Category: Previews

Gorton & District Pool League Team Ko Header Image

16 April, 202516 April, 2025 by Scott Armstrong

Team Ko – Last 16 Review

This week sees the start of the 2025 Team Ko trophy, and with what appears to be one of the most competitive leagues in a number of years, it certainly looks to be a tight competition.
The victors over two legs will advance to the main event, while the losers will still have an opportunity to achieve glory in the plate event.
Notably, there are four new teams this year, although three of them feature players who have been in the league before.

Prince of Wales ‘B’ v Strawberry Duck
The Prince ‘B’ is full of experienced players who are used to the pressures of Team Ko, but does that mean they could be overconfident or complacent? Something they really can’t afford to be against a strong new team. The Strawberry Duck has proven they are a decent team finding their feet, and I am sure they will be looking forward to their chances here.

The Buxton v Waggon & Horses ‘B’
The Buxton will be looking at this fixture as a way into the Main Team Ko. They have a year’s experience now, and the Waggon ‘B’ doesn’t seem to have gotten going yet. There are good players in both teams and, more importantly, both with experience and skill. The Waggon ‘B’ probably does probably have more experience, especially with league veteran Carol Cheffings. The Buxton, though, is full of enthusiasm, so they’ll be looking forward to this.

Studio Bar v Clayton Con Club
Last season Team Ko’s finals night felt strange to me as I refereed the main final. Why, well, because there was no studio there for their first absence on finals night in, I think, seven years. They will rightly be favourites in this match. However, Clayton has made a good, solid start and will be looking to cause an upset. Chris, as Studio captain, will be determined to get the team back to where they feel they belong, and that’s finals night. Clayton just needs to look at this as a big opportunity. If they managed to win over two legs, that would certainly be a coup on their part.

Steelworks Tavern v Prince of Wales
This one is a match of last year’s Team Ko runners-up, the Steelworks, the plate, and the Prince, the main. This match is sure to be interesting with the Steelworks team being able to evolve over the last few years, but always retaining their quality. The Prince has made a perfect start this season so far, but this is a match that could bite them on the backside.

Gorton Con Club v The Sidings
Gorton Con Club are the reigning main Team Ko champions and will be looking to make a strong start to their title defence this season. The Sidings are currently without captain Dan who is recuperating, which is a big loss, but they have some very experienced league players who will be hoping to give Gorton a real challenge. Gorton has to put their league struggles so far behind them and get back to the way they played last week in this comp to get over the line.

Waggon & Horses v Holdsworth WMC
The Waggoners are resurgent so far this year, showing quality even in close defeats. With a couple of notably experienced additions this year, they have raised their level to that which won them the plate event only a few years ago. Holdsworth WMC haven’t had the easiest of starts, but the team has a couple of very experienced and good players, so they should be looking at this as an opportunity to get their season going.

Strawberry Gardens v Gorton Con Club ‘B’
A match-up that sees two teams that have made a much better start this season than they did last come up against each other at a time when both teams will be feeling fairly confident. The two teams have some very talented players, and I would say this is quite an equal contest. Both of the teams will be hoping to make a good start in the cup.

31 March, 202531 March, 2025 by Scott Armstrong

League Fixture #5 Preview

This week marks our fifth fixture, and it promises to be an exciting one with a couple of massive games. The league leaders are away for the second consecutive week, leaving plenty of decent match-ups for the other teams to capitalise on. What I’m particularly enjoying is seeing the improvement in some teams and the new teams doing well. And with Gorton ‘B’, the Buxton, the Waggon and the Strawberry Gardens all sandwiched between the Stduio and Gorton in the top seven it looks as though this could be one of the most wide-open leagues in years.

Clayton Con Club v Waggon & Horses
Before the start of the season, I would have said there wasn’t a clear favourite in this match; now, I am saying it is even less clear. Both Clayton and the Waggon had massive wins last week in different ways. Clayton managed to pinch all three points against one of the favourites for the league, and the Waggon had a perfect score last week. This one is going to be interesting, as whichever team wins will feel the momentum going forward.

