Yorkpubsports.com, Pool, Darts & Snooker in York

After the usual pleasantries were done with the match got started just after 8pm and it was obvious from the first frame that Simon was perhaps suffering a little from nerves as he fouled early on and although Dave didn’t take advantage of his first chance in the frame Simon then miscued on his next visit and Dave mopped up what was left to take an early lead. 0-1

The next frame...

...was a bit of a scrappy affair with neither player seeming to be able to get settled into the match, but this time it was Simon who took the frame after 2 or 3 missed chances each. 1-1

Taking this early frame seemed to have finally settled Simon down and although it took him a couple of attempts he eventually took out a nice clearance to move into the lead. 2-1

The next frame was another open frame from the start and a missed double from Dave left Simon a tricky double of his own which he took with confidence leaving a simple black to move further ahead. 3-1

By now Simon was starting to get into the swing of things and produced a near break and run, only to snooker himself on his last ball. Dave took advantage of the proceeding miss to gain control of the frame and following another snooker took out the finish to get another frame on the board. 3-2

However, Dave’s potting wasn’t yet up to its usual level and too many missed chances in the next frame let Simon in to nick it with a decent finish. 4-2

Similarly in the next frame a missed cut into the corner pocket let Simon in to take out another good clearance. 5-2

At this point it was becoming obvious that Dave wasn’t going to be able to out pot Simon and so he tried dragging him into a tactical frame by covering a ball that Simon had over a crucial pocket. However, a clever thin cut off one of his other balls onto Dave’s ball potted the one over the pocket and left him set up on his next ball. 3 or 4 shots later Simon had won again. 6-2

The frame after goes along a similar sort of line, with a simple deliberate foul from Dave being fully punished by another nice clearance including a couple of astute positioning shots. 7-2

However, Simon’s potting let him down in the next frame and it was Dave’s turn to dish out the punishment with a good clearance. 7-3

This was not to last though as Dave ran out of position whilst attempting a dish in the next frame and tried an adventurous screw back off his penultimate ball to get back in position. As is usually the case though this did not work out as planned and Dave found himself snookered with no easy escape. He therefore played another deliberate foul but a clever shot off the cushion onto his object ball left Simon in prime position to finish the frame off. 8-3

Finally Dave manages to tie up one or two of Simon’s colours and drags him into a tactical frame that was easily the longest frame of the match. Eventually an attempted deliberate foul from Simon goes wrong and leaves Dave with a foul snooker which he takes advantage of and runs out the frame. 8-4

Similarly in the next frame Dave gets control of the table early with some clever tactical shots and starts to swing the momentum in his favour. 8-5

It was short lived though as an in off from the break leaves Simon a simple run out which he takes full advantage of to move onto the hill. 9-5

Following a successful break Simon goes for the jugular early but runs out of position and misses a crucial ball. Dave takes full advantage and knocks in a clearance under pressure to move within 3 frames of Simon. 9-6

The next frame is over prematurely when Simon knocks the black in half way through the frame. 9-7

You can see the pressure is starting to get to Simon as he’s missing some of the clever positional shots and pots that he was knocking in early on in the match and Dave manages to drag another frame into a tactical battle, eventually taking it with a nice finish. 9-8

An early foul from Dave (called on himself as Simon hadn’t seen it) gave Simon the chance to finish the match off, but a couple of shots later he’s calling a foul on himself for nudging the black and Dave takes full advantage to bring the match level for the first time in 15 frames. 9-9

It’s Simon’s break in the decider and he knocks a ball in and goes for the dish. However, a missed pot leaves Dave with a chance to take the match and having finally got over the problems he was having potting the balls early on in the match Dave takes an 8 ball clearance out to win. 9-10

A relieved Dave collects his winnings!

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