Presidents Handicap Trophy Final 2022.
From a field of 32, Martin McWilliams and Paul Brockway won three single frame handicapped matches over the summer and autumn, to reach the final of the President’s Trophy on 18 November 2022. Prior to the final, the clubs AGM was held and the mood in the club was on a high, after turning the 2021 ‘Covid driven’ financial gloom into a bumper year for membership and revenue.
The game was billed as the ‘new kid on the block’ against the ‘old timer’. Martin, a member of the club for nearly 40 years, against Paul, who joined the club only last year. McWilliams broke off with a seven start on the handicap. It was a tense start, with neither player showing their best game. Brockway began to pot reds, but couldn’t get position on the colours. Another red potted and Brockway found his cue ball embedded in the pack of reds with only the black on its spot for his next shot. Perhaps he should have taken out the long tackle, but he chose to lean over to the centre of the table and with his bridge hand up in the air he miscued and gave 7 points away.
McWilliams’ consequent lead was short lived, as he continued to misfire with several reds hitting the pocket jaws, and Brockway beginning to find his form. As Brockway developed a good lead, it was noticeable that McWilliams was taking his time with shots to try and get back into the match. Unfortunately this didn’t happen and it wasn’t till well into the frame that he potted his first red. He gave an ironic cheer and held aloft his arms with some relief.
The middle of the game ran into a bit of a stalemate with both players matching each other with good safety play. The stalemate was broken when Brockway produced two brilliant snookers from his safety play. Both ‘touching ball’ snookers meant that McWilliams had no other option than to play away from the touching and the object ball and use at least three cushions to get out of the snooker. Gallant, but ultimately failed attempts were made. The writing was on the wall, it wasn’t McWilliams day.
Insult was added to McWilliams’ misery when Brockway fluked the yellow following the ball ‘jawing’ the middle pocket, then rolling along the cushion only to pot perfectly in corner baulk end pocket. At 43 behind, needing 5 snookers, Martin conceded and congratulated Paul on his win. Reporter: Dave Sykes