The Princeville Patriots make their first away trip to LS postcode terriority with a match against Pudsey Congs. Coming back for the Patriots was I.Tomlinson, rumoured to be offered a consultancy role with the Blackpool Supporters Trust on how to produce a Financial Forecast, as requested by Blackpool magnate Owen Oyston.
First up was K.Tomlinson v Pudsey League Chairman D.Raw. As the reporter was making his way to the School Street venue by public transport to Farsley, followed by a 30 minute walk through Owlcotes and into Pudsey Town Centre, he was informed that Keith did not played badly but suffered a heavy loss of 75pts as Dennis played superbly well with three breaks in the twenties.
Next up was D.Hardcastle v A.Stevens, sadly for Don he did not get to grips with the table and Albert had a fair bit of run-in as he won by 45pts.
Playing the third game was I.Tomlinson (sponsored by Grandma Nicholls Fish & Chip Shop) and D.Hirst. On the baize it was a night to forget for Ian as David played some sublime Billiards after a few fluke shots early doors, producing an array of fine long half-ball in-offs and four breaks in the Twenties to win by 85pts. Ian was visibly annoyed by the lack of run-in and could not find any momentum as he brayed the cue ball in anger.
The final game was played by M.Hirst and J.Butcher, a fixture where both players are guaranteed to put on a good performance and one where both players respect each other in terms of ability. Mick got off to a good start and produced a break of 29 early doors, making a Pudsey Congs 5-0 whitewash a real possibility. James employed a tactical approach by playing a range of percentage shots and scored points in instalments in an attempt to slow the game down and get a feel to a table in which the balls ran at pace, during which Mick's points scoring was drying up. Gradually James played with increasing confidence and built a couple of breaks in the teens to possess a handy lead.
In the final minutes, James was starting to stutter as he tried to advance further. Mick capitalised on this by producing a break into the teens and looked in position to sneak at win at the bell, but ran out of position in the final minute. James kept posession from there and restored some pride for the Patriots, who got comprehensively beaten 4-1.
Saturday, 31 October 2015
Patriots v St Andrews "A" Match Report
After an anti-climatic start to the season, Princeville "Patriots" next faced league rivals St Andrews "A". Both sides were keen to seek revenge - Patriots got pipped to the League crown by 1/2 a point after going unbeaten in the first 10 games, whilst St Andrews missed out on Cup final glory by a matter of minutes.
In team news, I.Tomlinson was unavailable due to a work related trip in Blackpool with W.Oates thaking his place. Rumour has it that leading figures of the Blackpool Supporters Trust have enrolled on a Football Business and Finance Course in Burnley, as part of their bid to purchase the local football club and Ian was providing some advice.
First up in the needle match was W.Oates v G.Pearson and K.Tomlinson v N.Lee. Little could be separated between Bill and Graham. Whilst Bill accumulated points on a regular basis, Graham had a knack of producing a sizeable break out of nowhere and did that on two occasions to put himself ahead. As the game reached it's end, Bill was just about to pot the red ball but the 50 minute buzzer went off and lost by one single point.
Next up was A.Instrell v J.Butcher and D.Hardcastle v G.Rogers. The former fixture, neither player was at their usual standard with Andrew making a fair amount of unforced errors from miscues. James managed to stand firm and record a much needed win for the Patriots, who won 3-2 on the night.
* Apologies to the lack of summary on the other two matches, as I was going off memory at time of publishing.
In team news, I.Tomlinson was unavailable due to a work related trip in Blackpool with W.Oates thaking his place. Rumour has it that leading figures of the Blackpool Supporters Trust have enrolled on a Football Business and Finance Course in Burnley, as part of their bid to purchase the local football club and Ian was providing some advice.
First up in the needle match was W.Oates v G.Pearson and K.Tomlinson v N.Lee. Little could be separated between Bill and Graham. Whilst Bill accumulated points on a regular basis, Graham had a knack of producing a sizeable break out of nowhere and did that on two occasions to put himself ahead. As the game reached it's end, Bill was just about to pot the red ball but the 50 minute buzzer went off and lost by one single point.
Next up was A.Instrell v J.Butcher and D.Hardcastle v G.Rogers. The former fixture, neither player was at their usual standard with Andrew making a fair amount of unforced errors from miscues. James managed to stand firm and record a much needed win for the Patriots, who won 3-2 on the night.
