Div 1 Cup Final: Arnold CD A 3-4 Pegasus B (05/04/11)

[Mike Langdon]

Played at Arnold Civil Defence:

Arnold CD 3-4 Pegasus B

Pegasus B captured the Division 1 Cup after winning the final 3 frames in yet another thrilling comeback. The match was played in excellent spirit with both sides applauding good shots in the final pairs frame. To be honest the occasional clap here and there was a welcome break from the chewing of nails as it was that close and tense at the end.

Frame 1:  Chris Winter (-14)  80-34   Zeb Ahmed (0)

A solid opening frame for Arnold with Chris Winter dominating proceedings with several small contributions.  Zeb had a few chances but the cue ball was like a magnet to the pockets as several in-offs seriously damaged any hopes he had of getting back in the frame.

(Arnold CD 'A' 1-0 Pegasus B)

Frame 2:  John Fountain (+7)  52-50  Bob Walker (+7)

A very scrappy opening to the frame which saw the balls go awkward and both players struggled to make any in roads.  John Fountain managed to build up a small lead with only a couple of reds left but a missed blue gave Bob the opening he was looking for.  Bob took both reds with high colours plus Yellow, Green and Brown (24 break) leaving a mid distance frame ball blue.  Unfortunately for Pegasus, Bob rattled the blue and John made no mistake making an excellent clearance to pinch the frame by two points.

(Arnold CD 'A' 2-0 Pegasus B)

Frame 3:  Malc Belshaw (+7) 12-63  Jamie Sampson (+7)

Pegasus now needed a performance and quick as another defeat would surely end any hopes they hand of landing the cup.  It wasn't going  to be easy as Jamie Sampson had to find a way of getting past that tough old match-player, Malc Belshaw!  So how did he do it? Quite simply Jamie played superb not giving Malc a sniff until he was past the winning post.  One of the performances of the night without a doubt.

(Arnold CD 'A' 2-1 Pegasus B)

Frame 4:  James Notman (+21)  67-5  Daniel Di Folco (+7)

Arnold captain James Notman was in no mood to to see the match levelled at this stage and was cueing beautifully.  Everytime he came to the table he scored and Pegasus's Di Folco had no answer in a frame where he never got going.  Another superb individual performance which left Arnold on the hill.

(Arnold CD 'A 3-1 Pegasus B)

Frame 5:   Brian Kinton (+21)  52-79  Sean Hopkin (+14)

The equation was now simple for Pegasus B...they needed wins in all 3 remaining frames.  I didn't see too much of this one as i was playing my frame at the same time.  I did catch the end of the frame to see Sean sink a tricky frame ball blue into the middle pocket.  By all accounts it was a belter of a frame with Brian Kinton using all his experience to tie down Pegasus's young talent.  But in the end Sean had too much fire power for the Arnold player.

(Arnold CD 'A'  3-2 Pegasus B)

Frame 6:  Richard Tooley (+21)  35-61 Mike Langdon (+14)

Another nail biter with both myself and Richard potting some great balls as well as missing a few as well...but hey we were both under pressure!!!  I manage to build up a useful 20 odd point lead and left Richard needing a snooker after potting a good long brown.  Richard laid a cracking snooker which got him back in the frame when i failed to hit the blue.  I finally sealed the win by knocking in a long blue and cutting in the pink to level the match.

(Arnold CD 'A'  3-3  Pegasus 'B')

Frame 7: Chris Winter/James Notman (-14)  35-61  Sean Hopkin / Jamie Sampson (+7)

Arnold CD started well in this frame as they set about knocking off the handicap.  The Pegasus pair grew into the frame and started to punish the Arnold pairing with a few small breaks.  However when Jamie missed a simple black (I say simple but in a deciding frame nothing is) the momentum seemed to swing once again and the Arnold pair started to peg their opponents back.  Going into the colours Jamie cues a beautiful yellow into the corner pocket sending the cue ball off the cushion and all the way back down the table where a tough green along the cushion awaits him. The green if he pots it will leave them 22 in front with just 22 left on the table.  You could hear a pin drop as Jamie got down to the shot as his team-mates held their breath.  He plays the shot and it looks good but Jamie's reaction tells us he's caught it thick as the green settles in the jaw of the pocket.  The greens a formality for Chris but the brown is safe on the cushion so he knocks in the green and leaves himself a shot to nothing double on the brown which doesn't drop.  With the lead now standing at just 16 points and all the balls in the open just one mistake could be costly.  After a bout of safety play Sean Hopkin drops in a brilliant brown to leave the Arnold pair needing a snooker but can't convert the blue to seal the victory.  Both Chris and James lay about four snookers between them and finally get their reward when Jamie doesn't quite get enough bend on the cue ball.  A couple of safety shots later Sean seizes the moment by dropping in a tricky blue and gaining perfect position on the pink to win the match and Cup for PEGASUS B

:happy: :happy: :happy: :happy: :happy: :happy: :happy: :happy: :happy: :happy: :happy: :happy: :happy: :happy: :happy: :happy:

Very well played to everyone   :bravo:  :bravo:  :bravo:

[James Robinson]

Was a cracker of a match.

