Singles and Doubles Knockouts
Stan Bent Team Knockout Preliminary Round
12 teams contested the Stan Bent Team Knockout preliminary round while the remaining 26 teams all received a bye through to the next round. The only notable shock was Rickerscote D from the 3rd division inflicting a 4-1 victory over 2nd division Albion A. Michael Draper led the way with 2 wins and he was well supported by Shaun Cooper and John Holmes. Westway B returned from the Bull A with a hard fought 4-2 win. Nick Lenton (2), Dave Rose and Dave Lowe all won. Rileys had a fine 4-0 win over the Rileys Cue T’s while the Rileys C negotiated a tough draw with St. Georges with a convincing 4-0 win. Mark Billingsley, Ricardo Martinez, Sean and Alan Alldritt all won. Both Rangers and Tap n Spile also won 4-0 against Highfields and Oxleathers B respectively. The 1st round will be played on the 24th January 2010.
| STAN BENT KNOCKOUT PRELIMINARY ROUND | ||
| 29th November 2009 | ||
| STAFFS BULL A | 2 - 4 | WESTWAY B |
| RANGERS SOCIAL | 4 - 0 | HIGHFIELDS CLUB |
| RILEYS CUE Ts | 0 - 4 | RILEYS |
| ST. GEORGES | 0 - 4 | RILEYS C |
| TAP N SPILE | 4 - 0 | OXLEATHERS B |
| ALBION A | 1 - 4 | RICKERSCOTE ARMS D |
Team Change of Location
The Spit on the Tuns side in the 2nd Division has moved to the Holmcroft and as of now will be known as the Holmcroft.
Staffordshire Mens County Pool Trials
The Staffordshire Mens County Pool Trials for the 2010 season will take place at Players Club, Newcastle, on Sunday 20th December. Registration time is 10.30am and there will be a £5 entry fee. The top players on the day will return on Sunday 10th January with the re-trialists to play for places in the squad. Any queries contact Jimmy Gower (Mens Team Manager).
Rob crowned Staffordshire Singles Champion
Rob Wharne of the Rileys Cue team has been crowned the 2009 Staffordshire Singles Knockout champion after an excellent performance at the recent Finals Day held at Players Club in Newcastle. Rob raced into a 3-1 lead in his semi-final against Lee Whitfield with some top pool before the Stoke cueist pulled back 2 frames to set up a 7th frame decider. So, Rob stepped forward, hit a solid break, nominated his chosen set and cleared the table in his first visit thus booking his place in the final. Andy Slack of Leek came through the other half of the draw but could provide little opposition in the final as Rob put on an exhibition of attacking pool. The Stafford potter didn’t miss a shot as he stormed to the title without losing a frame, the final score 4-0.
Staffs Inter-league Match 15 Report
Stafford Blaze travelled to Rugeley for the final game of a topsy-turvy Interleague season, writes Lee Haidarovic. Skipper Lee had the bare nine players to use in trying to win their final game in style. Unavailable for this game were Justin Mackereth, Robbie Jenkinson, Will Edge and Spence Trow but still Lee was confident that the nine that travelled could take all of the points. The game ended up being a tight affair from the off as the first eight games were shared with good wins for Tom Tonna, Paul Loughhead (8 ball), Lee Haidarovic and Mark Billingsley. Brendon Ruttledge then won his game to make the interval score 5-4 to the Blaze. The second half was identical to the first with the first eight games shared again as wins for Tom Tonna (2nd of the night), Alan Sim, Scott Haidarovic and Ben LeMaistre making the score 9-8 to the Blaze with only Brendon’s game left which was a tactical affair that lasted as long as three games on the opposite table. Eventually, Brendon ground out the win and ultimately the victory for the Blaze. Well done to Tom Tonna who won the individual averages for the Blaze with Scott Haidarovic runner-up and Ben LeMaistre the top player in the cup games with skipper Lee Haidarovic runner-up with a 100% win record but played less games. Well folks that’s it for the 2009 inter-league season with the Blaze finishing a respectable 10th out of 16 teams with a sound 11 points. After a team vote next season the Blaze will start with a new management team headed by Brendon Ruttledge (Captain) and assisted by Scott Haidarovic and Ben LeMaistre and I wish them all the best to try and improve on this season’s performance.
Stafford Chasers failed to field a team for their final match against Leek A and so the Leek team were awarded a 14-4 victory. One of the highlights of a mixed season for the Chasers is sure to be the 10-8 victory achieved over the Stafford Blaze team earlier in the season.
Stafford Sunday were awarded a 14-4 win in their last match of the Interleague season after Alsager B were unable to bring a team to Stafford to contest the tie. The result leaves the Stafford side in 8th place in the final league table. The relatively poor showing over this season can be partially explained by some poor team spirit and a number of captaincy changes during the first half of the season as well as issues with player availability throughout. On an individual level, Steve Finney had an excellent season finishing with 20 wins out of 28 frames played, putting him close to an automatic call-up to the County set-up. Mike Barker also had another solid season with 18 wins out of 28 frames played.
Stafford Sunday finished the season in 8th place in the Interleague table with Stafford Blaze and Stafford Chasers in 10th and 13th. Individual player statistics from the Interleague matches can be viewed on the Interleague Averages page.
Dave crowned Singles Champion
Dave Barker has been crowned this year’s Stafford Singles Knockout Champion after a tough evening of pool. Steve Finney provided stiff opposition in the final after negotiating his half of the draw, including a 4-3 victory over Mark Billingsley in their semi-final. Dave also had a deciding frame finish in his semi-final against Mick Addison after Mick won 3 frames in a row to force a 7th frame to be played. The final, which was a mixture of good play and the odd missed pot, finished with a tactical battle in the deciding frame with Dave holding the upper hand.
| SINGLES KNOCKOUT FINALS DAY | |||||||
| 8th November 2008, 7:00pm Start, 7:10pm Scratch | |||||||
| QUARTER FINALS (best of 5) | SEMI FINALS (best of 7) | FINAL (best of 9 frames) | |||||
| Mike Barker | 1 | ||||||
| Steve Finney | 3 | Steve Finney | 4 | ||||
| Simon Key | 1 | Mark Billingsley | 3 | Steve Finney | 4 | ||
| Mark Billingsley | 3 | ||||||
| Dave Whitfield | 0 | Dave Barker | 5 | ||||
| Mick Addison | 3 | Mick Addison | 3 | ||||
| Sean Alldritt | 1 | Dave Barker | 4 | ||||
| Dave Barker | 3 | ||||||
Gaz and Rob prove to be Great Double Act
Gaz Baker and Rob Wharne have been crowned this year’s Stafford Doubles Knockout Champions after an excellent run of victories in the tournament saw them concede only 1 frame in total throughout. Tom Tonna and Paul Dustan provided tough competition in the final but fell just short at some of the crucial moments.
| DOUBLES KNOCKOUT FINALS DAY | |||||||
| 1st November 2008, 7:00pm Start, 7:10pm Scratch | |||||||
| QUARTER FINALS (best of 5) | SEMI FINALS (best of 5) | FINAL (best of 7 frames) | |||||
| D Barker / D Whitfield | 1 | ||||||
| P Dustan / T Tonna | 3 | P Dustan / T Tonna | 3 | ||||
| P Singh / J Woolley | 3 | P Singh / J Woolley | 1 | P Dustan / T Tonna | 1 | ||
| K Brown / A Rawlinson | 2 | ||||||
| T Teece / D Waters | 0 | R Wharne / G Baker | 4 | ||||
| R Wharne / G Baker | 3 | R Wharne / G Baker | 3 | ||||
| A Rogers / W Sunderland | 3 | A Rogers / W Sunderland | 0 | ||||
| B Davies / D Sunderland | 0 | ||||||
Staffs Inter-league Match 14 Report
Stafford Sunday bounced back from a disappointing defeat in the last match to record a 9-9 draw in their recent Interleague away tie against Trent Trophies B. Wins for Dave Barker, Rob Wharne and Kev Brown were the only highlights from the first half. Dave and Kev dominated their frames with good tactical pool setting up finishes whilst Rob cleared the table with his first visit. Chances came and went in a number of the other first half frames before the interval saw a reverse of fortunes for the teams. Mick Addison, Barker and Wharne first reduced the deficit to 7-6 before skipper, Dave Whitfield, dished from his break and Kev Brown added a second personal win on the night. At 9-8 behind, the stage was set for Steve Finney to hold his nerve and produce a top finish to the delight of his teammates.
