Entries

Results

Report

Surrey Warriors add to Surrey’s Silverware

In its inaugural year, this competition was played at Jordan’s in Rainham; with 5 of the top Interleague Teams from the Region, it was always going to be a close run thing, and the matches didn’t disappoint.

The teams were split into two groups (A & B) and played round robin matches to give us the two teams for the final.

Group A’s first match was Waterloo (London) v Mid-Sussex (Sussex) and the pre-event form book got thrown out the window. The much fancied Waterloo, full off current Inter-county Champions, couldn’t throw off a stubborn Mid-Sussex side until the very end. As would become the norm for the remaining matches in the day, it was the team that got off to a flyer that faired best in the 18-frame matches.

Waterloo did just that opening up a 4-0 with wins from Jerry Tickell, Tony Bailey, Alex Lawrence and Ian Stringer. Frames were swapped until the half-way point, leaving Mid-Sussex with an apparent mountain to climb to get back from 6-3 down. They duly did come back with Craig Gillingham and Justin Young wining the next two to make it 6-5. Waterloo then won 3 of the next 4 with Akar Necati, Alec Lawrence and Michael Brown brining Waterloo just one frame from the win. Dean Cave stopped the rot for Mid-Sussex, but Michael Clayton won the next to take Waterloo to the magic 10 frames. Mid-Sussex Captain Jon Lang won the final frame for a very respectable 10-8 score line.

Match two saw Hammersmith (Berks) taking on Mid-Sussex with again one side opening up a lead, that was the difference at the end. Wins for “T”, Tom Brown and Frank Callaghan gave Hammersmith a 3-1 lead. Mid’s Paul Hitchen stopped the Berkshire boys’ train, only for John Barry, Maurice Sheehan and Chris Ayres to give them a 6-3 lead at the half -way point. Mid-Sussex could find no way back, and frames were shared until the end with Hammersmith running out 11-7 winners.

The final match in the group was a straight “winner takes all” for a place in the final. Hammersmith buoyed by their win over Mid-Sussex started the stronger, and opened up a 4-0 lead with wins for Heff, Tom B, “T” and Frank Callaghan. Waterloo stopped the rot in fine style with Akar, Michael Brown and Will Tweed reducing the deficit to one frame. The last two frames were shared for a half time score of 5-4 to Hammersmith. The second half saw frames shared before Frank Callaghan and Cat won two on the bounce to open up an 8-6 lead. Having had the better result in their first match, Hammersmith now only needed one frame (for the draw) and the place in the final. Waterloo’s Michael Clayton stopped the celebrations temporarily, but Chris Ayres won what was the final frame for a 9-7 win, and a place in the final.

Group B became a two horse race, when Hampshire’s Andover did not make the event, so Romney A (Kent) and Surrey Warriors had two matches for the place in the final. The first match was a very tight affair with no team ever being more than 2 frames ahead. After the first half ended 5-4 to Warriors, frames were shared again until Martin Lambert, Ray Duncan and Billy Donovan won three on the bounce to take Warriors one away from the win. Romney fought back with the final two frames for a 9-9 draw.

The second match was going the same way as the first with frames being shared until the half way point with again Warriors having the slight lead at 5-4. Romney then won 3 of the next four to take a slight 7-6 advantage. Lee Manister, Simon Le Marchant and Billy Donovan won three on the bounce to give Warriors a 9-7 lead, and it was left to Ray Duncan to take out the winning frame for a 10-7 win and a place in the final.

So to the final of the event, that had not failed in delivering excellent pool and atmosphere for all throughout the day.

It was again all very tight with wins for Warriors’ Dan Bathrop, Mike Smith and captain Martin Lambert being matched by wins for Hammersmith by Heff, Tom B and John Barry until Billy Donovan, Simon Le Marchant and Debbie Bathrop won the final three frames of the first half for a seemingly unassailable 6-3 lead to the Warriors.

Lee Manister chalked another won up for Warriors, and now The Royal Berkshire boys were staring down the barrel of a gun! Hammersmith are made of stern stuff, and won the next 4 with Frank Callaghan, Heff, “T” and Hughie Sutherland levelling up the scores. Warriors’ Ray D and Chris Ayres of Hammersmith shared the next two, taking us to the final two frames at 8-8.

Simon Le Marchant put Warriors one away from the title, with the joy of winning the final frame and tacking the silverware back to Surrey falling to long time county player (and proud mum) Debbie Bathrop.

Top players on the day were Hammersmith’s Frank Callaghan and Tom Beagan who won an impressive 5 out of 6 frames each.

The committee would like to thank Jordan’s for holding the event, and the teams for taking part in the first year of what is hoped will become an annual pre-cursor to the National Finals in Great Yarmouth.

Home :: Committee & Contacts :: Region 7 Open :: Region 7 Tour
Inter-County :: Inter-League :: Affiliated Counties :: Calender :: Contact