Workington’s United Club have added to their excellent Division One runners-up spot in the L&L Property Contractors Snooker League.
They recorded a 3-1 top 4 play-off final victory over league champions, Workington Golf Club A.
The United Club victory sees a first-time top tier playoff title for the Workington side in a season that also produced their highest league position since entering the competition.
The match, held at Flimby Social Club, started with United’s Clive Lister potting some good balls but in struggling positionally his scoring was restricted.
This gave Ryan Ismay the perfect opportunity to build some confidence and with a couple of smaller contributions the Golf Club A player gained a 20 point lead.
Three reds and two colours may not have yielded many points but with the lead now at 30 and just the green left it was enough for Ismay to take the frame 54-16 for a 1-0 Golf Club A lead.
Frame two saw Dave Chapman race to an early 20 point advantage to put the United Club in a commanding position.
This lead soon evaporated however as the Golf Club A’s Phil Sorfleet pulled back to within a point. With just three balls remaining Sorfleet looked the likely victor as Chapman faced a difficult blue and staring a 2-0 Golf Club match lead in the face.
Sizing up the shot Chapman then stroked the blue in nicely only to leave an even trickier pink. From the jaws of the corner pocket the long pink looked to favour a safety shot, nevertheless with no hesitation Chapman calmly slotted it home for a terrific 62-47 victory and a crucial 1-1 scoreline.
Bryan Walker saw the best of the early chances in frame three but as the Golf Club A cueist failed to capitalise Division One leading player Peter O’Hagan grew in confidence.
At this point in the frame O’Hagan was looking to pounce and as he created the chance he was looking for, an excellent 36 break later was enough to put the United Club player out of sight to win 67-20 for a 2-1 match lead.
In what turned out to be the final frame of the match the Golf Club A’s Mark Brasted struggled to settle with United Club captain Andrew Mitchelhill going 24-0 ahead.
Brasted eventually found his form with some fine potting but with Mitchelhill matching him the United Club cueists lead remained as three reds stood.
Taking the next red the signs looked ominous and clearing to the brown it was Mitchelhill who not only produced the evening’s most convincing win at 73-18 but also delivered the match and title victory in front of an appreciative Flimby Club crowd.
