BILLIARDS - Results

Billiards League

Choose a week from the drop down list below. For dates, please see the downloadable fixture lists.

Click the for frame score details.

Week 12 - 12 December
Warwick Uni Billiards	5.0	-	4.0	Nelson Bowls Billiards
Sam Matto-Willey (70) 173 - 170 Chris Hudson (95) Michael Wilson (105) 157 - 173 Sid Deeming (70) Sam Matto-Willey (65) 184 - 175 Mike England (85) Michael Wilson (110) 150 - 170 Geoff Barrett (10) Sam Matto-Willey (60) 138 - 143 Geoff Barrett (5) Michael Wilson (115) 155 - 194 Sid Deeming (65) Sam Matto-Willey (65) 183 - 150 Mike England (90) Michael Wilson (120) 237 - 170 Chris Hudson (100) Totals 1377 5 - 4 1345 -  30+ Breaks/Other Info: Breaks: Geoff Barrett: 55, 38; Mike England: 30; Samuel Matto-Willey: 52. As Christmas closed in and the snow began to fall, the final week of the Billiards League commenced with the Uni basking in the glory of becoming Champions. A fantastic season, in which they had lost only two games, could be topped off by completing the quadruple over the Morris Trophy Champions, Nelson Bowls. As term had finished, and Zach had inexplicably decided that going to Wales would be better than playing a few frames of Billiards, the Uni only had two player: Sam 'The Matto' Willey and Michael 'Bore-y McIlroy' Wilson. It was Sam who made the better start, against Chris, as he somehow came from behind, he appeared to be miles behind throughout, to pinch it on the timer by a mere 3 points. Over on table three, Mike struggled to get his game together, just as he had in his warm-up with Matto beforehand, and so Sid had no trouble closing the gap. However, Mike was then able to stick with Sid and fluffed an easy chance to win; he potted the red to middle from ball in hand but landed right next to the spot, preventing another scoring shot when he was only 5 behind Sid with a minute to go! Sid was glad to get the reprieve and finished off the game nicely. So at 1-1 it was Mike E's turn to step up against Matto, whom he would play twice, and try to dismantle the Unis' form man. Mike E started off very well, increasing his handicap advantage steadily, as well as making a lovely 30, but he wasn't ready for the attack Matto was planning! With five minutes to go and Matto 40 behind the came seemed over, but Matto crept back and a stonking 29 unf got him over the line in the knick of time! Remarkable. Meanwhile, Uni captain Mike was facing the mighty Geoff. There where rumours Geoff's chalk was, in fact, broken given his handicap had risen to the ridiculous height of 10, but, Geoff set about putting that right by knocking in breaks of 38 and 55 against an out of sorts Mike. So it was 2-2. Sam had won two, Mike had lost two. Now it was time for the Billiards pro (no not you Sam) Geoff to take on Matto. This was billed as the match of the night with crowds coming in from as far afield as Bath to watch the show. Unfortunately for the Uni fans in the audience, the BFG (Big Friendly Geoff) was able to saunter up to Mattos lowered handicap and beyond with a remarkable ease. In fact, it wasn't until Matto was almost 60 points down that he decided show the fans what he could do! And blimey he did some marvelous things! A superb 52 break was ended by the buzzer, but not before Matto attempted an Alan Batchelder style 6 to try and sneak the match. It was a break which had the crowd standing, but, ultimately, made no difference as Geoff, and his chalk, won the day. Mike, in awe of the other tables events, had got worse over the course of the evening and a string of 20ish breaks from Sid was far too much for the poor Captain, who started to wonder whether his handicap would ever stop increasing! So, the Bowls led 4-2 and seemed on course for victory, which would prevent the Unis dreams of a quadruple! However, Matto was ready for any plans Mike E had to stop him, and the Unis' new Mr.50 had no problems in swiping away Mike E's challenge. On table three, Mike had saved up all his Billiards for the night until the last game, against Chris, in which he amassed 117 points to cruise to an amazing victory against Chris. It was these points which, ultimately, turned the aggregate point in the Unis' favour too! So, the Uni finished off a fantastic campaign with a fourth win over the Bowls, this time 5-4. This is certain to provide some them with some motivation for next year, when the Morris Trophy returns, and all four teams will be hungry for another piece of silverware to squeeze into their overflowing trophy cabinets!
Nelson Billiards	4.0	-	5.0	Lillington Billiards
Tony Baylis (45) 246 - 148 Johnny Grubb (125) Tony Marsh (80) 146 - 185 Alan Batchelder (70) Richie Evans (60) 108 - 183 Alan Batchelder (65) Martin OReilly (110) 159 - 173 Arthur MacTier (60) Tony Baylis (40) 159 - 180 Simon Gelfs (95) Tony Marsh (85) 197 - 116 Arthur MacTier (55) Richie Evans (65) 192 - 180 Johnny Grubb (125) Martin OReilly (115) 163 - 196 Simon Gelfs (90) Totals 1370 4 - 5 1361 -  30+ Breaks/Other Info: Aggregate Nelson 1370 Lillington 1361 Breaks Tony Baylis 51, 47, 31 Tony Baylis started the match with his best game of the season, scoring a total of 201 points against John Grubb in the 35 minutes, including breaks of 51, 47 and 31. But Alan Batchelder won well for Lillington against Tony Marsh, and he then swapped tables to complete a quick double against Richie Evans. Arthur MacTier also beat Martin O'Reilly to put the visitors 3-1 up. Baylis was unable to keep his form going for his second game and was unable to catch Simon Gelfs, but Marsh won well against MacTier to keep Nelson in the match. Evans made hard work of catching Grubb before getting the win in a late flurry, but captain Gelfs got the better of O'Reilly to clinch the match win for Lillington, although Nelson took the aggregate bonus point by a mere 9 points. A very enjoyable match to end the league season, with no snooker players on the third table, no excessive chatting or unnecessary comments when the games were on, and all those present either playing, reffing or watching. Just how it should be!!

