Dai delivers goods
EIGHT contests of five games, first to eleven, a total of 440 points at stake to protect or to reach.
Either way every point counts. A handicap is given against the higher placed side, to equal things up.
The closest match of the round came at Third Division Southport D where Crosby D from the Second were the visitors.
A textbook start from the Second Division side, maximum points from Sarang Sapre, as well as keeping Dai Davies to well below the required rate of seven points a game, 22-55.
Mal Collier eased Southport back in the frame with an outright 49-38 win over John Aitchison, valuable points taken here enhancing their 160 point handicap.
Josiah Nix turned up the heat again with another maximum against Mal’s 33points as did John making up some more ground winning 28-55 versus young Matt Bishop, Crosby trail by nine points.
Another superb effort from Jordan Shandley increased that lead to 29 points, a 41-41 tie against Marcus Doyle being more remarkable, having trailed 19-33 after three games.
Catch up needed, and slowly the lead was whittled away, but Dai Davies drew on all his experience to stop the visitors in their tracks three points short, 409-406 Southport progress, a great finish.
An all Second Division clash between Argyle D and Holy Trinity D also provided a tight finish, 140 points the advantage given to Holy Trinity, and overall after a see-saw encounter where an outright win for Dave Bradley 39-49 over Adam Zaiber was the highlight, a good all round performance from the visitors ensured victory by a score line of 406-415.
Second Division Crosby E were also pushed very close by Argyle E from the Third.
It started very well for the home side, captain Max Davies recovered from losing the first game to Andy Stuart, to come out on top 51-26 to eat into Argyle’s 100 point benefit.
From then on though, each contest seemed to swing the advantage one way and then the other, this was going to be close. Argyle’s Emily Clare’s win over Dylan Walsh 38-51 certainly gave the visitors a boost, as did captain Ray Clarke’s epic tussle with Tony Bramham, only one point separating the two at the end 48-49 in Ray’s favour.
This was the perfect example of a pivotal moment, not only did Ray reach his target, but denied the Crosby player his 55 points.
Crosby number one Rashad Al Dahiri chipped in with two maximum 55s, as well as keeping his opponents at bay in the process, restricting them to a total of 64 points.
Down to the last encounter then, which saw Emily put up a brave fight against the ever improving Max, 55-39 to him, begging the question who had won.
Well at first it seemed Argyle had nicked it, but wait, a recount!
Eleven points it was, but to Crosby 406-395. Whist events were in doubt here, on the other