Slessor is in three-mendous form to pocket Bay one-day prize
SNOOKER
WALLSEND’S top minus player Elliot Slessor started his campaign in the latest Whitley Bay handicapped oneday event in cracking form.
He enjoyed 3-0 victories over Gatesheads Keiron McNeice (off 45) and North Shields’ Craig Sexton (off five) before claiming a gruelling 3-2 deciding semi-final victory against fellow North Tynesider Gary Wilson (off minus 40), who fired in a thirdframe 134 total clearance.
Still off a scratch mark, Gateshead’s Malcolm Jones came through the bottom end of the draw with a hat-trick of 3-0 victories against North Shields’ Carl Sexton (off 40), Gateshead’s Brian Hall (off 35) and Brandon Hall.
Despite receiving a 40-points start from Slessor in the final, Jones never had a chance to get into the game.
Slessor rattled off runs of 70, 78 and 83 to take the match in three straight frames.
Wallsend’s scratch potter Billy Hunter claimed the Plate first prize with a 2-1 defeat of Whitley Bay’s -10 club player Adam Parker.
The highest break of the day went to Wilson with that 134 clearance.
In the following day’s new handicapped pro-am, both Blyth finalists from the small field of eight came from the club’s Saturday morning junior coaching school.
With both players off a handicap of 50 but competing off level terms, it was Brandan Errage who scraped past his regular practice partner Andrew Robson 2-1 to claim his first ever deciding-frame final.