Week 11 - 5 December
Nelson Billiards	4.0	-	5.0	Warwick Uni Billiards
Richie Evans (60) 153 - 158 Michael Wilson (105) Martin OReilly (110) 176 - 183 Anthony Church (95) Tony Baylis (35) 120 - 132 Sam Matto-Willey (70) Tony Marsh (80) 169 - 178 Max Burt (90) Richie Evans (65) 194 - 159 Michael Wilson (100) Martin OReilly (115) 159 - 155 Sam Matto-Willey (65) Tony Baylis (40) 152 - 158 Anthony Church (90) Tony Marsh (85) 195 - 186 George Edwards (110) Totals 1318 4 - 5 1309 -  30+ Breaks/Other Info: Aggregate Nelson 1318 Warwick Uni 1309. Breaks; Richie Evans 30, 30, 33 The first four games were all close finishes, but all went the Uni's way. Richie Evans and Martin O'Reilly pulled two back for Nelson, putting them ahead on aggregate points despite being 4-2 down. Tony Marsh sneaked a win against newcomer George Edwards, but Tony Baylis just missed out as Anthony Church clinched a narrow victory for the Uni. Highlight of the night was the second game between Richie and Michael, Richie played some of the best billiards he's played for ages, but what was also notable was that Michael was trying to play all the right shots and getting some good ones. He will improve a lot and his handicap will come right down if he carries on like that in the Morris Trophy. Just a shame that a couple of his team mates aren't at all interested in improving and just wanted to sit and chat all evening. Not appreciated by those of us who want to concentrate and try and play the game properly.
Lillington Billiards	3.0	-	6.0	Nelson Bowls Billiards
Johnny Grubb (120) 143 - 210 Sid Deeming (75) Simon Gelfs (95) 156 - 175 Geoff Barrett (15) Alan Batchelder (60) 121 - 149 Sid Deeming (70) Arthur MacTier (70) 126 - 121 Geoff Barrett (10) Simon Gelfs (100) 198 - 155 Chris Hudson (95) Arthur MacTier (65) 154 - 133 Sid Deeming (65) Johnny Grubb (125) 181 - 187 Chris Hudson (100) Alan Batchelder (65) 111 - 124 Geoff Barrett (15) Totals 1190 3 - 6 1254 -  30+ Breaks/Other Info: Breaks; Geoff 70, 30, 35. The evening ran 'hot and cold' for both teams at the Lillington Club; Nelson Bowls turned up the heat with both Sid Deeming and Geoff Barrett taking the first two games, with Geoff delivering breaks of 70 and 30. Sid followed this up with another win, while Arthur MacTier, trying to play it cool, took the first game for the home team, by a margin of 5 points, despite Geoff's 35 break. Arthur then showed that his years of continued dedication to billiards gave him the edge against an old adversary, while Simon Gelfs levelled the match after giving an impressive performance in a 'battle of the captains'. So with renewed confidence, it was another disappointment for Lillington as Geoff, and Chris Hudson won the final games by 11 and 6 points respectively, to give the victory to Nelson Bowls 6-3.

Week 10 - 28 November
Warwick Uni Billiards	3.0	-	6.0	Lillington Billiards
Michael Wilson (95) 151 - 196 Alan Batchelder (70) Sam Matto-Willey (70) 149 - 146 Simon Gelfs (95) Anthony Church (95) 191 - 147 Arthur MacTier (70) Zach Roberts (105) 230 - 207 Johnny Grubb (125) Anthony Church (90) 174 - 196 Simon Gelfs (100) Sam Matto-Willey (65) 150 - 154 Alan Batchelder (65) Max Burt (85) 169 - 198 Johnny Grubb (125) Michael Wilson (100) 151 - 170 Arthur MacTier (75) Totals 1365 3 - 6 1414 -  30+ Breaks/Other Info: Breaks: Alan Batchelder: 36, 45. Zach Roberts: 40. Week 10 saw league leaders Warwick Uni face Billiards League holders Lillington in a tie which, with a Uni win, would confirm Lillington wouldn't be 2017 League champions. The first round of matches saw Uni captain face off against new official friend Alan. It wasn't a classic of their many matches, in Mike's opinion, but a beautifully constructed 45, which ended with a cruel missed cannon, put Alan well on his way to a comfortable victory. Sam was also struggling against Simon, but, his classic double baulk tactic paid off as he scraped over the line by a mere three points in a very low scoring match. At 1-1 the Unis pot machines entered the fray; firstly Ant, fresh from his 9-ball heroics (oh wait...), was potting like there was no tommorow, albeit only if the shot was played very hard and with copious amounts of side. Zach, disgruntled by the typically effervescent Johnny, clicked into gear half way through his frame with a superb 40 break followed by several 20s, which gave the Uni a deserved 3-1 lead. The tables turned, however, with the League holders not prepared to give up their crown Lillington captain Simon found his game in a predictably pot oriented contest. Ant wasn't quite able to match Simon but, over on table 4, Sam looked like he was going to better Alan. Sam went behind due to controlled 36 break from Alan, which included a hump celebration at one point, pleasing Sam and Zach at whom it was aimed! Sam did get a chance, though, in which he came to the table 16 points down, with a little over two minutes remaining. Matto developed the red beautifully and set about getting the pots he needed to pinch the frame. However, a lapse in concentration meant he played a trickier positional shot to get on the red in the middle instead of the spot into the corner, and, with just one point scoring shot needed to win, Sam jawed the resultant red to middle, which was potted by a relieved Alan, to haul Lillington level at 3-3. At this point the Lillington were one point ahead in the aggregate score and hence all would be decided in the final two matches. New billiards star, Max, was against the boisterous Johnny and Max made poor excuse followed by poor excuse as he was outscored by the spritely Johnny in an abysmal display that wasn't even worthy of a garbage bin. Mike also couldn't get his game going against Arthur, although he was not helped by Max's relentless chatter, and Arthur took full advantage to gain the lead in the first 10 minutes and he wouldn't relinquish it thereafter. Lillington, therefore, came out 6-3 winners in a match which seemed to turn on Matto's awful miss. It was both a first defeat in eight games for the league leaders as well as the first aggregate point dropped in the season by the Uni, something which was not welcomed kindly by captain Mike. So Lillington's slim title hopes remain alive with a deserved win, while the Uni will hope they aren't about to be part of the biggest bottlejob in the Billiards League's history!
Nelson Bowls Billiards	2.0	-	7.0	Nelson Billiards
Geoff Barrett (0) 137 - 152 Tony Marsh (80) Chris Hudson (95) 161 - 175 Tony Baylis (50) Mike England (75) 145 - 146 Richie Evans (65) Geoff Barrett (10) 87 - 142 Tony Baylis (45) Mike England (75) 149 - 150 Tony Baylis (40) Chris Hudson (100) 180 - 169 Tony Marsh (75) Geoff Barrett (5) 80 - 153 Richie Evans (60) Mike England (80) 252 - 126 Richie Evans (55) Totals 1191 2 - 7 1213 -  30+ Breaks/Other Info: Breaks; Geoff Barrett 65, 39. Tony Baylis 39. Nelson brought Bowls to their knees with a triple victory over Barrett and double over Mike England. Mike then got the biggest win of the evening with a 106 margin over Richie Evans. Capt. Chris won & lost. Points: Bowls 1191; Nelson 1213