Stafford Blaze hosted its last home inter-league match of the season against Leek B who were on a revenge mission after the Blaze blasted them out of the knockout competition earlier on in the season to stop them qualifying for a 4th consecutive Yarmouth trip, writes Lee Haidarovic. Unavailable to skipper Lee was Mark Billingsley and Ben LeMaistre so he gave recalls to Alan Sim and Ant Whitehead. The match couldn’t have started any better as wins for Tom Tonna, Scott Haidarovic, Robbie Jenkinson, Paul Loughhead, Lee Haidarovic and Brendan Ruttledge made the half time score a commanding 6-3 lead. However, nobody could have seen what was coming next as the second half turned into a shambolic display as over-confidence and lack of good fortune cost the Blaze dearly as only Brendan Ruttledge added a “W” in the win column to make the final score a very disappointing 11-7 defeat. Brendan had to be Man of the Match with his two wins however both Haidarovic brothers didn’t do anything wrong in the games that they lost and played some stunning pool in the games that they won. Next up is the final game of the season at Rugeley, where we would like to finish on a high and on a personal note finish the inter-league scene with a win after deciding to step down at the end of this season.
Stafford Chasers claimed a 9-9 draw against Just Power Plus Baize in a match that was neck and neck throughout. It was left to Rich Davies to claim the point by securing the final frame of the match following wins by Jim Simpson and Dennis Kitchen that kept them in touch in the latter stages.
Stafford Sunday hold on to 8th place in the Interleague table with Stafford Blaze and Stafford Chasers remaining in 11th and 13th. Individual player statistics from the Interleague matches can be viewed on the Interleague Averages page.
Staffs Inter-league Match 13 Report
Stafford Sunday fell to a disappointing 12-6 defeat in their recent Interleague home match against a Trent Trophies A team that lacked several of their regular players. Three wins in each half of the tie was a poor showing by the Stafford cueists despite also missing a few regular players of their own.
Stafford Blaze travelled to Leek to face the daunting task of trying to topple Leek A, one of the leading teams in the Staffordshire Inter-League scene, writes Lee Haidarovic. To make matters worse, skipper Lee Haidarovic had to make some enforced changes as Alan Sim, Spencer Trow and Ant Whitehead were all unavailable. However, the match couldn’t have got off to a better start when first up Tom Tonna showed his class with a brilliant 8-ball dish in the opening game to give the Blaze a quickfire 1-0 lead. However, this in turn must have made the Leek team realise they cannot rest of their laurels and believe the match would be a stroll as fine play condemned both Scott Haidarovic and Mark Billingsley to defeats in the following games. Robbie Jenkinson, who was a doubt before the game, played some steady pool to make the scores level but then Leek stepped up a gear in the remaining five games of the half as only Brendon Ruttledge gave any resistance as the home side went into the interval 6-3 up. The second half started identically to the first with Tom playing some blistering pool to record his second win of the night, but fine play again from Leek saw not only Scott and Mark lose but Robbie and skipper Lee in quick succession. The returning Justin Mackereth gave the Blaze some hope with a fine clearance as well as a steady win from Brendon Ruttledge (his second of the night) but Leek rolled off the remaining games making the final score 12-6 to the Leek boys. Man of the Match was Tom Tonna with Brendon Ruttledge a close second! Next up will be Leek B at home who will be on a revenge mission after the Blaze took them apart earlier in the season with a fine 10-4 win in the cup.
Stafford Chasers came very close to coming away from Afford Crompos with at least a point despite travelling with only 8 players. Despite the player disadvantage, the Chasers only lost the match 10-8.
Stafford Sunday slip down to 8th place in the Interleague table with Stafford Blaze and Stafford Chasers remaining in 11th and 13th. Individual player statistics from the Interleague matches can be viewed on the Interleague Averages page.
Summer League K/O Final Report
| SUMMER LEAGUE K/O FINAL | |||
| 8.00pm, 4th October | |||
| RILEYS CUE | TAP A | ||
| Kev Brown | L | W | Steve Finney |
| Dave Barker | W | L | John Daniels |
| Rob Wharne | W | L | Tony Mason |
| Mike Barker | L | W | Lee Whitehouse |
| Dave Whitfield | W | L | Steve Finney |
| Rob Wharne | L | W | Lee Whitehouse |
| Dave Barker | W | L | John Daniels |
| 4 | 3 | ||
Rileys Cue are the Parkside Electrical Stafford Sunday Pool Summer Champions 2009. It is the 3rd time they have won this competition in the last five years. They defeated a determined Tap n Spile A side in the Final by 4 frames to 3. The week before The Tap team disposed of the holders Rileys C coming back from 3-1 down and were keen to inflict similar damage on the Cue men. The Cue men ran out comfortable 4-0 winners over their Rebels side in their Semi.
Frame ONE saw the experienced pair of Kev Brown (Rileys Cue) drawn against Steve Finney (Tap A). This frame set the tone for the rest of the match with both players showing positive intent by going for their shots. After an exchange of tactical play, Kev Brown took a gamble but fell short and a competent, clinical potting display saw Finney give the Tap A a 1-0 lead.
Frame TWO. Dave Barker (Rileys Cue) was pitted against team captain John Daniels (Tap A) and this was a tussle in the earlier stages. JD had shown why he has only lost one game all summer with some fine potting and it looked on the cards that he was going to extend the Tap’s lead but a misjudgement on his last ball put Dave Barker back in and he showed no hesitation in taking his chance and cleared the last 4 balls to level the match at 1-1.
Frame THREE. County A and Tour player Rob Wharne (Rileys Cue) was paired with Tony Mason (Tap A) and this proved to be a difficult task for the latter. Wharne had set his stall from the start and after some excellent potting and positional play left him a long straight black into the corner, but being tight on the cushion he jawed it a let Mason back in. But a mistake gave Wharne another chance and he took it with ease and so giving the Cue men a 2-1 lead.
Frame FOUR. County B player and team captain Mike Barker (Rileys Cue) was drawn against Lee Whitehouse (Tap A). Mike Barker was keen to extend his team’s lead but Lee had other ideas and took the game to Mike with some good all round pool play. Lee was in after Mike missed his last red and went for the clearance, but he misjudged with 3 balls to go and let Mike in. Lee left him a tricky cut into the middle but Mike unfortunately caught the knuckle and Lee, under pressure, took his chance and thus levelled the scores at 2-2.
Frame FIVE. The Second half of the match saw Dave Whitfield (Rileys Cue) drawn against Steve Finney who earlier beat Kev Brown. Finney broke off and went for the finish there and then, but with 2 balls remaining lost position and let Whitfield in and after an exchange of tactical play, Finney fouled and gave Whitfield a chance. Everything looked like it was going to plan until he snookered himself on the black. He didn’t leave Finney a chance to seize the opportunity and eventually Whitfield was left a straight black into the corner. Whitfield took his chance much to the delight of his team and so put the Cue 3-2 up.
Frame SIX. Rob Wharne was paired with Lee Whitehouse and the latter was under no illusion on how important this game was. He set his mark by going for them from the start and he looked on his way until he lost position. The balls were not ideally set but an attempted double ended up in a treble and then with the path back to black looking rather awkward, he managed to pot both balls together in the top corner. Much to the surprise of Whitehouse he left himself a straight black and he nailed it and so levelled the scores 3-3.
Frame SEVEN. Dave Barker and John Daniels met again in the decider. After Barker’s success earlier on in Frame 2, he knew it was going to be tough. JD was even more determined and as the pattern of the night was dictated by positive attacking pool play, it was JD who had the first chance. Barker fouled and so handed JD 2 shots and everything looked ok until he fell short on his last ball and after a tactical battle, JD then gave Barker an opening after going in-off. Dave Barker was focused and he knew this was his last chance. He showed he had the nerves for the occasion and polished off the remaining balls and, in doing do so, sealed the title for the Rileys Cue. It’s been a fine year for the Cue men who also won the Winter League Title back in May.
Summer Plate K/O Final Report
| SUMMER PLATE K/O FINAL | |||
| 8.00pm, 4th October | |||
| JOINERS ARMS A | THREE TUNS | ||
| Andy Rawlinson | L | W | Matt Smith |
| Tim Teece | L | W | Mark Davis |
| Paul Shepard | W | L | Ian Thomas |
| Simon Davies | W | L | Steve Banks |
| Tim Teece | L | W | Matt Smith |
| Paul Shepard | W | L | Mark Davis |
| Andy Rawlinson | L | W | Ian Thomas |
| 3 | 4 | ||
This year’s Summer Plate final was also a close run match with the now Defunct Three Tuns going out in style with a 4-3 success over the Joiners Arms A. Matt Smith led the way for the 3 Tuns with 2 excellent clearances on the night and he was well supported by Mark Davis and Captain Ian Thomas who also won. The latter taking the deciding frame against County player Andy Rawlinson. Paul Shepard with 2 wins and Simon Davies replied for the Joiners.
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Summer League K/O Final Preview
The final of the Summer League takes place this Sunday at Rileys. Tap n Spile A meet Rileys Cue in the final at 8:00pm. The teams made contrasting progress into the final with the Tap needing to come back from 3-1 down to beat Rileys C whilst the Cue team eased to a 4-0 victory over Rileys Rebels. Rileys also hosts the final of the Summer Plate this Sunday (4th October).
