With no handicap, and the best of three frame matches, this tournament brings the cream of the club to the top. Indeed, Glover and Welsh had to beat some of the clubs best players to reach this final.
Welsh, one of the most improved players of the year, would have to be on his best form to beat the bookies favourite, Glover, over a three frame match. He certainly started well with a very good long red after Glover’s seemingly safe break. It was one of those classic professional long reds at just the right pace to hold for the black. Alas, the black was missed and the 147 max was not to be.
Welsh continued to pot reds and hold for the black, unfortunately only to miss the black each time. Glover was being kept relatively quiet by Welsh’s safety play, but some 3 and 4 ball breaks by Glover gave him the advantage as the reds began to disappear. The games turning point though was when Welsh miscued following a whirling dervish of a cue action. He missed his red, set up a red for Glover who punished this mistake with a 25 break. Soon after, Welsh conceded after missing the green from a snooker. It could have been so different had those many opportunities on the black been taken.
Frame 2 Both players’ excellent safety play and, to be honest some average shot making, resulted in 13 reds sitting pretty on the green baize for quite some time in this frame. A lighter moment amid this dearth of potting was provided by several loud ‘KIAI’ shouts from the karate club downstairs, causing Glover to abort his shot after bursting into laughter. Welsh, always aware that one careless shot could leave Glover with a chance to build a good lead, had to play very safely. Reds seemed to have been magnetised to the black ball cushion, until inadvertently Glover dispersed some of them to make more potting opportunities. Sure enough, both players scored red/black combos and the frame suddenly became more dynamic. Glover was likely to benefit from this more open game and another red/black combo by him; a foul shot by his opponent and soon after a 23 break meant Welsh’s strong fight for the title was nearly over. Indeed Welsh conceded soon after and Glover was a worthy champion of the club’s prestigious Scratch tournament, 2 frames to nil.
President Dave Tierney presents the winner’s trophies to Craig and the runners up trophy to Tom