In a dramatic climax to this year’s Eric McMullen Memorial TKO Handicap Trophy, Workington’s Station Road Club held their nerve to defeat fellow townies United Club B 4-3 in a captivating final at Workington Golf Club.
In frame one Station Road’s Tom Thompson (+22 handicap) set the tone for the evening with an excellent early break of 27 clawing back the handicap deficit to lead 48-26.
However Stephen Jackson (+35) responded to close the gap to just 11 points with 25 points remaining and in laying a telling snooker the United B talisman forced a chance.
After potting the pink, Jackson narrowly missed a tough black for the frame. Thompson, under pressure, sank a superb long black to claim the opener 63-55 and put Station Road 1–0 ahead.
United B’s Adam Sowden (+46) overcame a sluggish start in frame two against Darren Lawson (+22) to extend his handicap start with several small visits.
A good safety shot that resulted in a snooker extended Sowden’s advantage as his lead moved to 52-23.
Station Road’s Lawson (+22), clearly suffering from some significant shoulder pain, tried hard to come back into the frame and despite achieving one of the snookers he required a missed routine pot was punished by Sowden as the United B cueist levelled the match at 1-1 with a 62-32 triumph.
In the first of the two doubles frames John Teasdale & Darren Lawson (combined +21 handicap) took on United B’s Adam Sowden & Stephen Harrison (+42).
In a closely contested frame, both pairs traded chances with neither able to dominate. Station Road chipped away at the 21-point handicap deficit nevertheless, and with only colours remaining, the scores were virtually tied.
Harrison potted green and brown to put United B ahead by 15, but John Teasdale responded in style potting blue, pink and a good long black to snatch the frame 70-62 for Station Road and put his side 2-1 up.
Kev Kirkham & Tom Thompson (+11) faced up against Stephen Jackson & Andrew Carter (+40) in a tense fourth frame.
Thompson and Kirkham made early inroads into the handicap deficit with but the the United B pairing hanging on they took a 13-point cushion into the colours.
As the pressure mounted, Kirkham tied the scores as a nervy battle ensued on the final three balls. With just the black left it was Jackson who stepped up and under extreme pressure the United B captain levelled the match at 2-2 with a 71-65 win.
In frame five Kev Kirkham (Scr) missed a series of early chances but with Andrew Carter (+45) unable to take advantage Kirkham grew in confidence.
A break of 25 was soon followed with a contribution of 57, to the blue, as Station Road’s county champion stormed past Carter 106-62 to reclaim the lead for Station Road at 3–2.
United B’s Stephen Harrison (+37) edged the early exchanges against John Teasdale (+20) in the next to eventually lead by 30 points with five reds remaining.
Teasdale dug in to reduce the arrears and with just the green remaining the Station Road potter trailed by 14. Teasdale’s efforts all proved to be in vain however as Harrison potted green and brown to leave Teasdale needing a snooker. A few shots later Harrison deposited the pink for a 70-48 victory and a 3-3 match scoreline.
Station Road’s Stephen Lowery (+40) and United B’s David Petrie (+42) were given the difficult task of tackling the decider with pressure now at its maximum.
From the off Lowery looked the more composed as he found his rhythm to build a 44-17 lead.
As the frame moved on Petrie potted the final red in an attempt to keep his side’s title hopes alive, but after missing the colour, he was left needing snookers.
Keeping his cool, Lowery ensured there was no way back for Petrie as the Station Road hero sealed a 4-3 match and title win, with a 57-21 victory.