Staffs Inter-league Match 12 Report
The Stafford Blaze hosted Just Power Plus Baize in the latest inter-league match on Friday night hoping to continue the good form that they have built over the past few games, writes Lee Haidarovic. Unfortunately, skipper Lee could not field an unchanged line-up due to availability issues but could welcome back Alan Sim and Ben LeMaistre to the team in place of Spence Trow and Ant Whitehead. After some sublime pool in the first half of the match the Blaze raced into a 7-0 lead thanks to wins from Tom Tonna, Scott Haidarovic, Mark Billingsley, Robbie Jenkinson, Alan Sim, Lee Haidarovic and Paul Loughhead. Unfortunately, the first half couldn’t end up a whitewash after uncharacteristic play from both Brendan Ruttledge and Ben Lemaistre made the interval score 7-2. The Blaze seemed to take their foot off the gas in the second half as the first four games were shared with Tom and Scott winning and Mark and Robbie losing and this was the pattern that continued all the way to the end with each team sharing the next 2 games with Alan and Ben winning and Lee and Paul losing. Brendan played the only other game in the second half and what wasn’t to be his night lost to make the final score 11-7 to the Blaze and another good win. However, next up will be Leek A, one of the big boys in the competition, which will test the Stafford lads to the limit. Man of the Match and most probably Player of the Season so far was the impressive Scott Haidarovic who is playing some superb pool at the moment, hopefully he can keep it up for the remainder of the season.
Stafford Chasers pulled off the shock result of the week with a very impressive 10-8 win against Alsager A, writes Clair Maslin. The first half winners were Neil Dale, Sean Aldritt, Dennis Kitchen and skipper Clair. The team were unfortunate, however, as Kev Warrilow was 8-balled and Jim Simpson potted the black to win but the white went in-off so the Stafford side were 5-4 down at the end of the 1st half. Neil won the 1st frame of the 2nd half then the Chasers lost the next 2, giving Alsager a 7-5 lead. The Stafford potters then pulled it back with Kev, Sean, Dennis, Rich Davies and Nick Backhouse winning the next 5 frames before the final frame was lost by Clair to an 8-ball that was well deserved by the opponent. A great and deserved win for the team.
Stafford Sunday slumped to a big defeat in their recent Interleague match at Afford. The home team sprinted out of the blocks whilst the Stafford cueists were sluggish in comparison, missing any opportunities that came their way and were quickly 6-0 down. Mick Addison and Steve Finney brought some much needed hope as the interval loomed and Stafford were chewing over a 7-2 deficit. More steady play from the Stoke side in the second half piled on the misery with only Dave Barker, Rob Wharne (8-ball) and skipper Dave Whitfield providing any resistance. The final score of 13-5 reflected a lesson learnt and further boisterous celebrations by Afford.
Stafford Sunday slip down to 7th place in the Interleague table with Stafford Blaze holding onto 11th and Stafford Chasers climbing to 13th. Individual player statistics from the Interleague matches can be viewed on the Interleague Averages page.
Staffs Inter-league Match 11 Report
Stafford Sunday continued their good form with a 12-6 defeat of Just Power Plus Crompos in their recent Interleague match played at Rileys, Stafford. After slipping 2-1 behind, some solid play from Gaz Baker, Rob Wharne and Kev Brown took the Sunday team into a 4-2 lead before Mike Barker and Steve Finney extended the advantage to 6-3 at half-time. Six more frame wins after the interval resulted in the final score of 12-6. Double wins on the night were accomplished by Chris Hanlon, Rob Wharne, Kev Brown, Mike Barker and Steve Finney. The Stafford side face matches against the current top 3 in its remaining 4 fixtures of the season so will hopefully have a big say in the shake-up at the top of the table over the coming weeks.
The Stafford Blaze squad travelled to Tunstall to challenge Afford Crompos in their latest match in the Staffs Inter-League, writes Lee Haidarovic. With only the bare nine players to choose from, Skipper Lee had very little to do but put his belief in the available players. The match couldn’t have started any better with the Blaze dominating the first half with fine wins from Tom Tonna, Mark Billingsley, Robbie Jenkinson, Spencer Trow, Paul Loughhead, Lee Haidarovic and Brendan Ruttledge making the score a commanding 7-2 at the interval. Fine work from Scott Haidarovic, Mark Billingsley, Robbie Jenkinson, Spencer Trow and Brendan Ruttledge in the second half gave the Blaze the morale boosting 12-6 win they needed to reignite their season. Unlike previous games – where the Blaze have turned up, played well but lost because they didn’t put away their chances – tonight when the chances came, they were taken in style! Man of the Match has to be the brilliant Mark Billingsley for an 8-baller in the first half and a dish from a dry break in the second. Well done lads!!!
Stafford Chasers came away from their Inter-league match against Trent Trophies Tuesday with a share of the spoils when a victory looked to be the more likely outcome. The Chasers wents 4-2 down before a run of 3 wins turned it into a 5-4 half-time lead. This score was thanks to wins by Sean Aldritt, Neil Dale, Nick Backhouse, Dennis Kitchen and Kev Warrilow. Further wins by Neil Dale and Russ Pibworth after the interval extended the advantage to 7-4. Skipper, Clair Maslin, then put the Chasers 4 frames ahead of the Stoke team before a fightback occurred with the Tuesday side winning 5 frames on the spin to go into a 9-8 lead. So, it all came down to the last frame, and Nick Backhouse didn’t disappoint for the Chasers as he took out a great finish to salvage a draw. Men-of-the-match on the night were Neil and Nick with 2 wins apiece.
Stafford Sunday are currently in 4th place in the Interleague table with Stafford Blaze moving up to 11th and Stafford Chasers remaining in 14th. Individual player statistics from the Interleague matches can be viewed on the Interleague Averages page.
Annual General Meeting
Two proposals were voted in at this year’s AGM:
Summer League Quarter Finals
To be played on Sunday 13th September 2009
WESTWAY A v RILEYS CUE Ts - To be played @ St. Georges
STAFFS BULL B v RILEYS A - To be played @ Luckpenny
HOP POLE C v TAP N SPILE - To be played @ Rileys
JOINERS ARMS v ALBION A - To be played @ Tap n Spile
To be played on Sunday 20th September 2009
RILEYS CUE v WESTWAY A / RILEYS CUE Ts
TAP N SPILE A v STAFFS BULL B / RILEYS A
RILEYS C v HOP POLE C / TAP N SPILE
RILEYS REBELS v JOINERS ARMS / ALBION A
TEAMS DRAWN FIRST IN THE Q FINALS, HAVE HOME ADVANTAGE
To be played on Sunday 13th September 2009
HIGHFIELDS CLUB v RICKERSCOTE ARMS C - To be played @ Westway
RICKERSCOTE ARMS A v LUCKPENNY - To be played @ Rileys
EMERALD CLUB v ALBION B - To be played @ Staffs Bull
ST. GEORGES v ST. LEONARDS - To be played @ Metropolitan Bar
To be played on Sunday 20th September 2009
THREE TUNS v HIGHFIELDS CLUB / RICKERSCOTE ARMS C
WESTWAY B v RICKERSCOTE ARMS A / LUCKPENNY
BEAR & PHEASANT A v EMERALD CLUB / ALBION B
JOINERS ARMS A v ST. GEORGES v ST. LEONARDS
TEAMS DRAWN FIRST IN THE Q FINALS, HAVE HOME ADVANTAGE
ALL MATCHES BEST OF SEVEN FRAMES (4/3 SPLIT). 8:00pm START
MATCHES CANNOT BE REARRANGED AFTER THE SET DATE.
