The L&L Property Contractors Snooker League took a break this week to make way for the Grays Luxury Ices sponsored Eric McMullen Memorial TKO Trophy qualifying matches.
Up first in Group 2, the handicap advantage that home team Maryport Social possessed didn’t seem to phase former champions Station Road B as with room to spare the Workington side ran out 4-1 winners.
Victories for Stephen O’Hagan (+9 handicap), Alan McLeod (+16), Peter O’Hagan (Scr) and Simon Frazer (+23) ensured the best possible start to qualifying for Station Road B.
However, the performance of the night went to the Social’s Gary Miller (+35). After a number of years out of league action, the Social cueist made a fantastic winning comeback with a superbly constructed break of 31 to grab a point.
In the other match in Group 2, home side the United Club ran out very narrow winners against the newly located Veterans Club B side (formerly Flimby Social) 3-2.
A win for Tony Hindmoor (+40) followed by a respotted black victory for Willie Fearon (+36) put the United Club 2-0 up.
Vets B clawed one back with a black ball victory for captain Geoff Banton (+32) and with a simply brilliant showing from teammate Paul Vickers (+11) the score was 2-2.
In the decider Vets B looked to have the advantage, nevertheless, with an extremely solid outing, it was Mark Suitor (+34) who claimed the win for the United side in a tidy qualifying victory.
Group 1’s first match saw a travelling Workington Golf Club avenge their earlier season league defeat to prove victorious over Workington Conservative Club 3-2.
A first frame win for Dave Holland (+29) put the Cons 1-0 up but with a turn of pace the Golf Club ran away with the match victory on the back of wins from Lewis Tilley (+35), Stephen Jackson (+33) and Ryan Ismay (+5).
However, with a point still to play for Ryan Barker (+21) eased the Cons pain with a comfortable victory in the last.
The only other match of the week, and the second of the Group 1 matches, unfortunately ended in a 5-0 scoreline as due to unforeseen circumstances Workington Legion had to forfeit their match to home side Workington Veterans Club A.