* Apologies to the lack of summary on the other two matches, as I was going off memory at time of publishing.
Thursday, 1 October 2015
Princeville Patriots 2015-16 Season Campaign Begins!
Pudsey League Runners-up and Cup Winners Princeville "Patriots" began the 2015-16 campaign with a derby match away at Princeville "B". Having missed out on defending the league title by half a point, the Patriots intend to use this as motivation in order to launch another title challenge.
In handicap news, it is reported that anchorman "The Don" is delighted with a five point reduction, claiming he is "making progress". I.Tomlinson's handicap has been reduced by 5pts. The top two handicaps of K.Tomlinson and J.Butcher remain unchanged, which on balance makes the Pariots attempts of launching a challenge for silverware no less difficult.
The match between top board men S.Kershaw and J.Butcher can be best described as a slow starter. The opening 10 minutes consisted of playing two-ball Billiards, as the third ball found itself out of a scoring position. Afterwards, the game began to open up and Stephen took the iniative in registering two breaks of 30 and 50 and did not look back from there. James struggled to build any momentum, being left little scoring opportunities and tried to force half chance scoring shots with little success, owing to a general lack of match sharpness. Eventually Stephen completed formalities and registered a 50 point win.
Things didn't look better in the 2nd game for the Patriots as D.Hardcastle was found playing catch up against B.Lawson, who looked in decent touch during practice and lost by 20pts.
Next up was the Tomlinsons, with Keith facing G.Kershaw and Ian facing A.Holdsworth. Alan got off to good start and led by 20pts, before Ian got into his stride and came out as winner for the Patriots to get off the mark.
The battle of the captains was an interesting affair, with the lead often changing during mid-match. With a minute to go and scores virtually level, Keith had an opportunity to see the game out. The red ball was over the top pocket and Gareth's cue ball in the middle for an in-off. Keith went for an in-off yellow and missed, leaving Gareth to pot the red ball and secure a 3rd victory for Princeville "B" on the buzzer, who won 4-1 on the night.
In handicap news, it is reported that anchorman "The Don" is delighted with a five point reduction, claiming he is "making progress". I.Tomlinson's handicap has been reduced by 5pts. The top two handicaps of K.Tomlinson and J.Butcher remain unchanged, which on balance makes the Pariots attempts of launching a challenge for silverware no less difficult.
The match between top board men S.Kershaw and J.Butcher can be best described as a slow starter. The opening 10 minutes consisted of playing two-ball Billiards, as the third ball found itself out of a scoring position. Afterwards, the game began to open up and Stephen took the iniative in registering two breaks of 30 and 50 and did not look back from there. James struggled to build any momentum, being left little scoring opportunities and tried to force half chance scoring shots with little success, owing to a general lack of match sharpness. Eventually Stephen completed formalities and registered a 50 point win.
Things didn't look better in the 2nd game for the Patriots as D.Hardcastle was found playing catch up against B.Lawson, who looked in decent touch during practice and lost by 20pts.
Next up was the Tomlinsons, with Keith facing G.Kershaw and Ian facing A.Holdsworth. Alan got off to good start and led by 20pts, before Ian got into his stride and came out as winner for the Patriots to get off the mark.
The battle of the captains was an interesting affair, with the lead often changing during mid-match. With a minute to go and scores virtually level, Keith had an opportunity to see the game out. The red ball was over the top pocket and Gareth's cue ball in the middle for an in-off. Keith went for an in-off yellow and missed, leaving Gareth to pot the red ball and secure a 3rd victory for Princeville "B" on the buzzer, who won 4-1 on the night.
Tuesday, 28 April 2015
Pudsey Billiards League Cup Final
As the Pudsey Billiards League 2014/2015 season reaches to an end, Princeville Patriots had one more engagement in form of the Pudsey Billiards League Cup Final against league winners St Andrews "A".
En-route to the final, St Andrews "A" beat Princeville "B" and Bradford Deaf Centre. "Patriots" received a bye and beat Pudsey Congs in what was an overall team effort. Interim captain at the time I.Tomlinson restricting a more prolific player in D.Hirst to a 1pt victory. D.Raw might have got the better of S.Gatenby with a 28pt win, but Steve was not necessarily outplayed and held his ground . Anchorman D.Hardcastle held more than his own against another prolific player in J.Hirst, losing by just 14pts and was in front for much of the game.
