Report
Well over 1300 people attended Vauxhall Holiday Park for the Golden Cue 3 Man Team event and this year it appeared there were a higher number of very good teams present.
Preliminary Round
In the preliminary round, the Rose& Crown A (Shropshire) had a narrow 5-4 win over Ivy Leaf Club A (Herts) as did Mr Bumble (Surrey) against Compasses B (Beds). Jason norris, Paul McNeil, and Darren Welfare Riley's Z (Sussex) had an easy 5-0 victory over River Bulls X (Cambs). Another close match saw John Rimmer, Will Jerram and Andy O'Hara win by the odd frame against Cambs Snooker Centre A. 147 Club (Pudsey) also won 5-4 against The NSC (Bristol)
The first match to finish was Riley's A (Ipswich) with Richard Twomey, Sam Jeffrey, and Karl Sutton whitewashing the Pheonix Flyers (Notts). Scott, Shawn and Ian Smith (Midland SSIS) had a 5-1 win over Bumble Bee. Riverside Snooker Club A had a narrow 5-4 win against WV147 (West Mids). Woodbine WMC (Wales) fell at the first hurdle to Shades B (Herts). Riley's A (Hull) lost to Riley's (Harlow) 5-4. The County A (West Mids) whitewashed ASC Falcons B (Attleborough). Pig & Whistle (Herts) suffered the same fate against West End X (Leicester). A very strong Chequers (Lincs) with Neil Davey, Shane Balding and Chris Back beat O'Donoghues A (London) 5-3.
Limetree B (Cambs) beat Corn Exchange (Derby) 5-1, Canavans (London) won the first four frames and then lost the last five to Riley's Rocks (Norwich). Another 5-4 winner was The Court (Cambs) over Just For Men (Berks). Michael Hope, Tom Kennedy and Rob McGowen (Surbiton Town A) beat Haverhill Zeddz 5-3. Dave Belcher, Kev Smith and Ben Clark from Sportsman C (Braintree) beat Bournemouth Con: Club 5-4.
Round One
In Round One, last years winners 147 Club X (Leicester) beat ISE Lodge (Northants) 5-3. Brierley Hill Sports Bar beat Labour Club (Sussex) 5-0. Tracy Randall, Theresa Sheridan and Caroline Bowkett (Club 147 Leicester) just failed 5-4 against Blundells (Kent). C. Waddingham, M.Couch and J.Morris (Riley's Scunthorpe) started with three 8 ball clearances and beat Riley's Deadbeats 5-2. Riley's A (Scunthorpe) beat Road to Morocco A 5-4, as did Crown Inn B (Pulborough) over The Bull A (Haverhill). Another 5-4 winner was Wykin Club (Leicester) against The Blademen (South Yorks). Mickey Flynns (Cambs) had a comfortable 5-1 win over Avon Mill D. Volunteer A (Northants) beat Shades B (Herts) 5-4. William IV A (Norwich) saw off The Crown Inn (Leicester) 5-1. Q Room (Derby) beat 147 Club (Pudsey) 5-2. Glen Hannibal, James Griffin and Adam Wheller from Riverside Snooker Club A whitewashed Rose & Crown A (Shropshire).
Three younger lads from L&D Social Club (Beds) Liam Doherty, Rory Dawson, and Joey Sage beat the Willow Inn (Leicester) 5-3. Mr Bumble (Surrey) found themselves 3-0 down, but won the next five against Fox & Lion (Lancs). The Mermaid (Hampshire) cruised through 5-1 against past winners The Sportsman (Lincs). Players Pool Lounge (Newcastle) with Liam White, Darren Lightfoot and England captain Lee Kendall beat Maidstone Snooker Club 5-2. Locomotive Bashers beat Riley's Dishers 5-1 with Lee Whitfield recording an 8 ball clearance in the first frame. Billy White, Craig Smith and Chris McDermott from The Parade (Warks) beat Avon Mill C (Warks) 5-1. Riley's A (Cannock) just lost out to Hinckley Snooker Club 5-4. Another 5-4 winner Road to Morocco B over Fox & Lion A. The Eagle (Hockham) had an emphatic 5-1 win against 9 Bar (Devon). 147 Top Boys (Leicester) with Gavin Lomax, John Bowkett and Danny Davies had a good win over Drum & Monkey E (Ipswich) with Paul Keeble, Alan Mower and Steve Kane 5-3. Snookes A (Dorset) with Scott Carpenter, Rob Kelly and Mark Cottingham whitewashed Pot Black Snooker Club 5-0.
