Workington’s Station Road Club produced a stunning final victory in the L&L Property Contractors Snooker League.
They beat Workington Golf Club A 3-0 to claim the Eric McMullen Memorial TKO Handicap Trophy.
A first title in the league’s premier cup competition for Station Road Club may look easy considering the score-line but with drama surrounding every frame the Division Two runners-up certainly had to work hard for it.
In the first frame Workington Golf Club A’s Bryan Walker (handicap +21) started well but with Station Road’s Chris Hunter (+32) holding his own the scoreline remained close.
Nevertheless, Walker managed to nudge ahead and with the frame ball pink at his mercy the Golf Club A looked to be going 1-0 up. Unfortunately for Walker an uncharacteristic miss gave Hunter an opportunity and in depositing the final two balls the game was tied.
A re-spotted black ball fight was to follow and with long safety exchange it was Hunter who eventually forged an opportunity. Holding his nerve the Station Road cueist calmly stroked the black home for a 61-54 win and a 1-0 lead.
Frame two saw Mike Walker (+20) in with an early break of 23 but with Ryan Ismay (+11) hitting right back with 24 the game was in the balance.
At 12 points behind with the colours remaining Ismay was now second favourite but in potting green, brown and blue it was now anyone’s frame. A safety battle ended with a chance for Walker and in only needing one ball the equation was simple.
Steadying himself the Station Road player cued the pink beautifully and in seeing it disappear he took the frame with a 56-40 victory for a 2-0 match lead.
In what turned out to be the final frame of the match Golf Club A’s Stephen Jackson (+38) started like the proverbial runaway train as he built a 30 point lead.
This didn’t faze Station Road’s Tom Thompson (+23), however, and with a break of 24 he was back in it. With just a few reds remaining pots were traded with both players looking a likely winner at some stage.
As the frame swung in every direction possible the inevitable black ball game ensued and with a fine pot it was Thompson who claimed a high scoring 65-62 victory for a 3-0 cup final win to the delight of his team mates.
