Last updated 19:42, Thursday, 27 March 2008

THIS week, in the Cockermouth and District Snooker League, division one ties started with host team Derwent A facing Clifton Lions.

A convincing 5-1 win for the resurgent Keswick side resulted.

Captain Richard Nelson was to display fine resolve in his 66-35 win against Keswick’s John Thwaites in the last frame of the evening to avoid the whitewash.

County Singles quarter finalist Vince Peet faced an opponent less than half his age in the shape of 16-year-old Lions player Gary Mattinson.

After a couple of excellent early pots from the youngster it was the Derwent cueist who was to show his experience with a convincing 89-16 win.

With the second frame underway it was another good start from a Clifton player, Gary Gray.

Again this was to prove in vain as Lakesider Paul Killingley produced some of his trademark crisp potting to run out 60-12.

The match was now looking difficult to win for the Clifton outfit and in the next frame, from a position of 30 points up, Derwent’s Paul Hoad was in command.

Nevertheless Mike Middlehurst ground his way back into the frame with just three colours remaining only to see his opponent coolly sink blue, pink and black to win 62-44.

A scrappy game followed between Steve Hodgson and Lions’ player Tony Dixon with the Keswick player running out with a brown to black clearance that was to win the tie 50-41.

At 4-0 to the home team damage limitation was the target as Clifton player Graham Renney was to face Carl Arthur.

A slim lead for Carl going into the colours was to prove vital as some fine potting by the Clifton Lion took the game all the way to the final ball.

Just as the Clifton side were looking to get their first frame on the board unruffled execution followed as the Derwent player made it 5-0.

John Street, exhibiting a weakened side owing to Peter O’Hagan’s County Singles semi-final commitments, did not falter as they were to beat home side Senhouse A 5-1, a win that gives their captain, Steven McLeod, some team-selection dilemmas next week.

Third placed Railway Club were to win 5-1 at home to Senhouse B with first frame of the evening proving crucial.

With the break at 29 and facing a black off the spot with reds well placed, Senhouse B’s Shaun Ayre was well and truly in command.

A surprising miss followed and Railway’s Paul Graham didn’t look back, winning the game with some assured potting.

After the league’s oldest player, 76-year-old Barrie Haigh, was beaten convincingly by Railway’s Craig Davies and Neil Henderson defeated Senhouse B’s Neil Bower the score was 3-0.

Breaks of 27 by Railway’s Steve Garroway and Kevin Basnett were to follow and the score was 5-0.

With another whitewash on the cards second placed in the leading player standings, Railway’s Barry Collins was to take the table against Michael Spark.

Spark, another frustrating opponent for Collins was to produce one of the pots of the evening on the final blue and clear pink and black to pip his younger adversary.

A derby clash saw home side Ellenborough take on Maryport Social A in what ended in a 4-2 win for the away team.

A solid performance from the Social squad was highlighted with a classic one frame encounter between Sal Kacmack and Ellenborough’s Simon Holm.

After trailing by 43 points with just 43 remaining, Simon grafted his way back into the frame and with just the brown remaining Sal was faced with a snooker.

A good escape was to follow but just to prove what a cruel game snooker can be the brown dropped into the pocket to seal the tie for the Social B player.

Division two games will be back next week after a two-week break.