Week 9 - 21 November
Nelson Bowls Billiards	4.0	-	5.0	Warwick Uni Billiards
Geoff Barrett (0) 135 - 154 Michael Wilson (105) Mike England (75) 155 - 208 Anthony Church (100) Chris Hudson (95) 198 - 164 Anthony Church (95) Mike England (80) 146 - 142 Sam Matto-Willey (60) Geoff Barrett (0) 179 - 113 Sam Matto-Willey (65) Geoff Barrett (5) 184 - 115 Max Burt (85) Chris Hudson (90) 136 - 211 Max Burt (90) Mike England (75) 151 - 184 Michael Wilson (100) Totals 1284 4 - 5 1291 -  30+ Breaks/Other Info: Breaks; Geoff Barrett 47, 65. 5-4 to Warwick on aggregate. Barrett the Breakbuilder (47, 65) could not stop Bowls being 'University Challenged'. Warwick potted reds, whites and, (had there been any) geraniums as well.
Lillington Billiards	3.0	-	6.0	Nelson Billiards
Johnny Grubb (125) 183 - 167 Nigel Croft (50) Arthur MacTier (60) 164 - 175 Martin OReilly (120) Simon Gelfs (95) 205 - 128 Richie Evans (65) Alan Batchelder (70) 161 - 164 Tony Marsh (90) Arthur MacTier (65) 167 - 189 Martin OReilly (115) Johnny Grubb (120) 148 - 176 Richie Evans (70) Simon Gelfs (90) 143 - 222 Tony Marsh (85) Alan Batchelder (75) 139 - 109 Nigel Croft (55) Totals 1310 3 - 6 1330 -  30+ Breaks/Other Info: Breaks; Tony Marsh 33. Johnny Grubb and Martin O'Reilly made good use of their handicaps to start the Lillington, Nelson match on an even keel at 1-1. Simon Gelfs then produced some great pots to outpace his more experienced opponent, while Tony Marsh's years of billiard know-how lead him to an extremely tight 3 point win to leave the match level at 2-2. Then once again, things went pear-shaped for Lillington, as Martin took his second game of the evening with some great run-through cannons, and Richie Evans played a series of delicate touch shots to establish a 4-2 lead for Nelson. A low-scoring game gave Alan Batchelder victory after scoring a mere 64 points, while Marsh's confidence was high as he played possibly his best billiards for several years; scoring 137 points that included a 33 break, and securing a 6-3 win for Nelson.

