Workington’s Veterans Club A snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in the L&L Property Contractors Snooker League TKO Handicap Plate final.
They came back from 2-0 down to take the title in a 3-2 score-line against fellow townies Station Road A.
In the first frame Vets A captain Kevin Basnett (Scr) made the best start possible as with a break of 27 he wiped out the handicap deficit immediately.
Nevertheless with a fine long red Station A’s Tom Thompson (+20 start) regained his lead with a contribution of 21.
As the frame moved on a 26 break by Basnett gave the Vets A cueist the advantage again with just one red remaining.
Despite this Thompson fought back and with the pink and black left the scores were level.
A quality safety exchange followed to the point where Basnett left a tempting pot for Thompson, albeit ten foot away with the white on the side cushion.
Quickly to the baize Thompson delivered, not only a pot on the pink that would have graced any table, but produced a positional shot that allowed him to pot the black.
For the Station A captain it topped off a performance of the very highest quality to win 74-61.
At 1-0 up Station A’s Mike Walker (+11) ensured his team keep their advantage as he scrapped out an early frame two lead.
Even though his Vets A opponent chipped away Walker ensured he always kept his nose in-front.
As the frame moved on both players traded some brilliant single ball pots but with any semblance of a break seemingly a bridge too far the game was almost level as the colours remained.
Again pot for pot was traded but as the black remained the game was still undecided.
A fine safety exchange ensued until a slim chance eventually presented itself to Walker in which he stroked it in for a 52-50 frame victory.
Frame three saw Station A’s Darren Lawson (+25) get the early chances but with a dreadful run of the ball this allowed Vets A’s Mark Tatton (+15) to keep in touch.
As the frame progressed Tatton crafted an opportunity and with a quite brilliant break of 32 the Vets A player put himself in pole position.
Even though Lawson fought hard the snooker gods seemed to be against him as the deficit grew. This reached the point where Tatton eventually potted green through to pink to record a 67-38 frame victory to keep Vets A in the match at 2-1.
The next frame saw Vets Paul Smith (+29) and Station A’s Mark Robertson (+22) trade blows early on but as Smith dominated the following tactical encounter he crafted a 25 point lead with just two reds remaining.
Robertson wasn’t done, however, and in dragging himself back into the frame the Station A player found himself in with a chance at 13 behind with the pink and black remaining.
A good pot on the pink gave Robertson a mid-distance black but in stretching a little the final ball eluded him.
As the black was still in the open, albeit at distance, Smith composed himself and in coolly dispatching it he took the match to a decider with a 58-44 win.
The final frame of the match was always going to be a nervy encounter but with Vets A’s Paul Johnston (+44) making the most of his handicap advantage against Station A’s Chris Hunter (+27) he moved 27 points ahead.
Just at the point at which Johnston looked to be taking control, Hunter stepped in and moved five points ahead with one red remaining thanks to a break of 26.
Even though the momentum was now with Hunter this didn’t translate into points and Johnston grabbed a two point lead with just the blue, pink and black left.
A couple of safety shots later and Johnston had a pot on the blue, but in missing it the chance seemed to have gone only to see it rattle in the jaws, roll twelve feet down the side cushion and fall into the corner pocket.
To rub salt into Station A’s and Chris Hunter’s wounds the white ball came all around the table and landed perfect on the pink. Wasting no time Johnson quickly deposited the match and title winning ball for a remarkable 75-57 frame victory.