Gorton Con Club ‘B’ v Steelworks Tavern
The Gorton ‘B’ have had a great start to the season so far, they didn’t manage to get the win last week but did at least get a point. They are in a much better place this season than this time last year and have a game in hand above the top two. The Steelworks suffered a loss last week at home, so they will be motivated to go out and out that right. They are a team that is full of talent and are now used to doing well in the league and will want that to continue.

Prince of Wales ‘B’ v The Holdsworth
Prince ‘B’ won last week at a vital stage as they were getting frustrated their good performances were not getting the results they felt they deserved. The Holdsworth are having a difficult start to the season as many new teams do. I am sure that the old friends now friendly rivals will relish the idea of taking the three points at the other’s expense.

Strawberry Duck v Prince of Wales
The Duck had made a decent start but suffered their first big loss last week at the hands of the Waggon. This, though, should not deter them; I hope they don’t let their heads drop, as I think they have been a great addition to the league. The Prince, on the other hand, may feel a bit of pressure to get a big score as the Waggon managed it the week before, in reality, they need to concentrate on getting to the magical five frames and keep doing what we have been so far.

Studio Bar v Gorton Con Club
The Studio is currently sitting second in the league and will feel confident in its position after last week’s 8-0 win and Gorton’s surprise loss. Gorton will be desperate to secure a win to keep pace with the league’s top two teams. This is the match of the week for me; the amount of talent available to both teams is a major draw. More than a few teams will be keeping a close eye on this match.

The Buxton v The Sidings
The Buxton have had a better start this year than last and continued that with a very good win away at the Steelworks last week, so I am sure they will be feeling confident right now. The Sidings had an awful week last week; first, Captain Dan was taken ill, and then they were on the receiving end of an 8-0 drubbing. This week, though, they have to put that to the back of their minds and concentrate on getting back to winning ways and doing their captain proud.

Waggon & Horses ‘B’ v Strawberry Gardens
Waggon ‘B’, still with that game in hand, will be wanting to get more points on the board and will be looking at this match as a possible one for points. The Strawberry Gardens are a different team this year, picking up points regularly despite last week’s draw they will be quietly confident they can get the job done this week.

25 March, 202531 March, 2025 by Scott Armstrong

League Fixture #4 Preview

The last week in March sees us almost a third into the first round of this year’s league season. The top three of the table are probably the expected top three: Prince of Wales, Studio Bar, and Gorton Con Club, and with only three points between them, it is tight at the top.

The surprise invitation to this party, though, is Gorton Con Club ‘B’, only behind their namesake on frame difference and with a game in hand. Hypothetically, a win from their game in hand would see them at the top of the table.

We could see some movement in the table this week, though, with 5th playing 4th, 6th playing 7th, and 8th playing 9th; the fight for the top 7 is well and truly on.

Gorton Con Club v Clayton Con Club
The derby of the Con Clubs, the home side, will be favourites as they are in nearly every game they play. Gorton wasn’t overly happy with their table when I was there recently. Could this play a part in this match? Clayton usually suffers when the captain is away. However, last week, there were signs that this might not be the case this season. Gorton are still favourites, but I am not sure they will have it all their way.
Last season: Gorton Con Club 7 vs 1 Clayton Con Club

The Holdsworth v Prince of Wales
The Holdsworth got themselves off the mark in last week’s match, which should certainly give them a boost ahead of playing the Prince this week. The Prince, however, is sitting at the top of the table, but last week’s game wasn’t easy and shows there are frames to be taken. The goal for both teams is simply 3 points. For the Holdsworth, that could potentially see them climb a few places up the table and stake a good scalp in their campaign. But the Prince has got their nose in front and will be looking to keep it there.
Last Season N/A

Prince of Wales ‘B’ v Waggon & Horses ‘B’
These two teams are tied on one point each, although the Waggon ‘B’ team has a game in hand due to an earlier postponement. The Prince ‘B’ team is full of enthusiasm and has some very skilled potters, which makes them a formidable opponent. The Waggon B team, led by Chris, is always a pleasure to watch and will give their all in every frame. It’s hard to predict the outcome as neither team seems to have a clear advantage.
Last Season N/A