Come the final match between M.Hirst and J.Butcher, Pudsey Congs had to overcome a 102pt deficit. A difficult feat to overcome, but something Mick is very capable of as he holds the leagues highest break of 51 unfinished and produced two other 30 odd breaks in the same fixture against A.Instrell of St Andrews "A". However it was a case of save the best until last as James powered his way to a 45pt victory with an array of attacking strokes and in a few cases where the cue ball was on the cushion, playing a shot down on one knee in order to overcome compact circuit and seating area.
In team news leading to the final, St Andrews "A" were unchanged whilst the "Patriots" made one change. Regular captain K.Tomlinson, returning from an extended stay in Australia, replaced S.Gatenby. On handicaps, the "Patriots" received a 45pt advantage.
Starting proceedings was D.Hardcastle v G.Rogers and I.Tomlinson v N.Lee. Gary looked in fine touch as he led from the off, scoring at regular visits and gave very little opportunity for Don to get a foothold in the game. Meanwhile Ian and Neil were involved in a high tempoed encounter, scoring over 240pts between them. Neil initially got off to a 20pt lead, but Ian fought back and led by 20pts himself before Neil reduced those arrears to virtually level things up. Both players tried to take the iniative, but got beaten by the buzzer and Ian won by 1pt. On the other table, Gary secured a 38pt lead. At the halfway stage, St Andrews "A" led by 2pts with handicaps taken into account.
Next up by J.Butcher v A.Instrell and K.Tomlinson v G.Pearson. James got off to a bright start against Andy and recorded a 17pt break early doors to be 20pts in front, then consolidated that lead with regular scoring visits, aided by some good fortune. Andy was by means not out of contention, as the game was open for the most part. with both players making unforced errors and leaving scoring shots. A fantastic opportunity for anyone at their fluent best to post a potential tournament winning break. Meanwhile on the other table, Keith and Graham kept toe to toe with each other as small leads kept exchanging hands.
It did not become clear who would win the League Cup until the last few minutes. Keith took the iniative to post a 20pt break to place himself in pole position, whilst James still preserved a lead of 20pts+ throughout. As the final buzzer went, James won by 42pts and Keith by 26pt for Princeville "Patriots" to win the 2014/2015 Pudsey Billiards League Cup. A fitting tribute for a team who dominated the league campaign with a 10 match unbeaten run, only to fall apart with a seven week break and numerous absentees during the 2nd half of the season.
En-route to the final, St Andrews "A" beat Princeville "B" and Bradford Deaf Centre. "Patriots" received a bye and beat Pudsey Congs in what was an overall team effort. Interim captain at the time I.Tomlinson restricting a more prolific player in D.Hirst to a 1pt victory. D.Raw might have got the better of S.Gatenby with a 28pt win, but Steve was not necessarily outplayed and held his ground . Anchorman D.Hardcastle held more than his own against another prolific player in J.Hirst, losing by just 14pts and was in front for much of the game.
Come the final match between M.Hirst and J.Butcher, Pudsey Congs had to overcome a 102pt deficit. A difficult feat to overcome, but something Mick is very capable of as he holds the leagues highest break of 51 unfinished and produced two other 30 odd breaks in the same fixture against A.Instrell of St Andrews "A". However it was a case of save the best until last as James powered his way to a 45pt victory with an array of attacking strokes and in a few cases where the cue ball was on the cushion, playing a shot down on one knee in order to overcome compact circuit and seating area.
In team news leading to the final, St Andrews "A" were unchanged whilst the "Patriots" made one change. Regular captain K.Tomlinson, returning from an extended stay in Australia, replaced S.Gatenby. On handicaps, the "Patriots" received a 45pt advantage.
Starting proceedings was D.Hardcastle v G.Rogers and I.Tomlinson v N.Lee. Gary looked in fine touch as he led from the off, scoring at regular visits and gave very little opportunity for Don to get a foothold in the game. Meanwhile Ian and Neil were involved in a high tempoed encounter, scoring over 240pts between them. Neil initially got off to a 20pt lead, but Ian fought back and led by 20pts himself before Neil reduced those arrears to virtually level things up. Both players tried to take the iniative, but got beaten by the buzzer and Ian won by 1pt. On the other table, Gary secured a 38pt lead. At the halfway stage, St Andrews "A" led by 2pts with handicaps taken into account.
