Merseyside Champion of Champions
By Mark Hopgood

Last Saturday Formby League champions Les Dodd B represented the league at the Merseyside Champion of Champions. They were drawn against a very strong Widnes Conservative side in the quarter finals and despite being under strength and missing many key players including Paddy Tyndall, Dave Hartley, Brian Jarrett and Peter Tomlin they were able to take Widnes to a final frame decider which was a very respectable performance.

The opening frame saw young Jamie Rae go on and after a nervy and scrappy start to the frame, Jamie found his potting form and produced a very solid frame to prevail on the yellow and put the formby side 1-0 up. Next on was Peter Harrison against Widnes' starman Andy Housley who incidentally is also the Widnes League champion, Peter outplayed his opponent in every department and looked certain to give Les Dodd’s a 2-0 lead. However the turning point in the frame came when Peter potted a good long red and snookered himself on all colours and with the miss rule in full operation as per Merseyside rules, Peter went on to concede over 40 points in foul and a misses! Peter went on to lose the frame on the blue despite a great performance and but for the misses would have won the frame easily.

Next on was Steve Cooper against another of Widnes top players, John Mercer. Steve started the frame well taking an early lead but failed to add to this and his opponent capitalised with a fine display of confident potting and break building to take the frame comfortably and give Widnes a 2-1 lead. Les Dodd’s skipper Mark Hopgood was next on and had to win to keep the formby side in the match. A fine display of pressure potting and safety meant his opponent required a snooker on the colours, the Widnes player got the snooker he required and potted yellow, green and brown but missed the blue and Mark sinked a pressure blue to win against a very experienced opponent to take the match to the deciding frame and make the score 2-2.

The final frame saw Frank Bradley go on for the formby side, the frame started very cagey and scrappy and it looked like the sort of frame that Frank is accustomed to winning. Despite a succession of good safeties from Frank, his opponent never left him a good chance to score and certainly had the run of the ball. Eventually the Widnes man got a chance and made breaks of 49 and 24 to win the frame and seal the match for a very relieved Widnes Conservatives. Overall a fine performance from Les Dodd’s B and it would have been interesting the see the outcome had they been able to field a full strength side.