The Spalding and District Billiards League has finished, so attention turns to the Billiards Shield competition.
This is traditionally a knockout tournament based on aggregate points, but this season sees a new format – teams have been split into two mini divisions of five in each.
Over five weeks they will play each other and the top two from each division then play in semi finals to find the finalists.
Instead of aggregate points, the competition is based on frames won/lost
The first week only saw two fixtures take place due to two postponed matches.
Still producing good form were the league winners and runners up, Donington B and Broadway who both recorded 2-1 wins, although they are playing in different divisions in this.
Donington were away to Pyramid B and despite losing the first frame, they bounced back to a 2-1 win. Mick Pearl (r20) narrowly lost out to Pyramid’s Maurice Phillipson (r80), but Neil Reynolds (o50) levelled the match with a 200-180 win against Phil Cooke (r105). Reynolds hit breaks of 47, 30, 26 and 22. Neil Burton (r65), for Donington, won by the same margin as he defeated Darrell Read (r30), despite Read’s 29 break.
Broadway played hosts to Pyramid A and ran out 2-1 winners.
Just back from representing England against Northern Ireland in an English Amateur Billiards Association friendly was Broadway’s Gary Norman, who beat John Clapton (r115) 200-197. He had eight breaks of which 61 and 60 were his best.
Steve Singh (o50) put Broadway two up as he defeated Neil McLean (r95) 200-136, but Pyramid’s captain John Twell (r50) stopped a whitewash as he wrapped up a victory against Wole Akintola (r25).
Week two of the fixtures saw Broadway leading Division B as they enjoyed a 2-1 win away at Donington A.
Winning 200-186 was Norman (o285) against Nigel Brasier (r30). Norman hitting the highest break of the week with a 71.
Broadway took the second frame as Singh (o50) defeated Ben Wrigglesworth (r15), 200-184. Singh making breaks of 46,20, while Wrigglesworth had a 21 and 36.
Donington’s Tony Scully (r35) had a 79-point win over Akintola (r25).
In second place are Pyramid A who entertained Consti and won 2-1. Clapton (r115) and Twell (r50) had wins against John Bellerby (r110) and Alan Hansard (r70) respectively.
Consti’s Stuart Davies ((r45) got the point for them beating Oli Player (r30).
Only one fixture was played in Division A as Pyramid B and Gosberton played a day later.
It was the first fixtures for both Holbeach teams as they played each other, Holbeach B coming out on top with a 2-1 win.
The A team’s Jason Rose (o05) got them off to a good start, defeating Andy Spearman (r80) 200-156. Rose had breaks of 32,31 and 21.
A closely fought game went the way of the B team as Neil Harvey (r30) won by eight points against Ben Harding (o05), but the final frame saw Denis Hix (r70) play Mick Cooper (o205). Hix had a big win 200-0, as Cooper failed to clear his o205 handicap.