Next up by J.Butcher v A.Instrell and K.Tomlinson v G.Pearson. James got off to a bright start against Andy and recorded a 17pt break early doors to be 20pts in front, then consolidated that lead with regular scoring visits, aided by some good fortune. Andy was by means not out of contention, as the game was open for the most part. with both players making unforced errors and leaving scoring shots. A fantastic opportunity for anyone at their fluent best to post a potential tournament winning break. Meanwhile on the other table, Keith and Graham kept toe to toe with each other as small leads kept exchanging hands.
It did not become clear who would win the League Cup until the last few minutes. Keith took the iniative to post a 20pt break to place himself in pole position, whilst James still preserved a lead of 20pts+ throughout. As the final buzzer went, James won by 42pts and Keith by 26pt for Princeville "Patriots" to win the 2014/2015 Pudsey Billiards League Cup. A fitting tribute for a team who dominated the league campaign with a 10 match unbeaten run, only to fall apart with a seven week break and numerous absentees during the 2nd half of the season.
Patriots v St Andrews "B" season finale
Princeville Patriots played their final Pudsey Billiards League fixture of the 2014/2015 season, entertaining St Andrews "B". A match where the Patriots were still in contention for defending their title, although they had to reduce a 2.5pt deficit over St Andrews "A" (who played against Princeville "B"). Not the easiest of tasks when a maximum of 5pts can be won in any one game.
The implications stood as follows - any team win for St Andrews "A" would crown them as league champions, whilst the "Patriots" needed to better St Andrews "A" result by 3pts.
Realistically a 5-0 win for Princeville Patriots would give them every chance, question was how to go about it? Not an easy objective to achieve when the team is generally out of form, registering just 3 wins in 9 games. Whilst brainstorming for ideas in a pre-match team meeting, top board player J.Butcher suggested to play the two in-form players in an attempt to create momentum. An idea which received full backing from the acting captain I.Tomlinson and fellow team-mates, D.Bowers and D.Hardcastle.
Starting the 1st half of matches was J.Butcher versus an in-form S.Clark, reported "not to have missed a thing" in the last league fixture against St Andrews "A". D.Hardcastle was up against occasional player W.Robinson, deputising for regular top man S.Boocock.
S.Clark continued where he started, getting off to a flying start and making most of a 30pt handicap start by increasing his lead to 45pts. This left James wondering what to do and how to overcome such a deficit, especially when losing was not an option. Playing the percentages became a feature as James launched a comeback, scoring points in instalments and playing safe when no obvious scoring shot was on. Steve continued the all out attack philosphy in an attempt to race to 200 before the 50 minute time limit was up.
By the halfway stage James reduced much of the deficit and kicked on from there, producing a valuable 19pt break to go within single points of victory. The game eventually finished with James clinching a potted red into the middle pocket, after placing Steve in double baulk region to win by 25pts with 6 minutes remaining.
On the other table, D.Hardcastle maintained a small lead against W.Robinson, although there was little between the players. Both players had a habit of producing scoring shots out of nowhere, then followed with an erratic miss. As the game reached it's final minutes, both players struggled to put points on the board despite the balls being left in good scoring positions. Eventually the 50 minute buzzer went off and Don by 6pts.
Meanwhile over in Pudsey, news filtered out that St Andrews "A" were also leading 2-0 at the halfway stage and one more point away from winning the 2014/2015 league title. The "Patriots" scenario was made simple, losing does not become an option.
Next up was I.Tomlinson v A.Ward and D.Bowers v M.Barnes.
Both Ian and Anthony was involved in a scrappy game, where both players struggled for momentum. However Ian was first to show the iniative with a graft rather than craft philosphy, scoring whatever points was available and playing safe when no. Anthony could not get any momentum going, exclaiming "I've never been frustrated in all my life". In the end it was a regulation win for Ian, albeit tension played a key factor with the title race reaching a climatic stage.
Over on the other table, lady luck shone on Dave against Malcolm, who had the feeling of dejavu from the previous fixture in early February. Although to Malcolm's credit, he persevered and found a lot of momentum with some fluent shot scoring and kept within sight. However Dave held on at the end and won, giving Princeville a 5-0 victory.
After waiting a good 10-15 minutes, news filtered through that St Andrews "A" got a 3rd win which was enough to win the 2014/2015 Pudsey Billiards League title. Later it was discovered that the final scoreline was 3-2 and St Andrews "A" won the league by half a point. An agnoisingly cruel way to miss out on defending the title, more so when unbeaten in the first ten games.