Week 8 - 14 November
Warwick Uni Billiards	5.0	-	4.0	Nelson Billiards
Michael Wilson (105) 153 - 165 Tony Baylis (50) Max Burt (85) 166 - 192 Tony Marsh (100) Zach Roberts (105) 205 - 144 Richie Evans (55) Sam Matto-Willey (60) 198 - 158 Martin OReilly (125) Max Burt (90) 160 - 157 Tony Baylis (45) Sam Matto-Willey (55) 145 - 183 Tony Marsh (95) Zach Roberts (100) 191 - 193 Martin OReilly (125) Michael Wilson (110) 214 - 155 Richie Evans (60) Totals 1432 5 - 4 1347 -  30+ Breaks/Other Info: Breaks: Richie Evans: 45. Tony Baylis: 39, 30. Run away league leaders Warwick Uni faced Nelson in week 8 in a repeat of the only fixture they had lost earlier in the season. With the Deller-dominator lining up with the Uni's regular trio, another tasty encounter was in store against Baylis's Nelson. The opening frames saw an initial burst from Tony, including a superb 39 made off only hazards with the red, but he slowed up as Mike's handicap was reached. A series of 2 breaks from Mike for the last 20 minutes wasn't enough to hold off the Nelson's talisman, although it wasn't until about two minutes to go that Tony finished Mike off. Over on table 4, the in-form Max Burt was halted by the resurgent Tony Marsh. Only three weeks ago Tony M was threatening to quit the sport altogether, but a run of four consecutive wins has put retirement off the cards! So Nelson led 2-0 but the graduate pairing of Zach and Sam turned the tables to level the match up. Zach continued in the same vein that saw Ben Deller stopped less than a week before to blast past an out-of-sorts Richie, while Sam decided that consistent 'double baulking' was his best tactic. It certainly worked as Sam came from 70 behind with 18 minutes to go to win, comfortably, in the end. In the third set of matches, Sam, who had reached his lowest handicap of 55, was the next victim of Tony M's ruthless winning streak. Matto was unable to put the balls anywhere apart from near the pockets, allowing Tony to ease through to his fifth win in a row. On the other table, an epic tussle occurred between Max 'The Happy One' Burt and the mighty Tony B. Tony once again bridged the handicap swiftly, thanks to a run of 30, but Max showed why he believes his handicap could reduce to nothing with a series of good pot just about enough to keep Tony at bay. Tony clearly saw this as a missed opportunity, whereas Max just saw it as an excuse to buy his hundreth pint of coke for the night! So at 3-3 it all hinged on the final two games. Richie started superbly against Mike, who was still out of sorts having seen his handicap rise to a ridiculous 110, with a fantastic 45. By this point Mike's lead of 50 had been reduced to 7, but, the tables started to turn... As Matto described so elegantly, Mike used his "natural instincts" to regain his form. In off after in off, cannon after cannon and no pots at all aided a timely fightback. A run of teen breaks got Mike back to - and past - his handicap lead, confirming another Uni victory. Zach, on the other hand, was struggling against everyone's favorite Irishman, Martin. Martin built on his handicap impressively to start, but then Zach went back to potting mode to bring it all level. However, Zach's potting deserted him when he had a red off the spot to effectively seal the game, which allowed Martin back in and a superb cannon was the final shot before the buzzer sounded, giving him a hard-fought 193-191 win. Once all the totals were totted, Warwick Uni won their eighth aggregate point of the season to clinch a sixth consecutive victory, this time 5-4. In the end it was a close match, which could have swung either way, but another victory puts the Uni one step closer to the League title that has, as yet, avoided them!
Nelson Bowls Billiards	5.0	-	4.0	Lillington Billiards
Sid Deeming (70) 137 - 148 Arthur MacTier (70) Geoff Barrett (0) 126 - 142 Alan Batchelder (80) Chris Hudson (95) 200 - 171 Simon Gelfs (85) Geoff Barrett (5) 163 - 143 Johnny Grubb (125) Sid Deeming (75) 178 - 148 Simon Gelfs (90) Chris Hudson (90) 137 - 183 Alan Batchelder (75) Sid Deeming (70) 140 - 154 Arthur MacTier (65) Geoff Barrett (0) 215 - 150 Johnny Grubb (125) Totals 1296 5 - 4 1239 -  30+ Breaks/Other Info: Breaks; Alan 32, Geoff 37, 105, 73 unf. Sid 39. Yet another promising start for Lillington, and yet another match where their hopes of a win were dashed against the rocks of disappointment. Arthur MacTier made an impressive start against an old team-mate from the Leamington Conservatives club; from identical handicaps he edged his way into a slender lead, and the first win of the night. Alan Batchelder, finally managed to break his run of 10 defeats, although it looked in doubt until a rather welcome 32 break left him 14 points clear as the game ended. So, 2-0 to Lillington! Nelson Bowls, fought back to make it 2 all, as Chris Hudson scored in excess of 100 points, and Geoff Barrett more than 150 points, that included a break of 37. The next two games were shared, as both Sid Deeming and Alan scored over 100 points in the available 35 minutes, with Sid producing a 39 break. So with the match at 3-3, Arthur once again produced enough to take Lillington into the lead, and with Geoff needing to make up a 125 point handicap; what could possibly go wrong? Well... this season's highest break of 105, followed shortly by a 73 unfinished, finished off Geoff's opponent, as he dominated table time to finish with 215 points. Geoff's Herculean result, not only levelled the match but gave Nelson Bowls the aggregate point and the victory.

