with a 5-2 victory at Holbeach B.
Norman Gookey (R80) and Jim Thompson (R30) bagged the wins for the high-fliers, while team-mate Sid Shaw (O10) reeled off breaks of 30 and 21.
Elsewhere, Consti B picked up a 4-3 victory over Pyramid B – despite seeing star man Mick Johnson (O170) beaten soundly by Martin O’Connor (R10), who managed a 40 break.
John Keeton (R30) and Steve Spencer (R100) turned the game around with frame wins for Consti.
Also 4-3 winners were Pyramid A, who edged a close contest with Consti A.
Robert Adams (R40) made a 29 break as he took the first frame for Consti, but the Bourne boys battled back thanks to victories from Eric Wyer (R50) and John Twell (R50), who made breaks of 23 and 22 respectively.