The implications stood as follows - any team win for St Andrews "A" would crown them as league champions, whilst the "Patriots" needed to better St Andrews "A" result by 3pts.
Realistically a 5-0 win for Princeville Patriots would give them every chance, question was how to go about it? Not an easy objective to achieve when the team is generally out of form, registering just 3 wins in 9 games. Whilst brainstorming for ideas in a pre-match team meeting, top board player J.Butcher suggested to play the two in-form players in an attempt to create momentum. An idea which received full backing from the acting captain I.Tomlinson and fellow team-mates, D.Bowers and D.Hardcastle.
Starting the 1st half of matches was J.Butcher versus an in-form S.Clark, reported "not to have missed a thing" in the last league fixture against St Andrews "A". D.Hardcastle was up against occasional player W.Robinson, deputising for regular top man S.Boocock.
S.Clark continued where he started, getting off to a flying start and making most of a 30pt handicap start by increasing his lead to 45pts. This left James wondering what to do and how to overcome such a deficit, especially when losing was not an option. Playing the percentages became a feature as James launched a comeback, scoring points in instalments and playing safe when no obvious scoring shot was on. Steve continued the all out attack philosphy in an attempt to race to 200 before the 50 minute time limit was up.
By the halfway stage James reduced much of the deficit and kicked on from there, producing a valuable 19pt break to go within single points of victory. The game eventually finished with James clinching a potted red into the middle pocket, after placing Steve in double baulk region to win by 25pts with 6 minutes remaining.
On the other table, D.Hardcastle maintained a small lead against W.Robinson, although there was little between the players. Both players had a habit of producing scoring shots out of nowhere, then followed with an erratic miss. As the game reached it's final minutes, both players struggled to put points on the board despite the balls being left in good scoring positions. Eventually the 50 minute buzzer went off and Don by 6pts.
Meanwhile over in Pudsey, news filtered out that St Andrews "A" were also leading 2-0 at the halfway stage and one more point away from winning the 2014/2015 league title. The "Patriots" scenario was made simple, losing does not become an option.
Next up was I.Tomlinson v A.Ward and D.Bowers v M.Barnes.
Both Ian and Anthony was involved in a scrappy game, where both players struggled for momentum. However Ian was first to show the iniative with a graft rather than craft philosphy, scoring whatever points was available and playing safe when no. Anthony could not get any momentum going, exclaiming "I've never been frustrated in all my life". In the end it was a regulation win for Ian, albeit tension played a key factor with the title race reaching a climatic stage.
Over on the other table, lady luck shone on Dave against Malcolm, who had the feeling of dejavu from the previous fixture in early February. Although to Malcolm's credit, he persevered and found a lot of momentum with some fluent shot scoring and kept within sight. However Dave held on at the end and won, giving Princeville a 5-0 victory.
After waiting a good 10-15 minutes, news filtered through that St Andrews "A" got a 3rd win which was enough to win the 2014/2015 Pudsey Billiards League title. Later it was discovered that the final scoreline was 3-2 and St Andrews "A" won the league by half a point. An agnoisingly cruel way to miss out on defending the title, more so when unbeaten in the first ten games.
Monday, 2 February 2015
St Andrews "B" v Patriots Preview
Princeville Patriots are back in Pudsey Billiards League action with an early midweek fixture against basement side St Andrews "B", who have suffered two whitewashes in consecutive fixtures.
The Pudsey Billiards League title race has hotted up, with 2nd place St Andrews "A" firmly in contention after they secured a 5-0 victory in their derby match against St Andrews "B". Before the league campaign resumed in January after a lengthy winter break of 7 weeks, Princeville Patriots were 9pts clear of 2nd place. However this lead has been reduced to 1.5pts in the space of 4 weeks and St Andrews "A" still have two points to play for, with one match still to be completed in a recent fixture against Pudsey Congs.
Princeville Patriots destiny is still in their own hands, but now is the time to record the first win of 2015. St Andrews "B" recent results and league position is something not to be underestimated when they came so close to ending the Patriots winning streak in mid-November. Leading 2-0 at the interval before the duo of D.Hardcastle and J.Butcher manufactured a stunning comeback to give the Patriots a 3-2 victory.
