This week has been a real rollercoaster of results! We got a couple of perfect scores and an awesome win for our team that’s been on the rise.
Last season, we had two perfect scores in the first two weeks. This year, it’s taken four weeks to see one, which shows how tough the Gorton & District Pool League is getting.
Gorton Con Club 3 v 5 Clayton Con Club
Even though I mentioned there were signs that Clayton wouldn’t struggle as much without Captain Martin this month, I still favoured the Gorton team to win. The match began well for the home side, securing the first frame. However, Clayton then stepped up and won the next three frames. Gorton did manage to pull one straight back, but the final three frames were crucial. Clayton won two out of the remaining three frames to secure a significant victory for them.
The Holdsworth 2 v 6 Prince of Wales
This was the first time the Prince visited the Holdsworth, making it difficult to know what to expect other than a tough match. The match got off to a perfect start for the visiting team, reaching game five with a 4-0 lead. The Holdsworth captain wasn’t going to let the Prince have it all their way and took the fifth game. This was then followed by former doubles champions Lee Acheson and Steve Christy winning the second doubles match to secure three points. The next frame again went to the Holdsworth thanks to some great pool played by Mike Shenton. However, Lee Acheson took the final frame for the Prince, rounding off a 6-2 win.
Prince of Wales ‘B’ v Waggon & Horses ‘B’
The battle of the B teams, the Prince ‘B’ team, eager to secure their first victory on home soil, and the Waggon ‘B’ team, seemingly less pressured, found themselves in a close match. The Prince ‘B’ team took an early lead, winning the first three frames. However, the Waggon ‘B’ team rallied in the fourth and fifth frames, narrowing the score to 3-2 and putting the match on the brink of a draw. Despite securing at least a point in the next frame, the Prince ‘B’ lost the sixth to tie the game, and with the Waggon ‘B’ winning the seventh, the final frame was a crucial deciding factor. Darren Scanlon, the Prince ‘B’ captain, faced off against Darren Rowland. A determined Scanlon emerged as the winner in the final frame, securing the win and all three points for his team.
Steelworks Tavern 3 v 5 The Buxton
This may not look like a big win, but any team that goes to the Steelworks and gets a win can consider it a big win. The match for Buxton got off to an amazing start, going 3-0 up. This was then when James Comer and Daniel Page stepped up and won the next 2 frames to set up a good finish. The Buxton, however, were the ones celebrating as they took the next 2 frames to secure a good away win. Only Danny Bardsley could stop the score from increasing by winning the final frame.
Strawberry Gardens 4 v 4 Gorton Con Club ‘B’
Well, both these teams have had a good start, and a draw between them isn’t a disaster for either side. The match itself was very even. This is evident in how the scoring went: the first frame was taken by the home side, and then the away team hit back. Then the home side again took the third, but then the Gorton ‘B’ took control by winning the next two frames to put them one frame away from securing a point. The home side had other ideas and took the lead by winning the next two, setting up a final-frame thriller. If the home side won, they won the match. The away side, though, needed to win the final frame to get a point, and that is exactly what they did.
The Sidings 0 v 8 Studio Bar
Evaluating an 8-0 victory is challenging, as the only critique is the team’s flawless performance. The Studio is delighted to secure this early triumph in the season. The Sidings will recognise that this is one result in 13 and won’t define their 2025 campaign. Their primary concern will likely be Captain Dan, who was taken unwell. I am pleased to inform you that he is recovering well.
Waggon & Horses 8 V 0 Strawberry Duck
As previously stated, it has taken four weeks to see our first perfect score. Then, two arrived in a week. The Waggon are a hugely improving team, a team that is aiming big. The new format seems to have given them a real appetite for improvement, and Ian is certainly building a team there that will be aiming to compete for the top. The Strawberry Ducks are a new team and have already secured vital points. They have to expect that, on occasion, things won’t go their way. It happens to every team. They will be back, I am sure.