Andover pool take the limelight

9:28am Thursday 8th May 2008

The 2008 Hampshire Pool Interleague continued recently with rounds three and four in the league either side of the Knockout Cup competition and it was Andover who emerged from this busy spell with the plaudits while the Q's struggled.

Round three in the league saw Andover's game at Portsmouth Snooker postponed so the only local involvement saw the Q's entertain Southampton Q-World. The Q's started strongly and wins for Richard Thompson and Gerry Breen (Southampton Arms) and the trio of Queen Charlotte players Richard Teague, Kev Travis and Chris Newman saw the home team race into a 7-2 lead at half way.

Travis made it 8-3 but the opposition took the last seven and the match 10-8.

In the Knockout Cup the two local teams were paired together along with Gosport A and Portsmouth B. Former champions Gosport A came back from 5-4 down at half way beat Andover 11-7. The Q's began against Portsmouth B and battled well to a 9-9 draw. In round two Andover beat Portsmouth B 13-5 while the Q's lost 15-3 to Gosport A. Round three saw the two local teams face each other with Andover needing seven frames to progress while the Q's needed a heavy victory.

When Andy Bannan (Chestnut) made the score 8-3 it was the end for the Q's with the final score 11-7. This took Andover into a semi-final with 2007 double winners Portsmouth Snooker and when Karl Baxter (Queen Charlotte) and Andy Wesley (Southampton Arms) levelled at 5-5 it seemed that a close match was in order but the opposition stepped up a gear to run out 10-6 winners and send Andover into a third place play-off against Q-World.

This match was significant as finishing third would almost certainly secure a place at Great Yarmouth in October so captain Karl Baxter rallied the team for one more effort on what had become a very long day.

Southampton led 5-4 at half way before the local players raced through the last session with six of the next seven frames to win the match and secure third place in the competition.

Next up was round four of league matches but Q's game was postponed leaving Andover to play Portsmouth B at the Enham Club. Andover raced into a four frame lead including victory for Jez Taylor (Queen Charlotte) and further wins for Paul Fudge and John Francis (Queen Charlotte) contributed to a 6-3 lead at half way. Victory for Clive Harris (Queen Charlotte) made the final score 13-5.

Next matches: Andover v Portsmth Sh Friday June 6 Q's v Portsmouth Snooker Sunday June 8.

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