48 HOURS NOTICE TO BE GIVEN PRIOR TO SET DATE.
Summer League Leading Averages
| TEAMS PLAYING 8 MATCHES | ||||
| Player | Team | wins | ave | |
| 1 | S Key | HOP POLE C | 15 | 94% |
| 2 | S.Finney | TAP N SPILE A | 14 | 88% |
| 3 | J.Daniels | TAP N SPILE A | 13 | 93% |
| 4 | A Rogers | ALBION A | 12 | 92% |
| 5 | D Baker | EMERALD CLUB | 12 | 75% |
| N Lenton | WESTWAY B | 12 | 75% | |
| 7 | S Haidarovic | RILEYS REBELS | 11 | 79% |
| 8 | R Pibworth | RILEYS CUE T's | 11 | 73% |
| 9 | A Sim | RILEYS REBELS | 11 | 69% |
| T Mason | TAP N SPILE A | 11 | 69% | |
| 11 | M.Bryant | RICKERSCOTE A | 10 | 63% |
| TEAMS PLAYING 10 MATCHES | ||||
| Player | Team | wins | ave | |
| 1 | D Goodwin | STAFFS BULL B | 17 | 85% |
| 2 | G Bryant | JOINERS ARMS | 16 | 84% |
| 3 | C Colley | JOINERS ARMS | 16 | 80% |
| 4 | K Lewis | WESTWAY A | 15 | 94% |
| 5 | D.Barker | RILEYS CUE | 15 | 88% |
| M.Barker | RILEYS CUE | 15 | 88% | |
| 7 | T Teece | JOINERS ARMS A | 15 | 83% |
| 8 | M.Smith | THREE TUNS | 14 | 82% |
| 9 | G Baker | RILEYS C | 14 | 78% |
| 10 | J Morrison | RILEYS A | 14 | 70% |
| M Shaw | WESTWAY A | 14 | 70% | |
| 12 | M Billingsley | RILEYS C | 13 | 100% |
| 13 | D.Whitfield | RILEYS CUE | 13 | 81% |
| 14 | D Jones | LUCKPENNY | 13 | 72% |
| 15 | D Arrowsmith | RILEYS A | 13 | 65% |
| S Gibbs | LUCKPENNY | 13 | 65% | |
Staffs Inter-league Match 10 Report
Stafford Sunday posted an impressive 13-5 defeat of Rugeley in their recent Interleague match played at Rileys, Stafford. Stand-in captain, Dave Whitfield, gave a debut to Kev Brown after a last minute drop-out and Kev delivered a solid performance to win his 2 frames. But, another poor start for Stafford saw the away team claim 3 of the first 4 frames of the match putting Stafford onto the back foot. Thankfully, some steady pool from the remaining players sent the Sunday boys into a 6-3 interval lead and any anxiety was lifted as the team tucked into the half-time bangers. Only 2 further frames were conceded in the second half to complete the victory. Putting in good shifts on the night with two wins apiece were the quintet of Dave Whitfield, Kev Brown, Simon Key, Mike Barker and Steve Finney. Simon pulled off the finish of the night with a dish from his opponent’s foul break in the second half. Chris Hanlon and Gaz Baker provided the entertainment on the night. The former needing help finding the match table and the latter needing help to find his cue!
Stafford Blaze hosted Alsager A in the latest inter-league match. Now, with a settled squad to choose from, skipper Lee Haidarovic had eleven players available whom were all capable of producing the level of pool needed to beat a very capable opponent. After a slow start by the Blaze who went 3-1 down with only Tom Tonna being victorious in the opening four games, they started to lift their game and after wins from Alan Sim, Spence Trow and Robbie Jenkinson, went into the interval a slender 5-4 down. The second half was very similar to the first with the team from Alsager winning the opening three games and the Blaze pulling the next back. Second half substitutions of Ant Whitehead and Justin Mackereth on for Lee Haidarovic and Brendan Ruttledge didn’t inspire the home side as defeats for Scott Haidarovic, Robbie Jenkinson, Spence Trow, Ant Whitehead and Justin Mackereth meant that only Alan Sim, Paul Loughhead and Mark Billingsley won in the second half to make the final score 11-7 to Alsager A. Man of the Match was Alan Sim for his 2 great wins on the night. Next up Afford Crompos in 2 weeks time.
Stafford Chasers fell to a 13-5 defeat on the road against Just Power Plus Crompos.
Stafford Sunday are currently in 7th place in the Interleague table with Stafford Blaze and Stafford Chasers staying in 12th and 14th. Individual player statistics from the Interleague matches can be viewed on the Interleague Averages page.
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Staffs Inter-league Match 9 Report
Stafford Sunday were back to winning ways in their most recent Interleague match at Leek B. Some careless shots in the first half saw the visitors trail 4-1 before winning 3 of the last 4 frames to go into the interval only trailing 5-4. Stafford then stepped up their play in the second half as the Leek side started to miss some vital shots. Second wins on the night for Mike Barker, Gaz Baker and Rob Wharne helped to push the Sunday boys to victory and a 10-7 lead before Leek B had the consolation of claiming the final frame to give Stafford a 10-8 win.
Stafford Blaze travelled to Stoke in order to try and erase the hurt of a derby loss by challenging Trent Trophies Tuesday. In order to prove how difficult it was to keep all the squad players happy whilst picking the best nine, skipper Lee Haidarovic relinquished his role of picking the team, for one night only, to give new Vice Captain Brendan Ruttledge an insight of how hard it can be. However, fortunately for Brendan he had the strongest squad of players the Blaze have had this season to choose from. The 1st half was an even affair as Scott Haidarovic, Robbie Jenkinson, Mark Billingsley and Paul Loughhead all won to keep the half time score at 5-4 to the hosts. The second half was equally as tight as a reversal of the first score 5-4 to the Blaze made the final score a 9-9 draw helped by good wins for Paul Loughhead, Robbie Jenkinson and Mark Billingsley (2 wins each) and Lee Haidarovic and Spence Trow. The half time reserves were Ant Whitehead, Spence Trow and Justin Mackereth coming in for Tom Tonna, Alan Sim and Brendan himself. Next up is an intriguing match against Alsager A whom the Blaze nearly beat last year. Man-of-the-Match was Paul Loughhead.
Stafford Chasers fell to a 15-3 reverse at home to Cannock Chase.
Stafford Sunday move up to 5th place in the Interleague table with Stafford Blaze and Stafford Chasers in 12th and 14th. Individual player statistics from the Interleague matches can be viewed on the Interleague Averages page.
Staffs Inter-league Match 8 Report
Stafford Sunday suffered one of their worst ever Interleague defeats at the hands of the visiting Leek A side in their recent clash. The 14-4 loss was perhaps a wider margin than Stafford may have deserved but there was no doubting the different levels at which the 2 sides were playing. A series of unforced errors and some poor shot choices meant that the home team were never in the hunt with 9 of the last 10 frames going to the Leek boys. Rob Wharne, Giles Eastwood, Mike Barker and Steve Finney were the sole frame winners on the night.
Stafford Blaze recently hosted a local derby against Stafford Chasers, with not only points but pride at stake. Blaze Skipper Lee Haidarovic had 11 available players to choose from and kept himself and new boy Paul Loughhead on the bench as the Blaze attempted to improve on their four points they already have in the league. First up were Tom Tonna and Scott Haidarovic against Neil Dale and Dennis Kitchen respectively and after trading tactical shots and near misses it was the home boys that pulled through to give the Blaze a 2-0 start. However things did not go according to plan for the home side after that as only Mark Billingsley put a W in the column as poor play led to the Blaze’s downfall as all the other frames went to the Chasers. After a disappointing first half showing, changes were ultimately made with Will Edge and Ant Whitehead being replaced by Paul Loughhead and Lee Haidarovic, even though any one of the losing players could have been dropped after a miserable half. Unfortunately for the Blaze lads, even though they staged a second half comeback, they left it too late as a Nick Backhouse win at 8-5 meant that the Blaze couldn’t afford another slip up in the remaining 4 frames and even though the Blaze took 3 of them, Rich Davies out-potted Brendan Ruttledge to claim a well deserved victory for the Chasers. Man of the Match for the Blaze was Scott Haidarovic, however special praise must go out for Rich Davies who was the pick for the Chasers. Changes will undoubtedly be performed for the Blaze’s next match against Trent Trophies B, and hopefully the latest setback will be quickly forgotten about if two more points are put on the board after the next fixture.
Stafford Sunday drop down to 6th place in the Interleague table with Stafford Blaze and Stafford Chasers in 12th and 13th. Individual player statistics from the Interleague matches can be viewed on the Interleague Averages page.
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Staffs Inter-league Match 7 Report
Stafford Sunday travelled home from their latest Interleague away trip with a feeling of what could have been. A 3-2 deficit was turned into a 6-3 half-time lead before the winning line was in touching distance as the score reached 8-5. But a late surge by the Just Power Plus Baize team saw them claim 4 of the last 5 available frames to salvage a 9-9 draw that even seemed to take some of their own players by surprise. Putting in good shifts on the night for the Stafford team were Dave and Mike Barker with 2 wins apiece.
Stafford Blaze travelled to Cannock hoping to build on a run of two successive victories against a very experienced Cannock team. Skipper Lee Haidarovic had a near full number of players to choose from with 13 of the 14 active players available for selection. Making their debuts were Mark Billingsley and Paul Loughhead. The first half was a pretty even affair with debutant Mark Billingsley securing an eight-ball clearance alongside wins for Ben LeMaistre and Alan Sim making the score after six frames 3-3. However, poor finishing cost the Blaze the next three frames as what should have been all wins turned into three losses. Thus the half time score was 6-3 to the home side. Numerous changes were made at the break with Spence Trow, Will Edge, Paul Loughhead and Lee Haidarovic coming in for Tom Tonna, Ant Whitehead, Justin Mackereth and the unfortunate Scott Billingsley. However, this did not change the outcome as only Alan Sim (second win of the night), Spence Trow and the fortunate Will Edge getting wins to make the second half score identical to the first 6-3. Meaning a 12-6 victory for the Cannock team which overall they did deserve, even though the score line may have flattered them on reflection. Man of the match – Alan Sim. Next up the local derby between Stafford Blaze and Stafford Chasers which could be interesting......
