Balfour A Maggs Optics KO Cup Winners

Pictured Left to Right - Simon Pearce, Anthony Griffiths, Ray Hoare, Alan Griffiths (Captain) John Butterfield & Terry McBride. Not pictured John Smith, Ryan Ashworth & Kevin Newsham.


 

MAGGS OPTICS KO CUP FINAL

The Balfour Club A pulled off KO Cup victory on Monday night, but it certainly was not a clear cut win everyone expected. The Waterloo A team kept themselves in the match for all five frames, and a little bit of fortune here and there and the result could have been very different.

Playing a five frame aggregate format on the Conservative Club table, the first frame saw Simon Pearce (Balfour) and Martin Hartley get off to a nervy start. Simon gained the advantage with a 25 break, but Martin came back with 17 and there was nothing in it when it came to the colours. Martin took the small colours and Simon potted brown, blue and pink. Martin sank the all-important black to only lose by 12 points.

Three times county singles champion Terry McBride (Balfour) got off to a good start in the second frame and amassed a 25 point lead, but some steady potting by Carl Hughes saw him peg the lead back. Terry took the small colours, but some crafty snookers and the pink and black saw Carl only lose by 26 points. Keri Hughes (Waterloo) dominated for most of the third frame and constructed a nice 26 break.

However, John Butterfield got his act together and with some good safety and snookers got into the frame, and he potted from green to black to only lose the frame by seven points.

Ray Hoare (Balfour) had the best of the opening exchanges, but Tony James kept plugging away and had a decent lead going into the colours. Ray sank the majority of the colours to the black, but then Tony inexplicably went in-off the black to only win the frame by two points.

With the Balfour only 23 points ahead going into the final frame, the result could have gone either way. Anthony Griffiths (Balfour) got off to a good start and gained a good lead with Adrian Slade making some unfortunate errors and squandering opportunities.

Anthony protected his lead well and try as he did an out-of-touch Adrian could not haul back the deficit and the Balfour Club became KO Cup champions.

The Conservative Club was thanked for their hospitality and Peggy was given a mention for her sumptuous buffet.

Colin McCarthy and Shane Tucker had the white gloves on.

 

Waterloo A Maggs Optics KO Cup Runners Up

Pictured Left to Right – Adrian Slade, Wyn Walters, Tony James, Keri Hughes, Martin Hartley & Carl Hughes. Not pictured Defan Hughes (Captain).