Steelworks Tavern v The Buxton
The two teams in this match will be eager to get back to winning ways after last week’s losses. I’ve consistently mentioned that playing away at the Steelworks is one of the most challenging away games in the league. However, the Buxton team might be the best-suited to thrive at the Steelworks as an away team. While the Steelworks team believe in their chances against anyone, and this match is no exception, the Buxton, however, have shown their ability to step up against anyone.
Last season: Steelworks Tavern 4 vs 4 The Buxton

Strawberry Gardens v Gorton Con Club ‘B’
The Strawberry Gardens is having a much better start to the season this time around and currently sits one point behind its opponents. Gorton ‘B’ have had a great start, two wins from two, with a game in hand on those around them. They will fancy making it three out of three, the only problem with that is the Gardens will be doing everything they can to make sure that doesn’t happen and with an almost carbon copy of last year’s teams, will the Gardens emulate last year’s win, or will Gorton ‘B’ reverse the points with its mixture of old and new players in the team? All I know is that both have made a good start and will want to continue that.
Last season: Strawberry Gardens 5 vs 3 Gorton Con Club ‘B’

The Sidings v Studio Bar
Well, this one should be good. The Sidings have new players, a new table, and a pretty much new venue after the refurb. They have not had the best of starts, having lost two and drawn one, a trend they will be hoping to change. The Studio will rightly be favourites for the win for most people as we all know they are usually there or thereabouts in terms of the league. The question is, can the Sidings put up enough of a fight to worry the Studio, or will the Studio be business as usual and get the win?
Last season: The Sidings 3 vs 5 Studio Bar

Waggon & Horses v Strawberry Duck
The Waggon are definitely on the up and will be feeling positive about their prospects. The Strawberry Duck have made a good start to life in the Gorton League, picking up two good draws against the Steelworks and the Sidings, with a loss to Gorton their only blot so far. The Waggon have won one and lost two, but they have made both Gorton and The Prince work for every frame and only lost 5v3 in each of these. There is certainly respect gained. The Duck are settling in well and look to push forward and get that first win on the board, which I am sure will follow with more. However, the Waggon have added to an already capable team with strength and experience, which I feel just gives the edge in this match to make them a slight favourite for the win.
Last Season N/A

17 March, 202517 March, 2025 by Scott Armstrong

League Fixture #3 Preview

We are only at week three of the season, and from the first two games, it is shaping up to be a great season. We have had some dropped points by the big teams, and the new teams are holding their own and giving some good performances. As we head into this round of fixtures, we see another set of good matches.

Clayton Con Club v The Sidings
These two teams have had a decent start with a draw and a loss each; they will now be looking at this game for their first win. Clayton has brought back to the league Steven Scholes, who is a very good player, but captain Martin is taking his usual month’s holiday. The question is, will Clayton be able to perform without Captain Reliable? The Sidings are still bedding in some new players and may look at this as an ideal opportunity to get them settled. The two teams will go all out for a win, but who will get the 3 points?
Last season: Clayton Con Club 3 vs 5 The Sidings

Gorton Con Club ‘B’ vs Prince of Wales ‘B’
Gorton ‘B’ is currently in the top 7 with a game in hand thanks to the postponement last week. They’ll want to win again. They’re on a roll and want to keep it going. The Prince B had a tough game to start the season and gave it their all. They ended up with a decent draw last week. I think both teams have a good chance of winning, at least on paper. I think they’re pretty evenly matched.
Last season: N/A

Prince of Wales v Waggon & Horses
These two teams have had a good start, with Prince sitting at the top of the table with a very good result last week against a formidable team. The Waggon, on the other hand, got a very good 6-2 win against the Holdsworth. What is pleasing to see is that the return to the Waggon of Will Sessnon has, for now at least appeared to give the team a lift. This currently sees the Waggon sit not just in the top 7 but the top 5. As a Prince player, I hope we beat them but as the chairman, I hope that the Waggon continue their good start.
Last season: Prince of Wales 6 vs 2 Waggon & Horses

