LUMLEY’S Martin Ball produced a come back of epic proportions to clinch the Danby Auto Sunderland Snooker League Open Singles title with a 3-2 victory over Steels’ Chris Cowie.
Cowie has been a member of the league for a number of years, and always sets a high standard, and always plays quality eight ball pool.
While Ball is a recent addition with a high reputation and ambitions of progressing in the game.
Houghton Glendale staged the match in a best of five frames.
The early pace was set by Cowie who started in impressive style, and immediately started to show his form and build a platform for his intention of claiming the title.
He seemed to find the speed of the table quicker than Ball and he took full advantage by keeping control, culminating in him winning the first two frames.
This brought an expected response from Ball, who now needed to win the last three frames and he retaliated by taking the next two to force a final frame decider.
The fifth frame was dominated by Ball, and with two breaks, including a 59 and he won the match 3-2 to become the Open Champion.
The Open Singles competition is one of the most prestigious competitions of the season and also sees the two finalists playing for the Sid Loads Trophy.
Two players from Washington Snooker were involved in the first division final, with Paul Kirsop the captain of the all conquering league “A” team against his team-mate Steve Thompson.
Both players were playing from scratch and it was even for most of the first frame, until Kirsop suffered a huge kick on a red, leaving an opening that Thompson was able to capitalise on and run out a comfortable winner.
A good start in the second by Kirsop enabled him to build a 20 point lead.
However, a well controlled break of 41 by Thompson put him into the lead.
Kirsop battled back and steadily reduced the deficit, and it was tit for tat going into the colours.
Kirsop had the first chance on the last black, but a miss left it for Thompson to pot and go 2-0 ahead.
This seemed to lift Thompson and he started to dominate the third frame, while Kirsop only had to watch and suffer as he needed the frame to keep in the game.
Thompson was now flowing and dictating the play, and Kirsop had a mountain to climb before conceding with reds on the table to leave Thompson a worthy winner of the title.
Now the last two finals of the knock-out competitions have now been played, this completes the Winter Season of the Sunderland Snooker League.
Comments are closed.