Stafford Chasers claimed a 14-4 win after Alsager B failed to field a team for their recent match.
Stafford Sunday remain in joint 3rd place in the Interleague table with Stafford Blaze holding onto 12th place and Stafford Chasers climbing off the bottom. Individual player statistics from the Interleague matches can be viewed on the Interleague Averages page.
Stan Bent Team Knockout Final
Hop Pole C have been crowned Stan Bent Knockout champions after a convincing 4-1 win over Luckpenny in the final. Tap n Spile A were victorious in the Subsidiary Knockout final after a resounding 4-0 scoreline against Rangers Social A.
Staffs Inter-league 3rd Place Play-off
Stafford Sunday just missed out on victory in the 3rd place play-off against Afford Crompos at Players Club on Friday night. The Stafford team took the knockout match into a 3-man play-off after levelling the scores at 9-9. The trio of Chris Hanlon, Steve Finney and Rob Wharne represented Stafford in the play-off as they fell just short on the night and therefore miss out on a trip to the finals at Great Yarmouth. Chris Hanlon was the star man on the night with dishes in his first 2 frames.
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Winter League End of Season Report
Division 1 Rileys Cue are the Parkside Electrical Stafford Sunday Pool league Champions 2008/09. They finished on the same points as Rileys A but claimed the title by virtue of most matches won, 16 wins to 15. The Cue ran out 6-2 winners at the Rickerscote A and with the Rileys A being comfortable 7-1 winners over the Emerald Club. Making it a successful season for the Cue men were Dave Barker (capt), Rob Wharne, Mike Barker, Dave Whitfield and Kev Brown. Giles Eastwood (capt), Dave Arrowsmith, Dave Richardson, Gav Davies, Lee Whitehouse and Adam Lilburne represented Rileys A. Giles Eastwood claimed the most wins with 36 singles wins. Rileys Rebels achieved 3rd place even though they lost 5-3 to Rileys C. Tap A escaped relegation by virtue of most wins with a 4-4 draw at home to St. Georges while the Three Tuns went down with the Rickerscote A.
Division 2 Bear and Pheasant A ended the league season unbeaten as well as claiming the div 2 crown after their 5-3 win over the Staffs Bull B. Sean Lucas (capt), Nick Backhouse (who won the most wins with 30 singles wins) Rich Davies, Paul Loughhead and Ant O’Brien all won. Chris Broomhall (capt), Gurd Bhogal, Tim Wilson, Liam Watson, Colin Gray and James Bailey represented Rileys who finished runners-up and will join the Bear in the first division. Rileys Cue Ts finished in 3rd place after their 6-2 win over the Rileys while the Highfields were relegated along with the Staffs Bull A.
Division 3 Div 3 champs Luckpenny ended their campaign with a 5-3 success over the Bear and Pheasant. Liam Goodwin, Dan Jones, Dave Curtis and Steve Gibbs represented the champions. The Joiners claimed the runners-up spot after they were held to a 4-4 draw at the Bird. Andy Pearcey, Neil Dale, Danny Clarke, Chris Colley, Ian Lewis and Gaz Bryant made up the team. Albion A finished in 3rd place but had the consolation of Andy Rogers (capt) who claimed the most wins with an impressive 37 singles wins.
Staffs Inter-league Match 6 Report
Stafford Blaze travelled to Tunstall to try and build on their maiden victory last time round against an unknown quantity that is Just Power Plus Crompos - a new team to the Staffs Inter-league scene. Skipper Lee Haidarovic had at his disposal 10 players whom he believed had a chance against the Stoke team including a debut for a potential great future pool player in Scott Billingsley. However his optimism was shook up after the home team raced into a commanding 6-1 lead with only Scott Haidarovic putting a W in the win column for the Blaze until Ant Whitehead and Justin Mackereth grabbed the last two frames of the half to make the interval score 6-3. The cliche a game of two halves could not have been more apt as after the break the Blaze won 7 of the 9 available frames including wins for Tom Tonna, Ben LeMaistre, Lee Haidarovic, Scott Billingsley, Brendan Ruttledge and second wins of the night for Ant Whitehead and Man-of-the Match Scott Haidarovic. Special praise for Ant for finishing the game off with the score 9-8. Next up Cannock Chase on 26th June.
Stafford Chasers slipped to a 14-4 defeat at the hands of Trent Trophies B. A good second half recovery from the Stafford players resulted in a more respectable final score after the first half ended in a complete whitewash to the team from Stoke. Alan Aldritt, Jim Simpson, Neil Dale and Nick Backhouse performed the damage limitation exercise for the Chasers who host Alsager B in their next league match on 26th June.
Stafford Sunday bounced back from their disappointing defeat to Alsager A with a reassuring 12-6 victory over Afford Crompos. The 5th win of the season takes the Stafford team up to 3rd in the table. A mixture of solid play and the odd mistake from their Tunstall opponents gave the home team a commanding 7-2 lead at the interval. This score was soon converted into an overall victory with Dave Whitfield sinking the crucial black before Giles Eastwood and Steve Finney added the icing to the cake. Putting in good shifts on the night with 2 wins apiece were John Grobnik, Dave Barker, Dave Whitfield, Giles Eastwood and Steve Finney who has now won 11 out of 12 frames to date this season. The next fixture for the Stafford side is the Staffs Knockout 3rd Place Play-off to be held at Players Club, Newcastle on 12th June with a 7.30pm start.
Stafford Sunday climb up to 3rd place in the Interleague table with Stafford Blaze jumping a spot to 12th place. Individual player statistics from the Interleague matches can be viewed on the Interleague Averages page.
Winter League Match 21 Report
Division 1 Rileys Cue went to the top of table for the first time this season after they ran out 6-2 winners over the Tap A. They hold a slender 1 point lead over their rivals Rileys A who were held to a 4-4 draw at the Tap n Spile. Rileys Rebels jumped into 3rd place with a 5-3 success over basement side Ricky A while the St. Georges gained a 6-2 win over the Hop Pole C.
Division 2 After Bear and Pheasant A’s div 2 title win the previous week, the Rileys were confirmed as runners up with a 6-2 success over Perkins Social. St. Leonards jumped into 4th place with a 8-0 win over the Rangers B. Oxleathers gained a useful 5-3 victory at 3rd place Staffs Bull B to pull them out of the bottom two. Relegated Staffs Bull A returned from the Hop Pole A with a 5-3 success while the Cue Ts came away with a 6-2 win at the Highfields.
Division 3 Luckpenny are div 3 champions after their 5-3 win at the Westway. Dan Jones, Steve Gibbs, Liam Goodwin and Steve Curtis were the victorious quartet. Joiners look to have 2nd place after their 5-3 win over the 3 Tuns B. Albion A are 6 points down in 3rd place when they were held to a 4-4 draw at home to lowly Metro Bar. Andy Rogers won his 36th singles match of the season to guarantee himself the Most wins.
Winter League Match 20 Report
Division 1 Rileys A still hold a narrow 3 point lead over their rivals Rileys Cue. Rileys A ran out 6-2 winners over the 3 Tuns A. Dave Arrowsmith (2), Lee Whitehouse (2), Giles Eastwood and Dave Richardson all won. Giles Eastwood made sure of the most wins with his 33rd singles win. The Cue men gained a hard-fought 5-3 success at the Hop Pole C. Rob Wharne (2), Dave Barker (2) and Dave Whitfield were the victors. Rileys C eased their relegation worries with a 7-1 victory over visiting Rickerscote A while the Tap A continue to fight after their 5-3 win over Rileys Rebels. Steve Finney (2), Dave Shelley, John Daniels and Ben LeMaistre all won. Draw specialists Emerald Club kept their record going with a 4-4 draw with the Tap and it was the same for Joiners A vs St. Georges.
Division 2 Bear and Pheasant A are division 2 champions with 2 games to go. They were div 3 champs the previous season. Still unbeaten in the league, they wrapped up the crown with a 6-2 win over 2nd place Rileys. Sean Lucas (captain), Nick Backhouse, Rich Davies, Paul Loughhead and Ant O’Brien make up the successful team. Staffs Bull A picked up only their 2nd win of the season with a 6-2 win over their B team. Lynda Simpson (2), Ed O’Keefe (2), Gary O’Keefe and Pippa Steele won. Oxleathers ran out 5-3 victors over the Rangers A. Dave Lowe (2), Nick Lenton (2) and Dave Lowe all won. Rangers B gained a fine 7-1 victory over the Hop Pole A. Highfields vs St. Leonards and Cue Ts v Perkins both ended 4-4.
Division 3 Top of the table Luckpenny entertained 2nd place Joiners and it was the former who triumphed and with it the possibility of the 3rd div crown. They ran out 5-3 winners for whom Dan Jones (2), Dave Curtis, Steve Gibbs and Liam Goodwin all won. Albion A are only 3 points behind 2nd place after their convincing 8-0 win at the Bird. Andy Rogers, Aston Brown, Dean Marley and Dave Hibbs all won 2 each. Metro Bar for the first time this season moved off the bottom with a 4-4 draw at Albion B while the Bear and Pheasant came away with a 6-2 success at the Rickerscote D.
Winter League Match 19 Report
Division 1 Rileys A’s lead at the top was cut to 2 points as they were held to a 4-4 draw at St. Georges. Rileys Cue are hot on their heels after they ran out 5-3 victors over the Joiners A. Rob Wharne (2), Kev Brown, Mike and Dave Barker all won. The Emerald Club edged closer to safety with a 6-2 win over fellow strugglers 3 Tuns A while the Tap A also returned with a 5-3 win at lowly Rickerscote A. Tap inflicted a 6-2 defeat over Rileys C who now slip down to 10th while the Rileys Rebels gained a 5-3 success over Hop Pole C.
Division 2 Bear and Pheasant A continued their unbeaten record with a 6-2 win at the Perkins. This puts them 23 points ahead with 3 games to go over their nearest challengers the Rileys. They ran out 6-2 victors over the Oxleathers and now hold an 11 point gap over the Staffs Bull B who lost at home to Rangers B 5-3. Leading the way for the Rangers were Wayne Smith, Chris Edensor (both 2) and Alan Smith. Hop Pole A picked up a useful 6-2 victory over the Highfields to push them up the table while the Rangers A were held to a 4-4 draw at home to basement side Staffs Bull A. Rileys Cue Ts and St. Leonards played out a 4-4 draw.
Division 3 Luckpenny’s lead at the top was cut to 9 points after they recorded a 6-2 win at the Rickerscote C. 2nd place Joiners claimed an 8-0 win over the Rickerscote B to keep their title hopes alive. Albion A were made to work hard for their 5-3 win over visiting 3 Tuns B to hold onto 3rd spot. Westway are in 4th place after their recent 6-2 win over the Rickerscote D. Aaron Lewis, Mike Shaw (both 2), Daz Willetts and Lee Whittingham all won. Bird in Hand returned to winning ways with a 5-3 success at lowly Metro Bar. Russ Pibworth. Kev Warrilow (both 2) and Mark Malone all won. Albion B came away with 5-3 win at the Bear and Pheasant.
Summer League 2009 Details
The forthcoming Summer League season will be played in a group format with the top two teams from each group going through to the main draw. There will also be a minor competition (Summer Plate) for 3rd and 4th placed teams. All new and existing teams are welcome to apply.
To register a team in the Summer League, a representative will have to attend the signing-in at the Rileys Club in Stafford on Sunday 7th June between 7:30pm and 8:30pm. The cost of entering will be £25 per team. Fees MUST be paid before or on the night by either cash or cheque. Entries WILL NOT BE accepted after this date. If you are unable to attend the registration evening then please contact either the Treasurer (Lynda Simpson), the Chairman (Kev Brown), or the League Secretary (Dave Whitfield) before 7th June.
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Staffs Inter-league Match 5 Report
Stafford Blaze looked to tackle new boys Alsager B in the latest Inter-League match. With only the bare nine to choose from skipper Lee Haidarovic had few aces up his sleeve in an attempt to win their 2nd game of the season, the first in the league. During a tense first half wins for Tom Tonna, Ant Whitehead, Brendan Ruttledge and Justin Mackereth gave the Blaze hope as trailing at 5-4 at the interval was not an unassailable deficit which could be easily overturned. Unfortunately, for Scott Haidarovic and Spence Trow they were on the receiving end of 8 and 7 ballers respectively. The 2nd half started brightly for the Blaze as Tom Tonna, Ben LeMaistre and Scott Haidarovic won the first three frames with only skipper Lee Haidarovic losing due to an incredible fluke by his opponent to make the score 7-6 to the Blaze. Will Edge was next up and had no answer to some tactical play by his opponent but then Ant Whitehead, Spence Trow and man of the match Brendan Ruttledge pulled off 3 successive wins to win the match for the Blaze. Justin Mackereth unfortunately lost in the final frame, but that wasn’t to stop the Blaze picking up their first league win of the season 10-8 but quite frankly could have been more.
Stafford Chasers went down to a heavy 15-3 defeat at the hands of reigning champions Trent Trophies A. Stafford skipper Clair Maslin had a good personal night with wins in both halves and was supported by newcomer Kev Warrilow who claimed the other frame for the Chasers.
Stafford Sunday suffered a 13-5 defeat on the road at Alsager A. The evening started in the worst possible fashion as frame after frame were chalked up in favour of the home side in a very one-sided first half that ended 8-1. It was a repeated case of the Stafford players missing their chances and the opposition taking the opportunities that came their way with only Mike Barker providing any resistance. The second half was more evenly matched as the Alsager team seemed to take their collective foot off the accelerator once victory was secured. Mike Barker, Chris Hanlon, Dave Arrowsmith and Steve Finney claimed wins after the interval in what turned out to be a disappointing evening of pool. Chris Hanlon and Gaz Baker made their debuts for the Sunday side.
Stafford Sunday slip down to 5th place in the Interleague table with Stafford Blaze climbing up to 13th. Individual player statistics from the Interleague matches can be viewed on the Interleague Averages page.
Staffs Inter-league Knockout Report
Stafford Blaze slipped to a 10-4 defeat to Trent Trophies B in their recent 2nd round Interleague Knockout match. Meanwhile, the Stafford Chasers side put in a much improved performance in their 2nd round Interleague Knockout match. After being on the wrong end of a 17-1 demolition to Afford 3 weeks earlier (in their league tie) it was promising to see the Stafford team run the Stoke side much closer this time around. The end result of a 10-7 loss was all the more impressive after having to give away 2 frames on the night due to being a player short. Captain, Clair Maslin, led the way with 2 wins and was given good support by amongst others Shaun Aldritt, Alan Aldritt, Neil Dale and Kevin Warrilow.
National Inter-league Championship
Stafford A just missed out on a place in the last 32 draw at the recent National Inter-league Championship that was held in Great Yarmouth. The team finished in 2nd place at the end of the group stage having lost 10-8 to Chesterfield and beaten Brighton B 10-3. Chesterfield went through to the knockout stage by virtue of its earlier 9-9 draw against Brighton. Performing well on the day with 100% records were Mick Addison and Gav Davies who both claimed 3 wins. Normans Elite from Manchester went on to take the title. The Stafford side were in good company as all 5 of the teams representing the Staffs Inter-league fell at the first hurdle.
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Staffs Inter-league Match 4 Report
Stafford Sunday returned to form (after their recent cup knockout) in the Staffs Interleague with a 12-6 victory over Trent Trophies Tuesday. Stafford’s premier team returned 6-3 wins in each half of the contest to send the players off to Great Yarmouth in high spirits. John Grobnik (2 wins), Gav Davies and Dave Barker (2 wins) provided the best finishes of the night. Also putting in good shifts with double wins were captain Giles Eastwood, Simon Key and Steve Finney who remains at the top of the pile with 8 league wins out of 8 for the season.
Stafford Blaze made the first of two trips to Green Baize in the space of three weeks to play the league fixture between Trent Trophies B and Stafford Blaze. After the great knockout win last time in Leek, hopes were high to put on a good performance against another top class opponent. Playing four of the best five teams from last year in the first four matches is a horror fixture list but these games have to be played. Missing from the Blaze lineup was Karen Tomkinson, Ricardo Martinez, Andy Rogers, Ben Edge and Robbie Jenkinson so once again skipper Lee Haidarovic had to call upon Justin Mackereth and Will Edge. The first half of the contest was evenly matched with only one major difference (taking the chances when they arrived). Trent Trophies did this and unfortunately Blaze didn’t. All nine games were pretty even encounters but good finishing from the home side and poor finishing from the away side meant that the half time score was 7-2 with only Alan Sim and Brendan Ruttledge having a W next to their name. The second half was exactly the same as even though the Blaze should have won at least half the frames, poor potting when it mattered meant that only Scott Haidarovic won to make the final score 15-3. Shot of the match belonged to Brendon Ruttledge as he somehow managed in one shot to squeeze a red over a pocket covered by three yellows making those balls unplayable. Captain’s choice of Player of the Match was Alan Sim. Another disappointing performance which will have to be quickly sorted out for the knockout game against tonights opponents on the 10th April. Skipper Lee Haidarovic will be missing from this match so vice captain Ben Lemaistre will have the job of picking the right 9 to compete.
Stafford Chasers also had a disappointing trip to Afford as they came away with a 17-1 drubbing - Rich Davies making sure that the Stafford side avoided the dreaded whitewash. Both the Blaze and the Chasers will be hoping for better fortune when they meet the same sides again in the next round of the Interleague Knockout on 17th April.
Stafford Sunday currently lie atop the Interleague table after 3 rounds of matches. Individual player statistics from the Interleague matches can be viewed on the Interleague Averages page.
Winter League Match 16 Report
Division 1 Rileys A hold a 7 point lead over their rivals Rileys Cue after both teams recorded 7-1 victories over Ricky A and Tap n Spile respectively. Giles Eastwood made it 27 wins this season along with Gav Davies (2) and Dave Arrowsmith (2). Hop Pole C picked up a useful 5-3 success at Rileys C for whom Simon Key (2), Mick Addison (2) and Baz Davies all won. 3 Tuns A picked up their first league win in 9 after a 5-3 victory over in form St. Georges A to ease their relegation worries. Rileys Rebels were held to a 4-4 draw at lowly Emerald Club while the Joiners were also held to a 4-4 draw by struggling Tap n Spile A.
Division 2 Unbeaten Bear and Pheasant A have a 26 point lead at the top after their recent 6-2 win at basement side Staffs Bull A. Staffs Bull B ran out 5-3 winners at the Hop Pole A. Dan Goodwin made it 23 wins for the season as James Jeffrey, Ben Bates and Eric Holt also won. Rileys Cue Ts continued their fine form with a 6-2 victory over the Oxleathers. Sarah O’Donnell (2), Ainoa Villar (2), Clair Maslin and Rhiannoh Davies all won. The Highfields gained a useful 4-4 draw at home to 2nd place Rileys while both Rangers A and B drew 4-4 with St. Leonards and Perkins Social respectively.
Division 3 The Luckpenny made it back to back 8-0 victories as 4th place Bird were the latest victims and so open up an 11 point lead at the top. 2nd place Joiners crashed to a 6-2 defeat at the hands of Westway. Mark Shaw, Steve Potter and Daz Willetts all won 2 each. Bear and Pheasant ran out convincing 7-1 winners over lowly Ricky C while the 3 Tuns B returned home with a 5-3 win at the Albion B. Albion A still have promotion aspirations after their recent 5-3 success at the Ricky D. Andy Rogers made it 28 wins for the season.
National Inter-league Championship
The draw is now available for the round-robin stage of the National Inter-league Championship. The town will be represented by the Stafford A team who qualified as a result of its top 3 finish in last year’s Staffs Interleague. The side join 95 other teams from across the country all vying for first place at Great Yarmouth on 4-5th April. The team has been placed in Group 24 and will face challenges from Chesterfield and Brighton B. The winner of the group will then progress to the last 32 straight knockout stage.
Staffs Inter-league Knockout Report
Stafford Sunday fell at the first hurdle in the Staffs Interleague Knockout Cup after suffering a 10-6 reverse at the hands of Cannock Chase. Wins from Rob Wharne, John Grobnik, Dave Whitfield and Mick Addison saw the Stafford players race into a 4-1 lead before the opposition hit back with a run of 8 successive frames taking them onto the hill at 9-4. Mick Addison and Gav Davies temporarily stopped the rot before Cannock won the decisive frame and gained a little revenge for the league defeat they suffered at the hands of the Stafford side earlier in the season.
Stafford Blaze travelled to Leek to start their cup campaign and only 7 days after the thrashing at the hands of Trent Trophies they were not in the mood to lose again. Skipper Lee Haidarovic had to make some last minute changes to his squad as last minute pull outs by some key players - Scott Haidarovic, Ricardo Martinez, Ant Whitehead and Robbie Jenkinson meant that the Blaze only had eight players, so at the eleventh hour Justin Mackereth stepped in and signed up to make it nine. As this was a cup game, the format was first to ten rather than the standard eighteen game match and the Blaze quickly put wins in the column with fine clearances from Tom Tonna, Karen Tomkinson and Ben LeMaistre making it an early 3-0 lead. The next three sets of games were shared as Spence Trow, Alan Sim and Justin Mackereth all lost but fine play by Lee Haidarovic, Andy and Brendon Ruttledge (who won without playing a shot due to his opponent breaking and clearing the table but going in-off whilst potting the black) made the interval score 6-3. The 2nd half started like the first with Tom, Karen and Ben all winning their respective games and Spence losing his, however that is where the losses ended as Justin Mackereth made no mistake from 2 shots to secure the win needed to make the official score 10-4 to the Blaze.
Stafford Blaze join Stafford Chasers who had a bye in the 2nd round of the cup. Blaze travel to Trent Trophies B while Chasers have an away tie against Afford. Matches to be played on or before Friday 17th April.
Staffs Inter-league Match 3 Report
Stafford Sunday had a straightforward victory over newcomers, Stafford Chasers, in their recent Staffs Interleague derby match. It was a workmanlike performance on the night from the Sunday team who took their chances when they came and made fewer errors when at the table. After trailing 9-0 at the interval Jim Simpson and Marie Coley brought some respectability to the score with consolation frames to result in the final score of 16-2. Mike Barker, Steve Finney, John Grobnik, Gav Davies, Dave Barker and Rob Wharne all put in a good shift for the Sunday side with double wins to each.
I write this report the morning after one of the most awesome displays from a pool team I have ever witnessed, writes Stafford Blaze captain Lee Haidarovic. Trent Trophies A who are not only the reigning Staffordshire Inter-League champions but National champions as well are not just good - when their game is on they are on another planet! They could afford to leave out current world champion Gareth Potts and World runner up Adam Davis and bring with them 9 players who quite simply are among the best of the best in Staffordshire. Eighteen frames - twelve of them were decided after one visit from the away side. At half time the score was 9-0. With Tom Tonna, Scott Haidarovic and Brendon Ruttledge the only players to actually have more than 2 visits to the table after impressive 8 ballers off the break by Mark Blackshaw and Steve Bridgwood against Ben LeMaistre and Alan Sim, and 7 ballers from Daz Lightfoot and Ade Proctor after both Ricky Martinez and Lee Haidarovic had broke. The second half was the same as Trent Trophies tore through the Blaze in record time. Again the pattern seemed to be the same. If the Blaze didn’t clear up with their first visit then they weren’t going back on the table as Spence Trow, Scott Haidarovic and Robbie Jenkinson were the only players to have 2 or more visits to the table. Congratulations to Robbie Jenkinson for being the only winner of the night for the Blaze after an uncharacteristic mistake by Steve Bridgwood gave Robbie a chance and after a clever manoeuvere managed to tie the TT player up which enabled him to pick up the win. 17-1 the final score and a very harsh lesson was taught. If this was a boxing match the referee would have stopped it along time ago. Next up in seven days is the Knockout game away at Leek B which is a bit of a grudge match as last season Leek B stopped the Blaze from reaching the Yarmouth finals after beating them in the 3rd and 4th place play-off whilst the Blaze got them back in the league with a fine win at the latter end of the season.
Stafford Sunday currently lie atop the Interleague table after 3 rounds of matches. Individual player statistics from the Interleague matches can be viewed on the Interleague Averages page.
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Winter League Match 12 Report
Division 1 Leaders Rileys A hold onto top spot after their recent 6-2 success over their C team. Giles Eastwood, Adam Lilburne and Gav Davies all won 2 each. Rileys Cue also ran out 6-2 winners, this time over 4th placed Rileys Rebels. Dave Barker, Kev Brown (both 2), Rob Wharne and Dave Whitfield all won. Tap n Spile A picked up only their 2nd win of the season with a 6-2 success at the 3 Tuns. Steve Finney (2), John Daniels (2), Ben LeMaistre and Tony Mason all won. St. Georges A moved away from the drop zone with a 5-3 win over the Rickerscote A. Both matches involving Emerald Club v Joiners A and Tap n Spile v Hop Pole C ended in 4-4 draws.
Division 2 Bear and pheasant A continue to dominate this division after they ran out 6-2 victors at the Hop Pole A. They hold a 16 point lead at the top over the Rileys who also won 6-2 at the Rangers A. Staffs Bull B gained a useful 5-3 success over the Perkins. James Jeffrey, Ben Bates (both 2) and Garry Livesey all won. St. Leonards ran out convincing 7-1 winners over the Oxleathers. Rich Medway, Ben Lowe, Alan Challinor (all 2 each) and Mike Whitworth all won. Highfields saw off basement side Staff bull A winning 5-3. Mark Challenor (2), Mark Simpson, Mark Philips and Adam Jackson all won. Rileys Cue Ts were held at home to a 4-4 draw by the improving Rangers B.
