There was a return to cup format as players continued the latest battle in the group stage of the Derwent Valley Asbestos Individual Handicap Knockout.
Stephen Harrison (+34) delivered a dominant performance away from home, securing a 4-1 victory against Ryan Ismay (+15).
The opening frame set the tone, with Harrison edging it narrowly to take a 1-0 lead. The second frame saw Harrison find a gear, producing a 37 break to move into a 2-0 match lead.
In the third frame, Harrison continued to capitalise on his opportunities, making it difficult for Ismay to reduce the handicap deficit, to earn a 3-0 lead and ensure match victory.
Frame four was the most one-sided of the evening, as Harrison displayed a clinical approach, leaving Ismay little chance to respond.
Despite the growing deficit, Ismay fought back gallantly in the final frame, showing grit and determination to salvage a point from the contest and avoiding a whitewash.
Harrison’s victory moves him into second place in Group A and in contention for a semi-final place.
In another high-calibre match from Group A, Mark Tunstall (+24) emerged victorious with a 3-2 win over Adam Sowden (+46).
Both players came out firing in the opening frame, but it was Tunstall who edged it on the final black.
The second frame saw Tunstall continue his momentum, steadily overcoming the handicap deficit to take a firm grasp of the match at 2-0.
He then turned up the heat in the third frame, compiling an impressive break of 30 on the way to sealing the win.
However, Sowden wasn’t done, and he mounted a spirited comeback in the fourth, battling through to edge the frame in the closing stages.
Sowden’s determination carried into the final frame, and he maintained his composure to edge the victory and limit the losing deficit to a single point. Tunstall’s win maintains his 100% win record in the cup and moves him to the top of Group A.
In Group B, Dave Chapman (+29) narrowly defeated Chris Hunter (+30) 3-2 in a tense, close contest. Chapman struck first with a confident performance in the opening frame, displaying solid control and consistent safety play.
In the second frame Chapman was even more convincing, as he steamrolled to victory, which left Hunter needing to win all the remaining frames to rescue victory.
Hunter wasn’t going down without a fight, and in the third frame, he regained composure, capitalising on Chapman’s rare errors to take the first step on the comeback trail.
Hunter carried that momentum into frame four, clawing his way to a narrow win and level the match at 2-2.
With all to play for in the deciding frame, Chapman rediscovered his rhythm and held firm under pressure, to confidently close out the match for a well earned 3-2 victory, and move into second place in the Group B table.
Stephen Jackson (+33) delivered a display of consistent scoring to power to the top of Group B, with a superb 4-1 away win against Peter O’Hagan (+1).
Jackson took control of the match from the outset, cruising through the opening frame.
O’Hagan responded in style in the second, producing an excellent break of 57, to bring the match level at 1-1.
Jackson fought hard and regained the momentum in the third to once again take the lead and move within a frame of victory.
The fourth frame proved to be the most dramatic of the match. O’Hagan looked certain to level the match until an untimely miss while on a break of 40 gave Jackson the slimmest of openings.
Needing a clearance from the last red, Jackson produced a clinical mixture of potting and safety to unexpectedly overturn the frame and move into an unassailable 3-1 lead.
Inspired with confidence Jackson maintained his steady scoring to finish strongly in the final frame and wrap up a commanding 4-1 scoreline.