Sitting there as a neutral i was on the edge of my seat by the end of it. Glad i went to watch.

From my point of view both teams deserve congratulations for putting on a good match  :bravo: :bravo:

But hard luck arnold well played though  :welldone:

PEG B you made hard work of it 3-1 down to win 4-3 you deserve the win after that  :bravo: :bravo: :bravo: :bravo:

I know for sure i wouldnt have fancied that blue, but credit to snake he potted it as cool as a cucumber.

[Wayne Martin]

Well done Pegasus 'B' - awesome comeback!!!!!
What a brilliant season you have had - congratulations boys.

Unlucky Arnold, two teams make a great final.

:bravo:

[seansnooker]

What a cracking night!!! Couldn't of been played at a better venue, Well played Pegasus 'B'!!!!

:drink: :england:

[Steve Butler]

Congratulations to Pegasus B on what sounds like a great win.  It's a great club for finals like these and we should really try to use it more often.

:welldone:

[Mike Langdon]

Sounds like you're hinting for perhaps The Secretaries Shield Final to be played there Steve

I agree with you, Civil Defence is a superb venue with great tables, good viewing and always a great atmosphere.

[Kwok Yip]

Congrats Mike & his team Pegasus B  :beer: :beer:

Great comeback against a good Arnold CD team   :bravo:

Both great teams deserved to get somthing out of this tough season, just a shame there could only be one winner!!!


Hard Luck Arnold CD, It always takes two to make a great final  :bravo: :bravo:
 

[Alan Cunningham]

Well played Pegasus B   :bravo:, another season without 'silverware' for Arnold   :angry:.

[Steve Butler]

Well played Pegasus B   :bravo:, another season without 'silverware' for Arnold   :angry:.

Never mind, there's always next year!

:thumbup:

[Mike Langdon]

Cheers guys. Well chuffed to have picked up some silverware (sorry Alan). It's actually my first winners trophy for a team since moving to Nottingham so it's extra special.

It's been a tough old season and at one stage was worried we wouldn't be able to complete the season. My team have always battled 100% though and never let their heads drop despite all those 5-3 losses so I really feel we got rewarded in the end for our efforts. What a cup run winning the last two frames away at Beeston, coming from 3 down against our A team and then last night from 3-1 down against Arnold.....Brilliant.

Although we finished bottom of the league there is certainly no shame in that as it's been the toughest league I can remember and of course Rileys students did pull out. Will be a real shame if Beeston also pull out next year as they're such a talented team and are more than capable of winning the title themselves.

Has been a fantastic season, which will certainly live long in my memory so well done to all the teams

[James Robinson]

It's a great club for finals like these and we should really try to use it more often.

Couldn't of been played at a better venue,

Civil Defence is a superb venue with great tables, good viewing and always a great atmosphere.

I gotta agree, ive never been inside Arnold CD untill yesterday, which is a shame as i live in Arnold. But i gotta say yeah its a fantastic club, and the tables seemed well looked after.

[maqsood]

Mike

that sounded like a great exciting night at arnold civil defence with a really exciting finish. i was at another loose end and now wished i popped down to see the end of it. Well done to pego B and bad luck arnold.

look like the other pego team pego A also had a good night as well - well done to them as well and well done on the Gotham team on their win as well.

baed luck to all the losing teams - may the good lord shine some success on you for next season.

sounded like a cracking Tuesday night for nottingham snooker - keep it up lads - its nice to read all about it.

Cheers all

bash - squeeky clean for a change !!

[Alan Cunningham]

Understand Chris (Winter) is having a year out of league snooker so doubt if Arnold will be able to put out 2 teams next season, will perhaps be an amalgamated team competing in Div 2.

[Nav Hussain]

Well played Peg B, the comeback kings for sure. 3-1 down at arnold and to knock 3 frame is an achievement. A big giant step for Peg B team and well deserved.  :happy: :happy:

[chris brooks]

Well done B team, nice to see such a great bunch of lads get something from the season!! :welldone: