Individual Handicap Final Result - 15/04/2019
Gordon Ure (Monks 'A') 3-2 Chris Taylor (Alford 'B')
The last competition match of the 2018/19 Warrington Snooker League took place on Monday evening which saw Gordon Ure (Monks 'A') taking on Chris Taylor (Alford 'B') in the final of the Individual Handicap.
With Chris winning 5 of his last 7 league matches and Gordon winning his final 6 league games on the bounce (9 from 11 since the Christmas break), both players went into the final high on confidence as it got underway.
Chris (19 handicap), giving 9 start to Gordon (28 Handicap) each frame was quickest out of the blocks at the start of the first frame to wipe out Gordon's lead and move ahead on the scoreboard with some excellent potting in the early stages. A scrappy second half of the frame meant neither player really found any rhythm moving onto the colours and Chris managed to hold onto his lead a go 1-0 ahead in the final.
Gordon settled as the second frame began and responded in excellent fashion taking the frame comfortably to level the match at 1-1. He carried that form on in frame 3 with some excellent safety play, limiting Chris to any decent scoring chances and keeping himself ahead on the scoreboard. Approaching the colours Chris had managed to cut the deficit to just 10 points but it was Gordon managed to get over the line to take frame 3 to lead the final for the first time by 2 frames to 1.
Knowing he needed to win the 4th frame to keep any hopes alive Chris started well and managed to move just ahead as the frame hit the half way point. You certainly can’t fault his long potting at times as some of the balls he potted to get himself level in the match were excellent under the pressure. A break of 21 on the last few remaining reds was crucial and after depositing the green Gordon conceded and we were down to a deciding frame.
The final frame began with relatively low scoring with both struggling to capitalise on any mistakes by their opponent. As the frame progressed, Gordon managed to get the better of the majority of the exchanges, using his steady cue action to maintain the lead throughout the frame leaving himself a 22 lead going onto the colours where the drama unfolded.
Potting both the yellow and green, Gordon went 27 ahead with just the brown to black remaining, meaning Chris required two snookers. He was handed one of these when Gordon put the cueball into the middle bag after attempting a long brown leaving 23 points in the score with just 22 remaining on the table.
This brought Chris back to the table deciding the take the brown and blue which were close to both the bulk corner pockets. Many of the audience, referee included, thought he had taken these as they were fairly routine pots lining himself up to play a snooker on the pink however, he then potted the pink which under any normal circumstances would have been a fabulous length of the table pot, but this cost him the match as he had miscalculated the score leaving him 8 points behind with only the black on the table.
You have to feel for Chris as it was an awful way to lose any match never mind a final but he should hold his head high and be proud of his performance. Only two players from the entire league can get the individual handicap final and he was one of them so congratulations on a great run this year.
Congratulations though to Gordon who thanks for some excellent matchplay snooker secured the title of Individual Handicap Champion for 2018/19.
Many thanks
Pat Wisedale