Round Two
Triple J's (Wiltshire) beat Prince of Wales 5-4. West End X (Leicester) beat Reds Snooker Club 5-1. Mr. Pools E (Colchester) was another 5-4 winner over The Greyhound (Diss),. The Volunteer S overcame The Seahorse by the same score as did The Crown House Club against The Smugglers Inn. Ollie O'Boyle, Lee Nelson and Steve Chambers from Surbiton Town beat Coopers B 5-1 and Jon Colman, Mally Brooks and Chris Wright Riley's L.A. (Norwich) saw off Crawley Rugby Club 5-2. Paul Smith, Adam Clark and Tony Smith from Glossop Alkies won the final three frames to beat Lanterns 5-4. Bungys Muppets went 4-0 up, but then lost the next five to The Linford (Leicester). Andy Cooper, Nicky Scott and Shane Thomson beat Spectrum Academy 5-4. Diss Cue Club C beat their A team 5-2. John Runghen, Gary Parsons and Steve Adams (Barking Pool Zeds) beat Ambassadors A 5-2. PSL Silver (Cambs) beat Shepherds Call 5-4.
John Strange, Pete Wright and Steve Simpson beat the Sportsman C (Braintree) 5-3 as did The Court (Cambs) against Riley's Chorlton. Riley's (Harlow) knocked out the Punch Tavern 5-0. Darren Sadler, Carl Caney and Ashley Troath, Rock with Chalk (Essex) beat the young boys from L & D Social Club 5-3. Another 5-3 winner was Riley's (Birmingham) against Mr. Bumble (Surrey). 147 Top Boys (Leicester) overcame a strong Players Sports Bar with Ben Clayton, Ralph Winfield and Mark Singleton 5-3. Hinckley Snooker Club saw off Rubyjacks (Worcs) by the same score. The Herald (Bucks) beat Locomotive Bashers 5-4 as did JJ's Pool Club (Barnett) against Minsbridge LC B. Riley's C (Hull) also won 5-4 against White Horse A. Epsom Federation beat Riley's A (Ipswich) 5-0. Shane Cawdron, Martyn Curston and Paul Thraxton (William IV Norwich) edged through 5-4 against Hazelwood House (Staffs).
Round 3
Into Round Three, and Riley's Z (Sussex) beat The Herald 5-4, Surbiton Town A had the same score against Man on The Moon, Brierley Hill Sports Bar beat Swindon Snooker also 5-4, The Pewter Pot had a comfortable 5-1 win over The Anchor B, O'Donoghues (London) beat Avon Mill B 5-2, Riley's (Wigan) went through 5-3 against Royal Oak (Notts), The Volunteer S beat The Crown House Club 5-3, and Keyta Club (Oxon) had a 5-1 win over The Bell A, Pheonix JAP (Derby) beat John Roe, Darren Hope, and Matt Goodale from The Court by the same score, Hinckley Snooker Club whitewashed Bulls Head A 5-0, as did the 3 Crowns against Compasses A, Surbiton Town also saw off Riley's L.A. 5-0.
Last 32
In the last 32, the 3 Crowns had to win the final four frames to edge out Barking Pool Zeds 5-4, another 5-4 winner was Chequers over Brierley Hill Sports Bar C, Keyta Club beat The Volunteer S 5-4, and William IV A did the same to Les Dodd Centre, another team who won the final four frames was Hinckley Snooker Club to go through against Riley's A (Scunthorpe), last years champions were still progressing as they beat Riley's (Harlow) 5-3, Michael O'Boyle, Simon Rivers, and Paul Stelmazuk (Cambridge Snooker Centre) beat Rock with Chalk 5-2, The Mermaid saw off Riley's Z 5-3.
Last 16
In the last sixteen, Keyta Club beat Chequers 5-3, as did Brierley Hill Sports Bar against Surbiton Town, 147 Top Boys won 5-2 against Midland SSIS, Chiswick Snooker Club had a clean sweep over William IV.
Quarter Finals
In the quarter finals the holders edged through 5-4 against Keyta Club, Brierley Hill Sports Bar won the last two frames to win 5-4 over Riley's Rocks, in a big game Pewter Pot beat 147 Top Boys 5-2, and Chiswick Snooker beat Cambridge Snooker 5-3.
Semi Finals
The semi-finals saw the Pewter Pot beat Chiswick 5-3 and Club 147 X win 5-4.
Final
So last years champions were in the final, could they be the first team to retain the crown? They started well when Shaun Payne and Tommy Donlon won the first two frames but Daz Cheetham pulled one back. Then Payne put the 147 3-1 up, but wins by Cheetham and Lee Denman made it 3-3. Donlon won the next frame for a 4-3 lead but that man Cheetham made it 4-4 and it was left to captain Steve Robertshaw to make sure his team made history and retained the title 5-4, a fantastic achievement.
Singles
A large entry went into the Singles competition, and at the end it was Ben Savage (Gillingham) who came out on top beating Steve Singh (Peterborough) in the final 5-3. Savage had beaten Kevin McCallum (Corby) 4-1 in the semi and Singh had beaten Greg Batten (Tiverton) 4-2.