The Pudsey Billiards League title race has hotted up, with 2nd place St Andrews "A" firmly in contention after they secured a 5-0 victory in their derby match against St Andrews "B". Before the league campaign resumed in January after a lengthy winter break of 7 weeks, Princeville Patriots were 9pts clear of 2nd place. However this lead has been reduced to 1.5pts in the space of 4 weeks and St Andrews "A" still have two points to play for, with one match still to be completed in a recent fixture against Pudsey Congs.
Princeville Patriots destiny is still in their own hands, but now is the time to record the first win of 2015. St Andrews "B" recent results and league position is something not to be underestimated when they came so close to ending the Patriots winning streak in mid-November. Leading 2-0 at the interval before the duo of D.Hardcastle and J.Butcher manufactured a stunning comeback to give the Patriots a 3-2 victory.
Thursday, 29 January 2015
Patriots v Littlemoor Match Report
The search of a win in 2015 continues as Princeville Patriots rack up another defeat, this time to a resurgent Littlemoor.
First up D.Bowers faced R.Allan, in a game where momentum often changed between the two players. Dave got off to steady start and strung a few scoring shots to hold a useful lead. However as Dave hit a dry run, Ralph got into the groove and created some mini breaks of his own to take the lead. Dave was never out of the game and tried in earnest to regain the lead, but just lacked that cutting edge to get back in front before Ralph finished on a flurry to win by 20pts.
On the other table it was battle of the captains with K.Tomlinson facing D.Howarth, who could not find another cricket meeting to attend and decided to play himself ahead of freelance Billiards player G.Tudor. It was a game of eight-eighths as Keith possessed a healthy lead for the most part, whilst Dave was sensing deja vu from events on Tuesday night in Sunday School League Billiards and bemoaned at the lack of run-in. With less than seven minutes to go, Keith saw the finish line but started to run out of steam, missing a clinical shot with a red and further scoring opportunities became limited. Meanwhile Dave roared back into the game and produced a unfinished break of 17 in the final passage of play. One shot involved a worked out cannon where the cue ball back heeled off the red and went in-off, then delivered the coup de grace by sending the cue ball full length of the table from a double baulk position and scoring an in-off red to win by 16pts.
Next up was I.Tomlinson against P.Allan, the latter who continued where he started on Tuesday night by quickly getting on the front foot aided with some good fortune. Although Ian felt he wasn't entirely out of the game, run in played a vital part and the match was finished inside 30 minutes with Peter winning by 39pts.
Meanwhile on the other table it was J.Butcher against J.Allan. Making most of the 55pt handicap and home advantage, it was James who had the stronger whilst John was adapting to the conditions. Around the halfway stage, James preserved much of his 55pt start and considered upping the ante in an attempt to win an unlikely aggregate point for Princeville. However John started to get into a scoring rhythm and reduced the deficit to 15pts, however James replied with a 19 break that could have gone onto something bigger had a long range cannon wasn't sliced wide. With less than 10 minutes to go, John regained control of the game with further frequent scoring but just couldn't find that potential match winning break of 30 to really put the pressure on. Eventually James went into Snilliard mode with a cameo of potting to close out the game and win by around 35pts.
In all a good night for Littlemoor who won 4-1, leaving the Patriots with a nervy wait until Sunday to see how title challengers St Andrews "A" have done in their derby fixture against St Andrews "B".
First up D.Bowers faced R.Allan, in a game where momentum often changed between the two players. Dave got off to steady start and strung a few scoring shots to hold a useful lead. However as Dave hit a dry run, Ralph got into the groove and created some mini breaks of his own to take the lead. Dave was never out of the game and tried in earnest to regain the lead, but just lacked that cutting edge to get back in front before Ralph finished on a flurry to win by 20pts.
On the other table it was battle of the captains with K.Tomlinson facing D.Howarth, who could not find another cricket meeting to attend and decided to play himself ahead of freelance Billiards player G.Tudor. It was a game of eight-eighths as Keith possessed a healthy lead for the most part, whilst Dave was sensing deja vu from events on Tuesday night in Sunday School League Billiards and bemoaned at the lack of run-in. With less than seven minutes to go, Keith saw the finish line but started to run out of steam, missing a clinical shot with a red and further scoring opportunities became limited. Meanwhile Dave roared back into the game and produced a unfinished break of 17 in the final passage of play. One shot involved a worked out cannon where the cue ball back heeled off the red and went in-off, then delivered the coup de grace by sending the cue ball full length of the table from a double baulk position and scoring an in-off red to win by 16pts.
