Falconwood & Flyers fight for promotion play-off spot

Most of the places had been decided in both divisions however, there was still a fight for the promotion play-off spot in Tier Two East between Falconwood Club and Bellegrove Flyers, with just one point between them. 

Third placed Flyers were at home to Bell Ya Later in fourth and Falconwood, the current holders of second place, were hosting New Eltham New Boys in fifth. 

There was eleven points between Flyers and Bell Ya Later and this match went to form with Flyers winning, 2-1 & 10-5 earning them three points to go two points ahead of Falconwood. 

Falconwood needed to match Flyers score to secure second place, so New Boys knew it was going to be a tough match but didn’t realise how tough until Falconwood whitewashed the first set. 

Naftali Ayieko gave Falconwood a fantastic start to the second set with a great break and dish and they went on to win the next four frames of the set to whitewash the second set as well to take a, 2-0 & 10-0 score into the third set. 

This gave Falconwood the three points they needed to secure the play-off spot before the final set had started. 

Antony Su won frame eleven to put the first frame on the board for New Boys, but that would be the only frame they scored, as Falconwood won the remaining frames, which included an amazing break and dish by Ian Stringer, who had to work some great positioning on his last two colours. 

This was an awesome team display by Falconwood, with a hat-trick of hat-trick heroes, Stringer, Akar Necati and Jamie White and another three players, Paul Baker, Brett Crawley, and Ross Webster winning their only frame, helping their team to the 3-0 & 14-1 demolition and the play-off spot. 

In the last game in the division, the league champions, Rugrats travelled to bottom of the table and winless Hurricanes Reborn and they expected a tough last match of the season.  

Saying that Hurricanes had chances in the first set but didn’t take them and paid the price, losing the set, 4-1 with Arif Salih clearing well to get Hurricanes on the board. 

The second set followed the same pattern, with Rugrats taking it, 4-1 and Salih scoring Hurricanes frame after Ashley Hewson unluckily went in off. 

Rugrats had already won the match, 2-0 & 8-2 giving them the bonus point as well, which meant they may have taken their foot off the gas, as the final set was much closer. 

Salih took out a fantastic clearance in frame eleven to complete an excellent hat-trick and give him eight out of nine wins over the last three weeks for a superb end to the season. 

Rugrats took the next two frames, but Luke Knight fought back for Hurricanes and after a brilliant first visit from the break, he returned to finish the job and tie the final set. 

Steve Gibson took on Michelle Brown, with Rugrat’s Captain, Gibson triumphing to give his team a, 3-0 & 11-4 victory. 

It’s been a tough season for Hurricanes, but it’s been a great experience and they hope they can take the lessons learned into the winter season. 

SLKPA Tier Two West was practically done and dusted, with the only place to be decided was whether Academicals or Eltham Terrace Rack Pack finished third or fourth. 

Both teams were on 27 points, with Academicals in third having won more matches, so it was winner takes all and Academicals had the easier run in, playing second bottom Fox & Hounds, whereas Rack Pack hosted second placed Bellegrove A. 

Considering there was twelve points between Academicals and Fox, this was a classic see-saw battle. 

Greg Phillimore, Dean Williams, and Gary Mason won the first three frames, to give Academicals the first set, but Kerry Wyatt and Joe Kane won the next two frames to bring the score back to, 3-2 going into the second set. 

Mason extended Academicals lead to, 4-2 with frame six however, Glen Ward, Kane, Melissa Barnes, and Wyatt won the remaining four frames of the set, to level the match at one set all, but take the lead, 6-4 in frames. 

Paul Donohoe and Phillimore tied the match in frames, taking a, 2-0 lead in the set, then Mason won the set and the match, with his hat-trick frame, before Simon Evans earned them the bonus point with the penultimate frame. 

Wyatt prevented the set whitewash with her third frame win of the night, making the final score, 2-1 & 8-7 to Academicals. 

This gave Academicals three points, meaning Rack Pack needed maximum points to finish in third however, they ended up losing, 2-1 & 11-4 to end the season in fourth place. 

Top played bottom in this division too, as New Eltham New Stars hosted Farmhouse, and this match was much closer than the 3-0 & 11-4 score line and 40 points between them would suggest. 

New Stars did the damage in the first set, whitewashing it, 5-0 but the next two sets went right to the wire. 

Steve Carpenter put Farmhouse first frame on the board with frame six, but Steve Knight tied the set, winning the next frame. 

Nick Brown edged Farmhouse back into the lead in the set however, Sam Baker levelled to send the set into a deciding frame. 

Paul Rivers was successful, giving New Stars an unassailable, 2-0 & 8-2 lead, and the bonus point in the process. 

The third set followed the same pattern as the second, with Farmhouse nudging themselves in front, twice only for New Stars to equalise and take the set, this time with Steve Pearce winning the deciding frame. 

New Stars had three unbeaten players on the night, as Pearce and Knight both won two frames, but Baker went one better with a hat-trick. 

That’s almost it for another SLKPA league season, with just the Tier Two promotion play-off between Falconwood and Bellegrove A to play next week. 

Congratulations to all the prize winners. 

For more information on the SLKPA including league tables visit our website at www.slkpa.com or contact our Secretary, Paul Gafa on 07443 456662 or secretary@slkpa.com with any queries.

The league is looking at potential sponsors; any interested parties can also contact Paul Gafa.