Craig proves to be Buffs’ leading light
FORMER champions Wallsend Buffs (RAOB) regained the Northumberland CIU Five-Man Championship title at King St SC with a 3-1 victory over Wallsend Labour Club.
Their success came thanks to a fantastic fourth- frame triumph by team captain John Craig.
Two hard-fought wins courtesy of Billy Hunter (69-34) and Colin Whittle (56-28) over respective opponents Kevin Ramsey and Andy Metcalf gave Buffs a 2-0 advantage.
Labour’s former junior Tyne and Wear county player Robert Drane reduced the deficit to 2-1 by outscoring Alan Graham 64-39.
A tense and exciting fourth frame saw big break-builders Craig and Labour’s Billy Signey struggle to make any initial progress.
However, a run of 27 put Signey 38 in front with one red left and Craig needing a snooker.
Craig, however, went on to pot the final red and blue and all the colours in a 33 clearance to wrap up the frame 68-60.
■IN the World Open Qualifiers at Preston Guildhall, local challengers Gary Wilson, Elliot Slessor and David Lilley qualified with wins against Jimmy White (5-1), Gerard Greene (5-0) and Li Hang Hang (5-4) respectively.
■GATESHEAD’S Malcolm Jones beat North Shieldes’ Craig Sexton 3-2 to win the latest of Whitley Bay Snooker Centre’s one-day pro-am events.
Jones was quickly out of the starting blocks, taking the first two frames 61-43, 59-46.
Sexton hit back with breaks of 32 and 28 to claim the next two frames 58-38, 55-36 and take the match into the decider.
Jones clinched it 74-26 with further breaks of 34 and 27.
North Shields’ TJ Rendles won the plate event for the second week running, seeing off Wesley Thompson 2-0.