Four out of five for Cannons (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Shield success once more as Cannons edge past Mottisfont

10:22am Tuesday 12th March 2013 in Andover

THE Cannons won their fourth Test Valley Billiard League Charity Shield in five years when beating Mottisfont at the Wolversdene Club last week.

The ‘Fonts were hoping to win their first Shield and with form on their side it was always going to be an interesting match. Dave Chase, who had won his last three games, put himself up against Cannons’ best player Richard Stevens who had only lost two games all season. The game started slowly, with Dave getting his renowned fair share of rollers, but Richard played his natural game and eventually knocked in a 21 break to edge away. Dave was disheartened by the break and struggled to get the shots, finally losing by 57 points giving the advantage to the Cannons. The ‘Fonts’ Peter Holmes was matched against an improving Ian Carpenter in the second game and made an excellent 21 break but it wasn’t to be, losing 100-68 and leaving an impossible target in the final game. Ernie Jackson beat Paul Carpenter but it wasn’t by enough points, leaving Cannons triumphant.

In the league bottom of the table Andover Wolves visited Clatford Plains looking to climb off the bottom of the league and the first game between Glynne Stevens and Mark DueBlack could have gone either way, but it was the visitors who took the win by a single point.

Shane Moore made it two for the Wolves beating Joe Stockwell which left Zandor Lowe, who hadn’t won a game since mid-November, to beat Nigel Horne to make the clean sweep. Nigel hit form, knocking in three 20 plus breaks but Zandor scored enough points to secure the overall win for the Wolves. Chilbolton Cuemen were hoping to increase their 15 point lead at home to Leckford and both Dean Turner and Jay Ponting took maximum points which left Philip Langley in the final game against Martin Appleby. The Leckford man’s game was just too much for butcher Philip and he won 100-59. The Cuemen were then hoping the Cannons could do them a favour and restrict the ‘Fonts on Wednesday night.

The Cannons’ George Carpenter was looking to replicate brother Ian’s result against Peter Holmes in the Charity Shield but Pete wasn’t going to be beaten by another Carpenter, and he won 100-44. Dave Chase made it two wins for the visitors, improving his result from the previous week and these results gave the ‘Fonts hope in taking top spot away from the Cuemen, if captain Graham Osman could score more than 74 points plus his handicap against Ian Carpenter.

Ian played some sublime shots, scoring in double figures at every visit leaving Graham shell shocked and leaving them 94 points adrift from the Cuemen.