Week 7 - 7 November
Lillington Billiards	2.0	-	7.0	Warwick Uni Billiards
Johnny Grubb (125) 182 - 179 Anthony Church (95) Simon Gelfs (75) 153 - 181 Zach Roberts (115) Arthur MacTier (70) 193 - 177 Michael Wilson (100) Alan Batchelder (70) 138 - 140 Sam Matto-Willey (65) Johnny Grubb (120) 173 - 184 Max Burt (95) Simon Gelfs (80) 163 - 192 Anthony Church (100) Arthur MacTier (65) 175 - 184 Max Burt (90) Alan Batchelder (75) 168 - 190 Zach Roberts (110) Totals 1345 2 - 7 1427 -  30+ Breaks/Other Info: Breaks; Sam 32, Max 32. Lillington and Warwick University shared the first 4 games, but with two of the games being won by a mere 3 and 2 points, things could have been very different. It looked as if John Grubb was about to be overtaken during the dying seconds, only to be gifted the game when his opponent played the wrong ball, leaving him 3 points ahead. Sam Matto-Willey played well over his 35 minute game, making a 32 break on the way to win by 2 points. Zach Roberts made a welcome return after a few weeks away with an injury to give the Uni. their second game, and Arthur McTier equalled the match for Lillington. However, the next four games all went to the students; Max Burt, Anthony Church, Sam, and Zach, with Max making the second 32 break of the evening. So with a 7-2 victory, Warwick University extend their lead even further to 9 points, and look favourites for the LDBSA League title.
Nelson Billiards	2.0	-	7.0	Nelson Bowls Billiards
Tony Baylis (40) 107 - 127 Geoff Barrett (5) Tony Marsh (110) 198 - 151 Sid Deeming (65) Martin OReilly (120) 174 - 227 Chris Hudson (105) Nigel Croft (40) 125 - 171 Sid Deeming (70) Tony Baylis (45) 94 - 168 Geoff Barrett (0) Nigel Croft (45) 148 - 188 Chris Hudson (100) Martin OReilly (125) 152 - 160 Geoff Barrett (0) Tony Marsh (105) 170 - 146 Sid Deeming (65) Totals 1168 2 - 7 1338 -  30+ Breaks/Other Info: Aggregate; Nelson 1168 Nelson Bowls 1338 Breaks; Geoff Barrett 59 unf, 86, 31, 35, 46. Sid Deeming 52. Tony Baylis started well against Geoff Barrett, a break of 29 sending him 73 up, but he wasted a few more chances, Geoff clawed some of the deficit back before making an unfinished break of 59 to win by 20. On the other table, Tony Marsh played much better and held on to most of his start to beat Sid Deeming. But Sid got going in his next game against Nigel Croft, making a nice break of 52 to win comfortably, and Chris Hudson eased past Martin O'Reilly to make it 3-1 to Bowls. Tony and Geoff then started their second game of the night, with Tony fluking a red off the break and making 21, but Geoff responded with an excellent run of 86, before adding a further 31. On the other table Nigel was unable to make much impression on Chris's 55 start, so Bowls were 5-1 up. Geoff then had the maximum 125 start to make up against Martin, and a rare lapse of concentration saw him play the wrong ball when he was on 35, but a break of 46 next visit enabled him to clinch a narrow win. Tony Marsh and Sid played each other again and it was Tony who managed to complete a double, although Sid's concentration wasn't helped by the talking from the snooker players on the next table.

Week 6 - 31 October
Warwick Uni Billiards	5.0	-	4.0	Nelson Bowls Billiards
Sam Matto-Willey (60) 105 - 126 Geoff Barrett (0) Michael Wilson (95) 191 - 193 Chris Hudson (105) Michael Wilson (100) 185 - 186 Sid Deeming (65) Max Burt (105) 204 - 155 Mike England (75) Sam Matto-Willey (65) 210 - 165 Chris Hudson (100) Max Burt (100) 189 - 146 Sid Deeming (60) Sam Matto-Willey (60) 155 - 198 Mike England (80) Michael Wilson (105) 141 - 132 Geoff Barrett (0) Totals 1380 5 - 4 1301 -  30+ Breaks/Other Info: Breaks: Geoff: 68, 61, 31. The Uni's golden trio took on Nelson Bowls in their second top of the table clash in as many weeks, looking to extend the 8 point advantage they had built up. The Bowls, however, were looking for revenge after a rare 7-2 defeat in the away fixture. The first two frames wen the way of the visitors, with Geoff making up his deficit against Sam with a 61 break followed by a late 31 to seal the deal. Michael, on the other hand, came back from a 30 point deficit to lead but a fluked red from Chris was the last shot of the frame, giving him a narrow 2 point win. Max kept the Uni in the match with another fantastic potting display to ease past Mike, but Michael was once again in a high drama finish over on table 3. Trailing by 30 points, with less than five minutes left, back to back breaks of 15 then 18 gave Michael a slender advantage but a composed 4 followed by a double baulk was enough to see Sid to a deserved victory. So the Bowls led 3-1, and the Uni seemed to be slipping towards only a second defeat of the season, but Sam and Max brought the match level in two contrasting games. Sam was quick to draw level and accelerated away towards the end against Chris while it wasn't until Sid drew level with Max that the 'Happy One' found his game. Sid's silky start appeared to be just the motivation Max needed with a series of impressive pots opening up a 40 point lead which was too much to overturn. In the final round of matches, there were claims that Mike had attended a midweek training session with Billiards Secretary Alan. If those claims were true, Alan's expertise paid off with Mike flying clear of Sam, even a late 29 break from Sam couldn't get him close. The other table seemed to just be a question of when would Geoff wipe away Michael's handicap. A 68 break to close to 20 behind suggested that the match would be as good as over, but about 5 minutes of safety play was just about enough for Michael to scrape his way over the winning line. Having scored only 36 points in the frame there were considerations that a monkey should take his place for next week. In the end the frame score was 4-4 and it was the Uni who gathered their sixth (out of 6) aggregate point of the season to finish as 5-4 victors and go a full win clear of the Morris Trophy holders.
Nelson Billiards	6.0	-	3.0	Lillington Billiards
Richie Evans (50) 117 - 166 Arthur MacTier (80) Nigel Croft (40) 152 - 120 Simon Gelfs (75) Tony Baylis (50) 189 - 149 Johnny Grubb (120) Tony Marsh (115) 171 - 161 Alan Batchelder (60) Richie Evans (55) 135 - 162 Simon Gelfs (80) Nigel Croft (35) 128 - 144 Arthur MacTier (75) Tony Baylis (45) 193 - 114 Alan Batchelder (65) Richie Evans (60) 163 - 155 Johnny Grubb (125) Totals 1248 6 - 3 1171 -  30+ Breaks/Other Info: Aggregate; Nelson 1248 Lillington 1171. Breaks; Tony Baylis 44. The opening frames were shared with Nigel Croft beating Simon Gelfs and Arthur MacTier defeating Richie Evans. Tony Baylis then made a 44 break to beat his long time nemesis Johnny Grubb, and Tony Marsh just held on against Alan Batchelder to put Nelson 3-1 up. Lillington hit back with Gelfs and MacTier making it 3-3, and Lillington had a slight lead for the aggregate point as well. But Baylis won well against an out-of-sorts Batchelder, and Evans just got the better of Grubb to clinch a 6-3 win, as Nelson recovered from last week's disaster against the Uni lads.

