Last updated 19:33, Thursday, 21 February 2008

WITH only a month left of the winter singles league, Whitehaven’s Robert Sim has battled his way to the top of the West Cumbria Individuals Snooker Championship for the first time this season.

Maryport’s Mike Park lines up a shot

The Copeland cueist and current holder of the title laid down the gauntlet to his nearest rivals with two solid recent wins.

Firstly he took on the challenge of Workington’s Mark Tunstall who took the opening frame to edge in front.

Sim then won a black ball second frame to level things before finally getting into his stride. With breaks of 64, 32 and 30 he eased away to a 4-1 victory.

He then took on championship veteran Mike Dawson and swiftly went 2-0 up with the addition of a 55 break. Dawson pegged him back by taking a tight third before Sim kicked on again with a 30 break to take the match 4-1.

Sim now edges in front of Allerdale’s Peter O’Hagan on average points throughout the season.

Dawson fared better in his second game against club colleague Mike Park of Maryport after taking the opening frame. Park was comfortable in winning the second and then a tighter third for a 2-1 lead.

Dawson pulled things level after a low scoring fourth but finished strongly with the help of a 41 break for a 3-2 win.

Whitehaven’s Vito Shipley held on to fourth place in the premiership with a hard fought win over Maryport cueist Simon Holm.

It was Holm who took a black ball first frame and almost went 2-0 up but Shipley compiled a frame-winning 40 break.

Shipley then took a 2-1 lead in a tight third only for Holm to battle back with the fourth for 2-2. It was Shipley who took a comfortable decider for the win bonus point.

Shipley was a more comfortable winner in his second fixture against Workington’s Steven O’Hagan. He soon had the win bonus sewn up by taking the opening three frames before fortifying his result with breaks of 50 and 41 in the fourth. O’Hagan took a comfortable final frame for a consolation point and 4-1 reversal.

It’s been a busy few weeks in division one with a number of players attempting to catch up on postponements.

Workington’s Alan Stephenson remains 11 points clear at the top with the help of 5-0 wins against Whitehaven’s Ryan Henry and the same score-line over Seaton’s Shaun Moore, including a low scoring second frame all on the black.

Maryport cueist Craig Denwood distanced himself from the basement position when he took on Moore.

Denwood took the opening frame only for Moore to pull things level. Denwood then took the final three tight frames, including a black ball fourth, for a useful 4-1 win.

Henry also went down 5-0 to Cockermouth’s Paul Hoad who is making a late surge up the table, catching up on several fixtures lately.

Hoad also had an important win over second placed youngster Ryan Ismay of Maryport.

Ismay won the opening, low-scoring frame and then Hoad took a comfortable second only for the younger player to reply by taking a tight third.

However Hoad took a black-ball fourth and comfortable fifth for 3-2 as he continues to improve although there seems to be far too much to do get into the promotion picture.

Ismay reversed that defeat when he took on Workington’s Stuart Ryan. The youngest competitor in the championship started off brightly taking the first frame with the aid of a 33 break.

He then took a 2-0 lead before Ryan battled back with the third. Then Ismay sealed the win in the fourth with Ryan taking a comfortable final frame for 2-3.

Ryan strengthened his mid-table position after he caught up with some recent fixtures firstly defeating Whitehaven’s Alex Chiesa.

Ryan took the opening frame whilst Chiesa replied with the second. The John Street player then took the next two to secure the win and bonus. Chiesa won the last frame for a respectable 3-2 defeat.

Ryan’s other recent match saw him beat Denwood 4-1 after losing the first frame.

Cockermouth’s Paul Killingley suffered a setback in his promotion push when he faced Workington’s Dave Chapman who is in third place. After comfortable frame wins for both players to put the match at 1-1 Chapman took the next two for the valuable win bonus point with Killingley won the final frame for a 3-2 defeat.

The draw for the semi-finals of this year’s Intrim Trophy Individual Knockout is: Stuart Shepherd (Marchon) v Vito Shipley (Marchon), Mike Dawson (Work Cons) v Peter O’Hagan (John St).

Ties are to be completed over the best of five frames by March 3.

Once the finalists are known all this season’s league players will have the opportunity to vote on where they would like the final and presentation night to be held.