Next up was I.Tomlinson against P.Allan, the latter who continued where he started on Tuesday night by quickly getting on the front foot aided with some good fortune. Although Ian felt he wasn't entirely out of the game, run in played a vital part and the match was finished inside 30 minutes with Peter winning by 39pts.
Meanwhile on the other table it was J.Butcher against J.Allan. Making most of the 55pt handicap and home advantage, it was James who had the stronger whilst John was adapting to the conditions. Around the halfway stage, James preserved much of his 55pt start and considered upping the ante in an attempt to win an unlikely aggregate point for Princeville. However John started to get into a scoring rhythm and reduced the deficit to 15pts, however James replied with a 19 break that could have gone onto something bigger had a long range cannon wasn't sliced wide. With less than 10 minutes to go, John regained control of the game with further frequent scoring but just couldn't find that potential match winning break of 30 to really put the pressure on. Eventually James went into Snilliard mode with a cameo of potting to close out the game and win by around 35pts.
In all a good night for Littlemoor who won 4-1, leaving the Patriots with a nervy wait until Sunday to see how title challengers St Andrews "A" have done in their derby fixture against St Andrews "B".
Patriots v Littlemoor
Weather permitting with the potential risk of snow affecting travel arrangements, Princeville Patriots entertain a resurgent Littlemoor in a Pudsey Billiards League fixture.
Littlemoor are picking up form of late, scoring 8 points out of a possible 10 in their last two games with a 3-2 win over title contenders St Andrews "A" and a 5-0 whitewash against St Andrews "B". Word from the Littlemoor camp suggests they are high in confidence and skipper D.Howarth is facing a selection headache, as he missed the last fixture due to attending a cricket meeting.
Littlemoor have recently visited Horton Bank Top, in the guise of playing as Pudsey in the Bradford Sunday School Billiards League against Princeville "A" on Tuesday. A mixed result on the night for Pudsey who lost 4-3. Interestingly, "A" team player J.Butcher may well have answered Littlemoors selection dilemma with an eventual 52pt victory over D.Howarth. Initially there was nothing to separate the two players as the game began on a cagey and methodical note, equivalent to Rod Lawler playing against Peter Ebdon. However J.Butcher timed his attacking move to perfection and got into gear with some heavy scoring in the last half.
Whilst the Patriots have yet to win a game in 2015, there is inner belief that it's only a matter of time before winning ways are resumed. Littlemoor might feel they have an advantage of playing at the same venue twice in two days, but the Patriots are in the knowledge of what kind of form their opponents are in.
Thursday, 22 January 2015
Princeville "A" v Princeville "B" Match Report
The Princeville Derby
2015 is continuing to be a challenging year for the Patriots, as they rack up another defeat to Princeville "B".
In the opening games, I.Tomlinson faced A.Holdsworth whilst D.Bowers played against B.Lawson. It wasn't the best of nights for Ian who was trailing from the back foot, a combination of shots not being executed as intended and the balls running unkindly, though he wasn't far away from getting into a leading position. However Alan had the edge and was rarely troubled as he won by 14pts.
Meanwhile, Dave and Bernard were involved in an intriguing tussle at the baize where the lead often changed. Dave was playing noticeably better than in previous weeks, whilst Bernard himself looked in good touch with some deft strokes. The tension cranked up another notch, Dave being double balked got out and almost got a cannon, only for the moving yellow ball to be a razor blade apart from the white. This left Bernard an awkward stroke to play at, running the risk of playing a push shot. Taking his time, Bernard attempted to play a masse in-off but just couldn't get enough elevation on his cue. Another shot was attempted, but in a twist the wrong ball was played and a foul stroke given.
With less than a minute to go, Dave was two points behind and scored a cannon and had an opportunity to win the game with a distant in-off, but agonisingly rattled the bottom corner pocket. This presented Bernard with a scoring shot, but as he took his stance the buzzer went and the game finished level.
During those matches, the Billiards room became a drop in centre with three visitors making brief appearances. One from the church wanted access to another room, whilst the other two were opposition players from a team who played on Tuesday night to collect some belongings left behind.
In the 2nd half, El Capitan K.Tomlinson faced G.Kershaw whilst J.Butcher was up against S.Kershaw. Keith played a captains innings and maintained a healthy lead for much of the game. Even when Gareth pulled the game back, Keith simply restored his lead and won the game by 26pts.