Week 5 - 24 October
Nelson Billiards	2.0	-	7.0	Warwick Uni Billiards
Tony Baylis (45) 121 - 165 Sam Matto-Willey (65) Richie Evans (45) 152 - 138 Michael Wilson (100) Tony Baylis (50) 161 - 173 Max Burt (115) Tony Marsh (105) 174 - 188 Michael Wilson (105) Richie Evans (40) 138 - 163 Michael Wilson (100) Tony Baylis (55) 181 - 141 Sam Matto-Willey (60) Richie Evans (45) 129 - 142 Sam Matto-Willey (65) Tony Marsh (110) 187 - 200 Max Burt (110) Totals 1243 2 - 7 1310 -  30+ Breaks/Other Info: Aggregate; Nelson 1243, Warwick Uni 1310. Breaks; Sam 31, Richie 30. This 3-a-side match resulted in victory for youth over experience, with a difference of about 52 years in the teams' average ages!! Richie and Michael played each other twice and won one apiece, as did Tony B and Sam, with the rest of the games going in favour of the runaway league leaders Warwick Uni. Who's gonna stop 'em??!!
Lillington Billiards	5.0	-	4.0	Nelson Bowls Billiards
Alan Batchelder (55) 105 - 116 Geoff Barrett (5) Arthur MacTier (80) 190 - 161 Chris Hudson (95) Simon Gelfs (75) 157 - 128 Sid Deeming (65) Johnny Grubb (120) 166 - 123 Geoff Barrett (0) Alan Batchelder (50) 129 - 149 Sid Deeming (70) Arthur MacTier (75) 144 - 153 Geoff Barrett (0) Simon Gelfs (80) 206 - 168 Chris Hudson (100) Johnny Grubb (115) 166 - 191 Sid Deeming (70) Totals 1263 5 - 4 1189 -  30+ Breaks/Other Info: Breaks; Geoff Barrett 41, 32, 45, 74. Sid Deeming 43 unf. Lillington were optimistic about winning their first match of the season, as on-form Simon Gelfs left his opponent rather deflated, and Johnny Grubb relied on his handicap and Geoff Barrett's slow start; despite Geoff making breaks of 41 and 32. Sid Deeming retaliated for Nelson, in an even, but low-scoring game; both players scoring only 79 points. Lillington's confidence was not dented however, as Arthur MacTier took full advantage of his distracted opponent; 3-1 to Lillington at the halfway stage! Although a rejuvenated Geoff made an impressive break of 45 to ease into the lead and win by 11 points, Simon continued his winning ways to establish a 4-2 lead with the final two games to play - "What could possibly go wrong?" Well into both games, things were looking promising for Lillington, until Geoff produced a 74 break to eventually finish just 9 points ahead, and Sid produced a 43 (unfinished) break to level the match. "Great billiards", which left only the aggregate point to save Lillington from yet another defeat.

Week 4 - 17 October
Warwick Uni Billiards	6.0	-	3.0	Lillington Billiards
Sam Matto-Willey (70) 249 - 163 Johnny Grubb (120) Michael Wilson (105) 196 - 142 Alan Batchelder (40) Michael Wilson (100) 217 - 175 Arthur MacTier (70) Max Burt (115) 167 - 185 Simon Gelfs (95) Sam Matto-Willey (65) 142 - 158 Simon Gelfs (90) Michael Wilson (95) 179 - 188 Johnny Grubb (125) Max Burt (120) 217 - 188 Alan Batchelder (45) Sam Matto-Willey (70) 180 - 148 Arthur MacTier (75) Totals 1547 6 - 3 1347 -  30+ Breaks/Other Info: Breaks: Sam Matto-Willey 48, Michael Wilson 33. Defending Billiards League Champions Lillington were still looking for their first win of the campaign and faced top of the table Warwick Uni in this Week 4 encounter. The Uni were unfortunately down to a team of just three after Ant decided a lecture was more important and Zach forgot he'd need his hand to play, hence decided to injure it. This meant Mike and Sam stepped up to the plate by playing three times each, and they got the Uni of to a flying start. Matto's magnificent 48 meant he eased past Johnny and Mike's high handicap start allowed to ease past Alan, whose trick shots were yet to come to the party. In the second round of games, an accidental foul by Mike, where he assumed his cue ball had been potted and hence moved it to the 'D', even though it in fact hadn't been potted, focused the mind against Arthur. This extra focus helped produce Mike's 33 break, just as Arthur had closed the handicap gap, and took the Uni's advantage to 3-0. Lillington captain Simon, however, got things back on track for his team, defeating Max fairly comfortably off an unusually high handicap. More success came Lillingtons way in the third set of matches, with Simon making it two from two by beating the in form man, Sam, and the evergreen Johnny held off a frustrated, and by that point rather warm, Mike. So at 3-3 the tie was finely poised and Arthur racing into a 25 point lead gave Lillington hope of that elusive first win, but a resurgent Sam battled his way back to win and on table four, Max converted his massive 75 point start into a fifth win of the night for the Uni which gave, combined with the aggregate point, a 6-3 victory to keep top spot in the table. It left Lillington still in search of their first win, but allowed the Uni to march on in their attempt to replicate the dominance of Nelson Bowls' Morris Trophy campaign last season.
Nelson Bowls Billiards	4.0	-	5.0	Nelson Billiards
Geoff Barrett (5) 115 - 114 Richie Evans (45) Sid Deeming (60) 123 - 158 Tony Baylis (45) Chris Hudson (85) 170 - 194 Martin OReilly (120) Mike England (85) 148 - 142 Nigel Croft (40) Geoff Barrett (0) 127 - 125 Tony Baylis (40) Sid Deeming (65) 115 - 125 Richie Evans (50) Chris Hudson (90) 133 - 148 Nigel Croft (45) Mike England (80) 184 - 115 Martin OReilly (115) Totals 1115 4 - 5 1121 -  30+ Breaks/Other Info: Aggregate: Nelson Bowls 1115, Nelson 1121. Nelson Bowls' captain, Chris Hudson, gives his critical appraisal of the team: "Another performance left wanting! Geoff did manage to win his games with a minimum of wasted effort by one point then two! Mike was the star, therefore with two clear victories, one by nearly 70. Sid and Chris got wooden spoons, the latter of which is clearly aiming for a century. H'cap that is, not break. Talking of breaks, there weren't any. Better luck next week chaps."

