Cup action again dominated the L&L Property Contractors Snooker League fixture list this week.
The Eric McMullen Memorial TKO Handicap Trophy stage three qualifying took place and produced a surprise result.
Group B saw the first of its two qualifying fixtures feature Workington’s Veterans Club B and group leaders Station Road B.
With a superb performance underdogs Vets B turned over their decorated opponents with relative ease in a 4-1 home victory.
Out first Vets B’s Shane Evitts (+29 handicap) found in no need for his handicap start advantage as he won comfortably for a 1-0 lead.
Frame two followed a similar pattern with Richard Kirkham (+33) making it 2-0 and as Michael ‘Sid’ Walker (+28) thrashed Station B talisman Peter O’Hagan (Scr) in the next it was soon 3-0.
In frame four Kevin Kirkham (+6) gave his team something to shout about as, with a contribution of 35, he pulled a point back for the Station B outfit to make it 3-1.
Even though the match win had been secured earlier every frame matters in the group qualifying format and with that in mind it was Flimby captain Geoff Banton (+32) who completed the 4-1 match victory with a simply brilliant pot on the final black to give his team an excellent chance of qualification.
The other match in qualifying group B saw Whitehaven’s Rack Shack give themselves a slim chance of making the semi finals with a 4-1 home victory against Maryport Social Club.
Stephen Harrison (+37) and Nev Stitt (+35) produced two steady performances for the Whitehaven side to make it 2-0 and with team mate Adam Morilla (+35) also proving to be equal to the task the score moved to 3-0.
Nevertheless, Gary Miller (+35) was still in confident mood leading up to frame four and with a good win he pulled one back for 3-1.
The last frame turned out to be the closest of the evening and in a tactical encounter it was Peter McAvoy (+35) who galvanised the victory in a satisfying Rack Shack win.
Qualifying group A saw only one match feature with home side Station Road A taking on Veterans Club A.
In what turned out to be a resolute display it was the Station A side who fought off a Vets A comeback to run out 3-2 victors.
A first frame win for Tom Thompson (+20) gave the Station A side the lead and with Chris Hunter (+27) taking the next on the black it was 2-0 to the home side.
The comeback began as Vets A captain Kevin Basnett (Scr) essentially won the next frame in two visits and with Steve Garroway (+25) displaying a welcome return to form in frame four a decider was needed to split the two teams.
Darren Lawson (+25) started the final frame well and even though there was a minor wobble in the middle the Station A cueist maintained control to grab a pleasing qualifying victory.