Meanwhile, Stephen was presented with a task to claw back 90pts and could not have started the game any better. Beginning with a text book break off, stringing a series of scoring visits including breaks of 40 and 37 and finishing those visits with the balls relatively safe. Scoring opportunities were at a premium for James, who spent most of the game off the baize rather than on and was predominantly left with long range shots.
By the halfway stage, Stephen got a handy lead of 20 and in control of the game. However the match was still alive for James with Captain Keith controlling affairs in his game, meaning an aggregate point for the Patriots was still achievable. A rare opening was presented for James and managed to reduce the deficit by 10, but it proved to be a false dawn as Stephen continued his fine scoring and raced to the summit. With time at a premium and only a cue ball pot left as a viable scoring shot, it was go for broke time for James who attempted a cannon off the bottom cushion in order to get a break going. The cannon never materialised, mainly due to a very tight angle and Stephen finished things off with a 41pt victory. This was enough for Princeville "B" to win the aggregate by 29pts and claim the game 3.5-1.5.
We shall see how this affects the league standings on Sunday, despite the 3.5-1.5pt reversal the Patriots remain top of the Pudsey League. How much of a 6pt lead remains to be seen with 2nd place St Andrews "A" visiting Pudsey Congs, 8.5pts from 1st and a team with potential to go on a late season charge.
2015 is continuing to be a challenging year for the Patriots, as they rack up another defeat to Princeville "B".
In the opening games, I.Tomlinson faced A.Holdsworth whilst D.Bowers played against B.Lawson. It wasn't the best of nights for Ian who was trailing from the back foot, a combination of shots not being executed as intended and the balls running unkindly, though he wasn't far away from getting into a leading position. However Alan had the edge and was rarely troubled as he won by 14pts.
Meanwhile, Dave and Bernard were involved in an intriguing tussle at the baize where the lead often changed. Dave was playing noticeably better than in previous weeks, whilst Bernard himself looked in good touch with some deft strokes. The tension cranked up another notch, Dave being double balked got out and almost got a cannon, only for the moving yellow ball to be a razor blade apart from the white. This left Bernard an awkward stroke to play at, running the risk of playing a push shot. Taking his time, Bernard attempted to play a masse in-off but just couldn't get enough elevation on his cue. Another shot was attempted, but in a twist the wrong ball was played and a foul stroke given.
With less than a minute to go, Dave was two points behind and scored a cannon and had an opportunity to win the game with a distant in-off, but agonisingly rattled the bottom corner pocket. This presented Bernard with a scoring shot, but as he took his stance the buzzer went and the game finished level.
During those matches, the Billiards room became a drop in centre with three visitors making brief appearances. One from the church wanted access to another room, whilst the other two were opposition players from a team who played on Tuesday night to collect some belongings left behind.
In the 2nd half, El Capitan K.Tomlinson faced G.Kershaw whilst J.Butcher was up against S.Kershaw. Keith played a captains innings and maintained a healthy lead for much of the game. Even when Gareth pulled the game back, Keith simply restored his lead and won the game by 26pts.
Meanwhile, Stephen was presented with a task to claw back 90pts and could not have started the game any better. Beginning with a text book break off, stringing a series of scoring visits including breaks of 40 and 37 and finishing those visits with the balls relatively safe. Scoring opportunities were at a premium for James, who spent most of the game off the baize rather than on and was predominantly left with long range shots.
By the halfway stage, Stephen got a handy lead of 20 and in control of the game. However the match was still alive for James with Captain Keith controlling affairs in his game, meaning an aggregate point for the Patriots was still achievable. A rare opening was presented for James and managed to reduce the deficit by 10, but it proved to be a false dawn as Stephen continued his fine scoring and raced to the summit. With time at a premium and only a cue ball pot left as a viable scoring shot, it was go for broke time for James who attempted a cannon off the bottom cushion in order to get a break going. The cannon never materialised, mainly due to a very tight angle and Stephen finished things off with a 41pt victory. This was enough for Princeville "B" to win the aggregate by 29pts and claim the game 3.5-1.5.
We shall see how this affects the league standings on Sunday, despite the 3.5-1.5pt reversal the Patriots remain top of the Pudsey League. How much of a 6pt lead remains to be seen with 2nd place St Andrews "A" visiting Pudsey Congs, 8.5pts from 1st and a team with potential to go on a late season charge.
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