Week 3 - 10 October
Nelson Bowls Billiards	2.0	-	7.0	Warwick Uni Billiards
Geoff Barrett (5) 110 - 167 Anthony Church (105) Sid Deeming (60) 160 - 134 Michael Wilson (95) Mike England (75) 148 - 196 Max Burt (120) Chris Hudson (75) 161 - 236 Zach Roberts (120) Geoff Barrett (10) 186 - 134 Michael Wilson (100) Mike England (80) 153 - 158 Sam Matto-Willey (75) Sid Deeming (65) 119 - 173 Sam Matto-Willey (80) Chris Hudson (80) 144 - 240 Anthony Church (100) Totals 1181 2 - 7 1438 -  30+ Breaks/Other Info: After the match the Nelson Bowls captain made the following comment; "Lack lustre performance from the bowlers. Geoff got his mojo back for second game and new boy(?) Sid, played gamely in his 1st game, but England and Hudson were a pair of scrubouts." Upon tracking down the visiting captain for a comment, he responded; "Church and Burt starred in a magnificent display from Warwick Uni. which takes them to the top of the League table. Only Captain Mike let the Uni. down in an otherwise faultless display that they will hope to replicate throughout the season in their title charge!"
Lillington Billiards	4.0	-	5.0	Nelson Billiards
Arthur MacTier (70) 140 - 155 Tony Baylis (45) Johnny Grubb (120) 193 - 155 Martin OReilly (125) Arthur MacTier (75) 194 - 107 Tony Baylis (40) Simon Gelfs (95) 142 - 146 Nigel Croft (50) Johnny Grubb (115) 151 - 154 Richie Evans (45) Alan Batchelder (30) 143 - 171 Martin OReilly (125) Simon Gelfs (100) 175 - 122 Richie Evans (40) Alan Batchelder (35) 86 - 162 Nigel Croft (45) Totals 1224 4 - 5 1172 -  30+ Breaks/Other Info: Breaks; Nigel Croft 30. Arthur MacTier returned from holiday to play in his first match for Lillington this season. He struggled in his first game against captain of the Nelson team, Tony Baylis, but recovered remarkably to outscore Tony in their second encounter. Meanwhile, Johnny Grubb proved more than a match for his opponent, taking Lillngton into a one game advantage, but Nigel Croft quickly levelled the match when he took the lead for the first and only time, in the dying minutes, to win by 4 points. The next two games both went Nelson's way; Martin O'Reilly not allowing his opponent to get within 20 points, and Richie Evans clawing back his 70 point deficit to win by a mere 3 points. At 2-4, Simon Gelfs made a valiant effort to finish 50 points ahead, leaving Nigel to round off the evening with the only 30 break of the night, winning rather easily! The 3-5 loss by Lillington was eased a little by taking the aggregate point to lose 4-5, but still left them trailing in last place in the league.