Strawberry Duck v Gorton Con Club
Well, the Strawberry Duck has had a decent start with two draws and sits just outside the top 7. They will be looking for their first 3 points. They do, however, have an uphill battle to fight, as we all know just how good Gorton can be. After last week’s loss, they will be looking to bounce back ASAP; there can be no doubt how good the Gorton team is. There is also no doubt that in this league, anything can happen. I will be interested to see the response from Gorton and whether the Duck can gain more points.
Last season: N/A

Studio Bar v Steelworks Tavern
The match of the new captains, the Studio at home, is a very tough game to play. The Steelworks are no mugs, though, and in fact, in this match last season, it was the Steelworks that walked away with a 5-3. This was a tough loss for take for the Studio, and I am sure that new captains will both be doing their all to walk away with the 3 points.
Last season: Studio Bar 3 v 5 Steelworks

The Buxton v Strawberry Gardens
The Buxton at home is a very tough game; they have one of the better tables in the league but one of the toughest spaces around the table to play. The Gardens will, however, be full of confidence after having narrowly missed out on 3 points last week against the Studio. They did have three frames to get over the line and didn’t manage it, will this be a factor this week? The Buxton are always a threat, and last season, they surprised many, will they manage to stay in the top half this season and, maybe, even in the hunt for the title?
Last season: The Buxton 5 v 3 Strawberry Gardens

Waggon & Horses B v The Holdsworth
The clash of the new teams that currently sit at the foot of the table, the Waggon B, albeit with a game in hand. The two teams have a mixture of experienced players and those new to the league, so this one is probably among the hardest to predict. This makes this fixture such an interesting one, I know Chris will be desperate to get their first 3 points on the board, and Lewie will be just as desperate to get things going.
Last season: N/A

10 March, 202512 March, 2025 by Scott Armstrong

League Fixture #2 Preview

Well its only the second week and already we have a massive game along with a lot of interesting contests. There is a clash of B teams as well.

Gorton Con Club vs Prince of Wales
The games don’t get much bigger than this. Two of the favourites for any competition they participate in face off early in the season. The Gorton and the Prince sides will be eager to establish their dominance and have talented players throughout their squads.
Last season: Gorton Con Club 3 vs 5 Prince of Wales

The Holdsworth vs Waggon & Horses
The Holdsworths will be eager to secure their first three points on the board and will likely feel confident at home. However, I have a hunch that they will be significantly stronger this year with a few new additions.
Last season: N/A

Prince of Wales ‘B’ vs The Buxton
The Prince B all came back last week buzzing that they were in the game, and why not? The Studio are a class team, with some brilliant players. On to this week though, and the Prince B will be looking to turn the home-field advantage into 3 points. The Buxton surprised quite a few last season and will be looking to continue their fine performances since joining the league.
Last season: N/A

Steelworks Tavern vs Clayton Con Club
The Steelworks at home can be among the most difficult teams to face, and they will be looking to get the job done this week. They managed to get a good away point last week against a completely new team, which can always be a banana skin, but they will want more. Clayton had a good draw last week as well, but with their new players, they will be hoping that they can start to pick up more points earlier this season.
Last season: Steelworks Tavern 7 vs 1 Clayton Con Club

Strawberry Gardens vs Studio Bar
They took their time to get going last year, but once they did, they started accumulating a steady number of points. They will be hoping that the hard-fought-away points they secured last week are just the beginning. Despite being underdogs even at home, they are aware of this. The studio can say whatever it wants about them that hasn’t already been said: they have been an exceptional team, and there doesn’t appear to be any reason why that won’t continue. They have even improved their team’s quality. Will it be up to captain Chris to secure the three points once again this week?
Last season: Strawberry Gardens 3 vs 5 Studio Bar

