Report 17th May 2003

 

Quarterfinal Results: -
Main: Fitzwalter Arms 2 Lion 4. Chantry 6
Market Inn B 0. P&H Bridge 4 Royal Oak 2.

Market Inn A 1 Alma A 5.
Plate: Magnet A bye. Alma B 2 Butchers Arms 4. P&H Tilmanstone 4 Brickmakers B 2. Brickmakers A 2 Magnet B 4.

The Spring Cup has reached the quarterfinals stage, with all matches played on neutral tables.  In the main competition the Lion continued their bid for glory with a 4-2 win against the Fitzwalter Arms, although an excellent win for Mark Graves 3450-2330 against Nev Potts in the first singles suggested a shock could be possible.  Tim Hayes (6310) and Wack Sampson (3570) won their singles, and Hayes and Sampson also took the first doubles.  A narrow 3090-3010 win for Nigel Scott & Roger Oldfield against Potts & Hayes gave the Fitz the glimmer of hope for an aggregate victory, but this was dispelled by Sampson & Potts in the final frame.
The Chantry from
Canterbury booked their place in the semis after a 6-0 win over the Market Inn B.   In the first leg, Daniel Jackson opened with a 3000 break, and later lost a similar sized break, while John Fullager got the break back towards the end and finished on the 100 hole.
Fullager beat
Jackson 3420-3380.  The next leg played saw Kevin Kay gain early advantage, but Craig Carlson get back into the frame with a 2300 break, and then Kay pull away again for a 5300-3300 victory.  The final singles was close throughout, but Roger Standen got the break back approaching the bar for a 5000-2890 win against Derek Latham.  After Kay
& Fullager beat Carlson & Jackson 4300-2100 in the first doubles played, the match was beyond doubt and the final "dead legs" were played out on an enjoyable evening.
The Plough & Harrow from Bridge defeated in
Royal Oak 4-2 in a nail-biting match and will now play the Lion in the semis.  Keith Symes beat Alan Smith 3950-2470 in the first leg, before Gary Clarke pulled the Royal Oak level.  The final singles saw Ian Dennett win a last-ball game 1610-1560 against Stuart Richardson to regain the lead for the Plough.  The first doubles saw another close frame as Baz Symes & Paddy Maher beat Richardson & Clarke 2820-2630, and the match was put beyond doubt by Dennett & Baz Symes, before a consolation win for Smith & Richardson in the final game.
The final quarterfinal saw the Alma A beat the
Market Inn A 5-1 on a tricky Royal Oak table.  The Market Inn were unlucky not to be leading 2-1 after the singles, but were instead 3-0 down.  John Mitchell took the first leg, Ted Batchelor then won a last-ball game 1990-1740 against Alan Farra after Farra had lost 250 after the bar, and finally Chris Saville beat Gareth Butcher 1690-1360 after Butcher had been leading by 1000 nearing the bar.  Batchelor & Mitchell took the first doubles to clinch victory, and the Alma A will now play the Chantry in the
semi-finals.

The Plate competition produced the shock of the round as the Butchers Arms beat the Alma B 4-2.  Bill Edwards gave the Alma the lead, but Baz Winters levelled matters by finishing on the 200 hole, and then Dave Howarth regained the lead for the
Alma .  The Butchers Arms took a 3-2 lead as they took the first two doubles, as Janet Kershaw partnered first Doug Vickers and then Paul Collins.  With the match poised at 3-2 to the Butchers Arms, but the Alma leading on aggregate, in the final doubles Harry Pearson unfortunately black-pegged while leading by 1700 to gift the tie to the Butchers, as Winters & Kershaw won.
The Plough & Harrow, Tilmanstone were eventual 4-2 winners in a tough match against the Brickmakers B.  Simon Jones (3500) took the first leg for the Brickies, before singles wins for Ann Keen and Brian Carpenter gave advantage to the Plough.  Simon Jones & Baz Taylor took the first doubles to level the tie, and then the Plough regained the lead through Carpenter & Ann Keen.  The tense final leg was suitably close as Karen Keen & Brian Carpenter just edged Paul Dargan & Simon Jones 2010-1840 with the Brickies having a greater points aggregate.
The Magnet B edged out the Brickmakers A 4-2 to face the Butchers Arms in the semis.  Tanya Philpott and Rob Robertson built a 2-0 lead for the Magnet, before Nick Corck pulled a frame back for the Brickies.  A close first doubles was won 1360-1210 by Chris Gent & Tanya Philpott against Paul & Ann Garlinge, and then Craig Lancaster & Alan Holmwood took the
next frame for 2-3.  The Brickies hopes of an aggregate win were snuffed out as Rob Robertson & Steve Philpott took control in the final doubles.