Week 2 - 3 October
Warwick Uni Billiards	4.0	-	5.0	Nelson Billiards
Sam Matto-Willey (80) 220 - 144 Martin OReilly (115) Michael Wilson (95) 163 - 125 Richie Evans (45) Max Burt (110) 168 - 202 Tony Baylis (55) Anthony Church (105) 149 - 150 Nigel Croft (60) Anthony Church (110) 211 - 206 Martin OReilly (120) Sam Matto-Willey (75) 123 - 128 Richie Evans (50) Max Burt (115) 169 - 208 Tony Baylis (50) Michael Wilson (90) 149 - 151 Nigel Croft (55) Totals 1352 4 - 5 1314 -  30+ Breaks/Other Info: Breaks: Tony Baylis 39. The second week of Billiards league action saw a tasty encounter between Warwick Uni and Nelson. The Uni, who have returned to the league after not being able to field a team last year, got of to a flying start on home turf, with both Sam and Mike cruising through in their respective games to give the Uni a 2-0 lead. However, Nelson bounced straight back courtesy of a comfortable win from Tony and a remarkable comeback from Nigel. Nigel trailed by roughly 70 points mid way through the match but took the lead for the first time with the final shot of the frame, a remarkable victory. Ant, keen to respond to his defeat, went toe to toe with Martin, eventually being the victor by just 5 points. Richie, however, redressed the balance for Nelson; coming out on top in a low scoring affair with Sam, who was gutted to be condemned to his first loss since last season. So all hinged on the final match up. The Uni were well ahead on aggregate points, so needed just one more frame to secure victory. Tony was having none of that, though, continuing his imperious form to ease past Max once more, but table 4 produced a far tighter encounter. The match between Mike and Nigel edged one way then the other, with a string of teen breaks being made by the pair keeping the gap at about 20. But, in the final minute, Nigel closed the gap to 1 and, striking the white half a second before the timer went, he potted the red for a famous last gasp victory! The Uni did still manage to gain the aggregate point though, although this 5-4 defeat may be a bitter pill to swallow.
Nelson Bowls Billiards	5.0	-	4.0	Lillington Billiards
Sid Deeming (55) 156 - 181 Johnny Grubb (125) Geoff Barrett (10) 99 - 130 Alan Batchelder (40) Sid Deeming (60) 170 - 182 Johnny Grubb (120) Geoff Barrett (15) 165 - 135 Simon Gelfs (80) Mike England (75) 128 - 138 Alan Batchelder (35) Sid Deeming (65) 178 - 149 Simon Gelfs (85) Mike England (80) 161 - 155 Simon Gelfs (90) Geoff Barrett (10) 222 - 138 Johnny Grubb (115) Totals 1279 5 - 4 1208 -  30+ Breaks/Other Info: Breaks; Geoff Barrett 45, 43, 35, 33, 55, 44, 57 unf. Sid Deeming 33, 54. Lillington's billiard team took an early lead, by winning the first two games of the evening; Johnny Grubb capitalising on his 70 point handicap advantage, despite Sid Deeming's 33 break. On the other table, a surprise victory, as Alan Batchelder faced Nelson Bowls' Geoff Barrett, who with his very first opportunity made a 45 break to ease into the lead. Miraculously, Geoff would only score another 44 points in the 30 minutes that followed, while Alan made a series of small contributions to take the game. John had hoped for a rest before his next game; this he got as Sid compiled an impressive break of 54 early in the game, yet still failed to win. Geoff had recovered his composure, as he sealed Nelson Bowls' first game with breaks of 43, 35, and 33. Shared wins from Sid and Alan, meant that the match score was 4-2 to Lillington as they headed into the final two games of the night. Geoff stamped his authority on the match with breaks of 55, 44, and 57 unfinished, leaving his opponent little chance to reply. With the lead changing frequently, it was unclear who would emerge victorious; but it was clear that the winner of this final game would determine the outcome of the match. Mike England finished 6 points ahead to make the match score 4-4, with the aggregate point to Nelson Bowls primarily down to Geoff's outstanding break building.

Week 1 - 26 September
Lillington Billiards	4.0	-	5.0	Warwick Uni Billiards
Alan Batchelder (45) 178 - 147 Zach Roberts (110) Johnny Grubb (120) 141 - 218 Max Burt (120) Simon Gelfs (85) 197 - 183 Anthony Church (100) Alan Batchelder (40) 175 - 150 Michael Wilson (95) Johnny Grubb (125) 172 - 178 Sam Matto-Willey (85) Simon Gelfs (80) 161 - 169 Michael Wilson (100) Alan Batchelder (35) 123 - 185 Max Burt (115) Simon Gelfs (85) 195 - 189 Zach Roberts (115) Totals 1342 4 - 5 1419 -  30+ Breaks/Other Info: Aggregate: Lillington 1342 - Warwick Uni. 1419. The first billiard match of the season quite often throws up some unexpected results; usually dependent upon how much practice each player has had over the summer months. There was a sneaking suspicion that Warwick University's Max Burt had spent a few hours on the billiard table, as he opened with a blistering 98 points to his opponents 21. Lillington replied with an equally one sided game, as Alan Batchelder made steady progress against his opponent; scoring 133 points to 37. Lillington then established a 3-1 lead, as captain Simon Gelf, and Alan eased passed their young challengers, in two hard-fought games. The tables were turned in the next two games as Warwick Uni. captain, Michael Wilson, finished with an 8 point lead in a game where the lead changed multiple times, and with Sam Matto-Willey winning by just 6 points. At 3-3, Max continued his excellent play to win for the Uni., leaving Simon to level the match, in another close game of 6 points. The aggregate point was awarded to Warwick Uni., due mainly to the efforts of 'man-of-the-match' - Max Burt.
Nelson Billiards	3.0	-	6.0	Nelson Bowls Billiards
Tony Baylis (55) 145 - 101 Geoff Barrett (5) Martin OReilly (115) 181 - 157 Sid Deeming (60) Richie Evans (45) 92 - 190 Mike England (85) Tony Marsh (95) 154 - 180 Sid Deeming (65) Richie Evans (50) 130 - 127 Geoff Barrett (10) Tony Baylis (50) 138 - 165 Sid Deeming (60) Martin OReilly (110) 150 - 209 Mike England (80) Tony Marsh (100) 151 - 159 Geoff Barrett (15) Totals 1141 3 - 6 1288 -  30+ Breaks/Other Info: Breaks; Sid Deeming 43. Tony Baylis 30. Geoff Barrett 90. Mike England 35. Aggregate scores, Nelson 1141 Nelson Bowls 1288 Chris Hudson had suggested that new signing Sid Deeming should play off the same handicap as Richie Evans, but Chris wasn't there and Geoff and I agreed that as Sid hadn't played for nearly 20 years, then he should probably be off a bit more, so we agreed on 60. Sid was unable to get going in his first game and couldn't catch Martin O'Reilly, but he then beat Tony Marsh with a bit to spare, and then made an impressive break of 43 to beat Tony Baylis at the end. Tony B had made a break of 30 at the start of his first game against Geoff and hung on to win that one, but the game of the night was between Richie and Geoff. After a poor first game when Richie failed to make a double figure break against Mike England, Richie started well with a 20 odd break, before Geoff replied with an excellent run of 90 before losing the white. But Richie played well at the end of the game and took the win by just 3 points. So with the score at 3-3, Mike took on Martin and won well with a break of 35, and Geoff caught Tony M about 3 minutes before the end to win that one as well, so with a heavy points advantage also, Bowls won 6-3.