WORTHINGTON?S NEWPORT POOL OPEN
For immediate release
Monday, August 13th, 2007
RAY TALBOT WINS FIVE-FRAME
NEWPORT POOL OPEN THRILLER
In-form Greg Heathcote storms into doubles? last eight
NEWPORT (Shropshire): The tie of week two in the singles competition of the 2007 Worthington?s Newport Pool Open involved last year?s beaten finalist Ray Talbot and Tavern landlord Ian Roberts. Talbot eventually won a five-frame thriller to book his place in the last 16.
Roberts was fastest out of the blocks and stormed into a two-frame lead after some out-of-sorts play by Talbot. But a crucial in-off by Roberts in the third gave the Ozzy?s Wine Bar-backed player a lifeline and he ground out the fourth frame to force a shell-shocked Roberts into a deciding fifth.
It was nip and tuck in the final game until Roberts lined up a straightforward black to clinch the match, only to watch as the white agonizingly went in-off and handed Talbot a surprise win.
In the first of the Worthington?s Newport Open Doubles matches, Neil Perkins and Steve Garmson lined up against Greg ?in the zone? Heathcote and Ben Longstaff. A superb clearance from nowhere by Heathcote sealed a lacklustre first frame after some good safety play by his team mate. The second was too close to call, until Perkins failed to make contact from a snooker and Heathcote nonchalantly cleared the table again to put the duo into a two-nil lead.
Frame three was a tactical story. Perkins and Garmson were in control from the outset. A minor error by Heathcote let Perkins in for a straightforward six-ball clearance, but he fell short on a crucial position with the final red, failed to leave the ball safe and Heathcote capped a memorable evening?s play by completing a third sensational clearance to put him and Longstaff into the last eight.
There was a sensational upset in the second of the doubles first round matches last Sunday evening when the unfancied Tavern duo of Neil Cartright and Ian Fearnley swept aside Tavern joint landlord Dave Wilkinson and Ray Talbot, two of the favourites for the title, in three straight frames. It capped a dramatic first week?s pool action for Talbot.
Match winners must send notification of the result by text message to 07831 123153, clearly stating the match score and players? names.
1st round scores ? week 2
Singles
Ray Talbot (Tavern) beat Ian Roberts (Tavern), 3-2.
Doubles
Neil Perkins/Steve Garmson (Tavern) lost to Greg Heathcote/Ben Longstaff (Tavern), 0-3.
Dave Wilkinson/Ray Talbot (Tavern) lost to Neil Cartright/Ian Fearnley, 0.3.
Ends
For further information:
Neil Perkins, NDP Publicity Services, Tel: 07831 123153
www.ndp-publicity.com