Division 3 Leaders Joiners were held to a 4-4 draw by bottom of the table Metro Bar and this gave the Luckpenny a chance to close the gap and they did with a 5-3 victory at the Rickerscote D. Albion A who had games in hand on the top two could only muster a draw and a 5-3 defeat, the latter being at the Rickerscote C for whom Les Murphy (2), Dave Nixon, Tracey Stanyer and Paul Cox all won. The Bird recorded a 5-3 win at the Westway. Mark Lynch, Russ Pibworth (both 2) and Jill Woolford all won. Albion B picked up only their 2nd win of the season with a 5-3 success over the Rickerscote B. Paul McQuillin (2), Sean Mcquillin, Mark Stone and Alan Dean all won. The Bear and pheasant beat the 3 Tuns B 5-3.
Staffs Inter-league Match 2 Report
Stafford Sunday claimed an excellent victory over local rivals Cannock Chase in their recently re-arranged Staffs Interleague home match. The visitors sprinted out of the blocks in taking a 3-1 lead before the Stafford side hit back with wins in 4 of the next 5 frames to go into a 5-4 interval advantage. It was then a case of deja-vu as the Cannock boys started the 2nd half in almost identical fashion to the first as they took a commanding 8-6 lead with only John Grobnik responding with his 2nd win of the night. But, back again came the home team who clawed back the 2 frame gap thanks to Dave Arrowsmith and Simon Key to set up a tense finale. Up stepped Mike Barker and Steve Finney to finish off the job and see the Stafford team record a 10-8 scoreline in their favour.
The second match of the 2009 Inter-league season for Stafford Blaze was away at Afford, part of the triple bill that saw the Blaze take on 3 of the top 4 teams from 2008 in succession. Skipper Lee Haidarovic had plenty of options to choose from. However, he was concerned with the loss of key players in Mark Billingsley, Robbie Jenkinson and Spencer Trow for this game. The Blaze began the game with the worst possible scenario when all the first six games were won by the home side as superb pool from Afford meant that Tom Tonna, Scott Haidarovic, Karen Tomkinson, Ant Whitehead, Alan Sim and Lee Haidarovic all lost to their respective opponents. However, the Blaze had a little fightback right at the end of the first half winning the remaining three games thanks to Andy Rogers, Ben Lemaistre and Ricardo Martinez, to make the interval score 6-3. The second half was more evenly matched as Scott Haidarovic, Brendon Ruttledge, Ricardo Martinez and Ben LeMaistre earned wins with Tom Tonna, Karen Tomkinson, Andy Rogers, Ben Edge and Lee Haidarovic on the receiving end of a loss. Man of the Match was a close call between Ricardo Martinez and Ben LeMaistre but the vote goes to Ben for his superb 8-baller in the final frame. Next up for the Blaze is a slightly easier match at home to Trent Trophies A the reigning champions and home to players like World Champion Gareth Potts, England Captain Lee Kendall and a host of England/County players.
Stafford Chasers continued the task of finding its feet in its debut Interleague season as the team travelled to Rugeley for their 2nd match. The team again came away with 4 frames on the night as they finished on the wrong end of a 14-4 defeat.
Individual player statistics from the Interleague matches can be viewed on the Interleague Averages page.
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Winter League Match 8 Report
Division 1 Defending champs Rileys A stormed back to the top after their shock exit the week before from the knockouts. They took it out on the St. Georges with a thumping 7-1 success. Giles Eastwood, Gav Davies, Adam Lilburne (all 2) and Dave Arrowsmith all won. Rileys Cue returned from the Joiners A with an excellent 5-3 win. Dave Barker (2), Dave Whitfield, Mike Barker and Rob Wharne all won. Rickerscote A picked up their first win of the campaign, and in some style! An 8-0 win at the Tap A. Mark Sheerin, Steve Bradley, Mick Bryant and Andy Palin all won 2 each. Hop Pole C inflicted a first defeat in 6 matches over the Rileys Rebels and The Tap returned to winning ways with a 5-3 win at Rileys C. Emerald Club and 3 Tuns drew 4-4.
Division 2 The Perkins held leaders Bear and Pheasant A to a draw at home. This gave 2nd place Rileys the chance to close the gap and they duly did with a 6-2 success at the Oxleathers. Gurd Bhogal, Chris Broomhall and James Bailey all won 2 each. Rileys Cue Ts surprised St. Leonards with a 6-2 victory. Clair Maslin (2), Sarah O’Donnell (2), Ainoa Villar and Rhiannoh Davies all won. Rangers A made it 3 wins on the trot after their recent 5-3 success at the Staffs Bull A. The Staffs Bull B however inflicted a similar score over the Rangers B. Ed Holt (2), Gaz Morris, Garry Livesey and Dan Goodwin were the victors. Hop Pole A picked up their first league win with a 6-2 win at the Highfields. Andy Laing (2), Craig Parsons (2), Craig Jones and Colin Guy all won.
Division 3 The top 3 sides all collected 5-3 victories. The Joiners hold onto top spot by a single point with their success at the Rickerscote B. Neil Dale (2), Chris Colley, Gaz Bryant and Dan Clarke all won. The Luckpenny did the business against the Rickerscote C. Dave Jones (2), Scott Gibbs, Dean Curtis and Liam Goodwinn were the winners. Albion A travelled from the 3 Tuns B with their win. Andy Rogers (2), Ant Varkulys, Dean Marley and Aaron Brown all won. Bird recorded a 7-1 drubbing over basement side Metro Bar. The Bear and Pheasant came away with a 5-3 win over the Albion B while Rickerscote D and Westway ended 4-4.
Stan Bent Team Knockout Report
There were some big first round casualties in this season's Stan Bent Team k/o. Probably the biggest for a few years was mid table 3rd Division side Bear and Pheasant’s 4-2 win over reigning Winter League Champs Rileys A. Ian Hollinshead (2), Craig Bull and Robbie Simpson all won. Another first div side to fall were St. Georges. They lost 4-1 at the Luckpenny who occupy 2nd place in the 3rd div. Liam Goodwin, Dean Curtis, Scott Gibbs and Dave Jones were the victors.
Defending champions Rileys Cue were drawn against the Tap n Spile A and ran out 4-1 winners. Dave Whitfield, Mark Billingsley, Mike and Dave Barker all won. Last seasons runners up Joiners A were made to work hard for their 4-2 success against the Oxleathers while the other Joiners side also ran out 4-2 winners at the Albion B. Tap n Spile were pushed all the way with their 4-2 win over the Rangers B. Mick Fox, Jamie Woolley, Ian Crowe and Simon Pasquille all won. The Rickerscote C had an identical score against fellow 3rd div side Westway.
2008 Summer Champs Rileys C ran out convincing 4-0 winners aginst the Bull B. Jim Simpson, Ricardo Martinez, Gaz Baker and Chris Hanlon all won. Hop Pole A picked up their first win of the season thus inflicting a first defeat on Rileys by winning 4-2. Rileys Rebels overcame a plucky Rickerscote A side 4-2 while St. Leonards gained a useful 4-2 victory over highflying 3rd div side Albion A. Bird in Hand progressed through to the next round with a comfortable 4-1 success over the Three Tuns B and Hop Pole C strolled to a 4-1 victory at the Rickerscote D. Mick Addison, Baz Davies, Simon Key and Duncan Sunderland all won. Highfields Club and Staffs Bull A both recorded healthy 4-0 wins against Perkins and Metro Bar respectively.
Staffs Inter-league Match 1 Report
The 2009 season of the Staffs Interleague kicked off earlier than normal on 16th January with several new teams joining the league. There were mixed results for our local sides on the night with newcomers, Stafford Chasers, falling to a 14-4 loss to Leek B whilst Stafford Blaze were defeated 13-5 by Stafford Sunday in their derby clash.
The opening exchanges of the local derby saw the spoils shared as Blaze players Tom Tonna, Karen Tomkinson, Lee Haidarovic and Andy Rogers saw off their respective opponents with Dave Barker, Dave Whitfield, Gav Davies and Mike Barker responding with wins for the Sunday side. Steve Finney then won a tactical battle with Ricardo Martinez to give the Sunday boys a one frame advantage at the interval. The 2nd half saw the tide turn in the direction of the Sunday team as they showed some of the form that saw them to a 3rd place finish in the previous league season. Dave and Mike Barker, Gav Davies and Steve Finney were each credited with 2 wins on the night whilst Gav produced one of the shots of the evening to pot his final colour in the 2nd half.
Stafford Chasers had a harsh introduction to life in the Interleague in their debut match against Leek B who fielded a combination of experience and youth. Jonjo Wharton, Russ Pibworth and Sean Aldritt kept the Stafford team in touch at the interval with wins in their individual frames but Alan Aldritt was the only contributor to the win column in a disappointing second half.
Individual player statistics from the Interleague matches can be viewed on the Interleague Averages page.
County News Update
Mike Barker and Andy Rawlinson will make their debuts for the county this year after automatic qualification through their individual performances in the 2008 Interleague season. They will join up with Rob Wharne who retains his place and John Grobnik who re-qualified at the recent trials. The first match of the season is a home tie against Derbyshire on 1st February.
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