Dave Sykes (winner) receiving the trophy from Dave Tierney (President)

Members of the victorious team

As tradition would have it, the club’s AGM was held immediately before the President’s Trophy final.  It was good to hear that the club’s membership and usage levels produced a positive financial position at the end of the year.

Similarly positive, was the approach adopted by both players in this final.  James McManus and Craig Glover continued the good quality snooker that they had played to beat, respectively, Shiv Sibal and Paul Brockway in earlier rounds.

McManus took advantage of his 8 point handicap lead with  confident play, good potting and cue ball positioning to seize the early momentum in the frame.    

Mid game, with colours dispersed around the table in relatively safe positions, break building was difficult for both players.  Glover then overcame this difficulty, potting a brilliant red in the middle pocket will no angle, followed up with two blacks and two more reds.  

Both players then showed their class with some great pots and cue ball control.  Glover’s screw back from the pink to develop a red over the middle pocket was outstanding.

With only two points between the players on the final red, the tension was palpable in the snooker hall as the room filled up with spectators.  McManus saw off the last red and put pressure on Glover with a 10 point lead on the yellow.  Glover was up to it with a fabulous long yellow, then green and brown meant he was only one behind and blue was pottable. 

Glover missed blue and left McManus with a possible cut back into the corner pocket.  McManus potted the blue needing only the pink to win.  But he’d left a three quarter table distance between the cue ball and pink, and the pink was close to the cushion a good foot from the pocket.  Safety or pot? –  the spectators were asking themselves.   McManus had no doubt no fear and confidently potted the pink to win the tournament.

Thanks guys for a great final.

Craig Glover (Runner up, Dave Sykes (President), James McManus (Winner)

Tom Welsh versus Bali Chana

Welsh’s 10 start due to the higher handicap soon disappeared following Bali’s good potting, and Welsh’s nervy cueing.  Nevertheless, the game was nip and tuck for the first period with each player producing some good breaks.  

However, Welsh continued to play below his best and it appeared his nervousness could have been the reason for this.  After reaching the Scratch final this year and missing out on victory here, he probably badly wanted this final to go his way.  Chana then took control of the game and with the last red down, he was 25 ahead with 27 left on the table.     

Chana potted yellow, green and brown.  Snookers required and despite Welsh’s gallant efforts to achieve them, he had to concede after a miss on the pink.  Congratulations Bali and well done Tom for getting to the final.  

Winner, Bali Chana with Dave Sykes (President) and Tom Welsh (Runner-up)

This final was a tale of two families; Adam Jarvis and brother in law Chris Hall against the father and son duo, Shiv and Jai Sibal.

Sibal ‘junior’ potted a fine cut red on his first shot, but couldn’t take further advantage.  Indeed, the brothers were favoured with a 15 handicap start, and Jarvis’ excellent 14 break of pinks and reds soon put them in a near 30 lead.

Jarvis continued to pot well, while his partner’s frustrations following missed chances were well audible.  Similarly Sibal ‘senior’ couldn’t believe how far he was missing pots by and these shots were followed with his John McEnroe type cries of  ‘You’re kidding me!!’   Sibal senior’s exasperation on the potting front saw him turn more to a containment game.  Despite this, the game seemed to be getting away from the Sibals’ with Hall as well as Jarvis gradually pushing up the score board more in their favour.

The game was just waiting for a classic  Sibal ‘senior’ quality break. It didn’t happen and with several snookers required when Jarvis potted the green, the Sibals conceded.    

Congratulations Adam and Chris and well done to Shiv and Jai on reaching the final.  As well as trophies awarded to the winners and the runners up, £55 was the cash prize for the winners.   Generously this was passed onto the bar for a round of drinks to everyone in the club.

Dave Tierney (President 2024) with the winners Adam Jarvis and Chris Hall

Dave Tierney, Chris Hall, Shiv Sibal, Jai Sibal, Adam Jarvis

Details of all competitions run by the club have been updated on the website and previous winners have been added. Follow this link to our Competitions Page

There are two competitions that members can currently sign up for and which will be starting soon. These are posted on the bar.