The Sidings vs Strawberry Duck
The Sidings last week relied on tried-and-tested team players, and they performed really well away to the champions. What was noticeable last week was that the Sidings have got a much larger squad this season, and I have been told they are all of a good standard. They are playing an unknown team in the Duck and will be cautious but optimistic. The Duck can look at this season almost as a free hit; they don’t yet know where they feel they should finish. The teams facing them will also have no idea what the team is like, which could result in some very interesting nights and results.
Last season: N/A

Waggon & Horses ‘B’ vs. Gorton Con Club ‘B’
The Waggon B team comprises both seasoned league players and relatively new ones. This unique composition presents an intriguing challenge. Will the experienced players impart their expertise and enhance the skills of the newcomers, ultimately leading to improved performance as a team? The Gorton B team, led by Wayne and bolstered by new players, demonstrated a promising start this year. Overall, the prospects for the team appear promising.
Last season: N/A

3 March, 202522 March, 2025 by Scott Armstrong

League Fixture #1 – Preview

So here we are; the wait is finally over, and the new season kicks off this week. We have an exciting season ahead, we have a new league format and new teams. The first week is always hard to preview as there are always unknowns, team form, and how good the new teams are.

Clayton Con Club v Strawberry Gardens
Clayton signed some new players and is optimistic that this will help them improve this season. The Strawberry Gardens have also made team changes for their second G&DPL season. A Droylsden derby as a first game will give one of these teams a better start than last season.
Last season: Clayton Con Club 5 vs 3 Strawberry Gardens

Gorton Con Club B vs. The Holdsworth
This match should be a decent one between two fairly even teams. Gorton ‘B’ are hoping to get off to a good start this season against The Holdsworth, who are not exactly a new team, just a new venue. Made up of some of the old Friendship team, they are making a new start at the Holdsworth after the sad closure of the Friendship. They hope to continue in the same vein as last year, where they picked up a lot of good wins. Gorton ‘B’, after they have introduced new players, will be looking to get off to a better start than last year’s 6-2 first match defeat.
Last season: N/A

Prince of Wales vs. The Sidings
There are a few player changes on both sides, which could make this an interesting match. The Prince, champions for the last two seasons, will be looking to get off to a better start than last season. They lost the opening game, their first league game in a year. The Sidings will be looking to better last year’s results, especially after they are a team that can pose a threat to any on their day.
Last season: Prince of Wales 5 vs 3 The Sidings

Strawberry Duck vs. Steelworks Tavern
Another match and another new team, the Strawberry Duck, are pretty much unknown, so it will be hard to figure out how to play them. Their captain is John Hughes, who returns to the league after a time away. If his team show the same quality we know John has, they will almost certainly cause a few upsets along the way. The Steelworks are always a good, strong league side and have been improving over the last few years. They have got to finals, and team members have won things, so they will be looking to avoid an early setback.
Last season: N/A

Studio Bar vs. Prince of Wales ‘B’
This is an interesting match. The Studio has a new captain, Chris, and a couple of quality new players. Prince ‘B’ is a mix of the old Friendship and Cotton Tree teams. The Studio’s talent means they will be clear favourites, but as we have seen repeatedly in this league, no team can be discounted, and looking at Prince ‘B’s team, they will be capable of anything.
Last season: N/A

The Buxton vs. Waggon & Horses ‘B’
One of last year’s surprise packages, the Buxton, started slow but then found themselves and took some big wins along the way before having a mixed end to the season. They will, however, be hoping to get off to a good start and keep it going this season. The Waggon B is a new team that will have a few familiar faces, but as I write this, they are pretty much unknown. It’s a hard one to predict.
Last season: N/A

Waggon & Horses vs. Gorton Con Club
The Waggon are a great team; they always play in the right spirit and have a good time, but don’t underestimate them, they have proven to be giant killers in the past. They have added some new players, too, so they will be looking to cause an early-season surprise. The GCC are an incredibly talented team, winning the main Team KO and last year’s teams doubles league. Will they equal last year’s results, or will the Waggon get their upset?
Last season: Waggon & Horses 1 vs 7 Gorton Con Club