HEADLINES
TOP 4 ALL WIN ~ SCORPIONS EDGE MONKSTOWN ~ MSC TROJANS GOOD FORM CONTINUES ~ WELCOME WIN FOR TEDDY BEARSTeddy Bears 10-4 Eastway
Spartans 9-5 Greenisland
Valkyries 3-11 Rockers
Monkstown 6-8 Scorpions
Castle 11-3 Barbarians
Alpha 4-10 MSC Trojans
Whitehead Trojans 5-9 Pirates
Spartans 9-5 Greenisland. League leaders Spartans stumbled accross the line to gain 3 more valuable points. But it could have been so different if the visitors had taken a 5-4 lead with the frame at their mercy. Instead Spartans stole it and went on to seal the win, much to Manager Tommy Maguire's relief. It started well for the hosts with a tidy R.Hawkins finish putting them 1-0 up. A.Harris levelled but a brace from S.McWhirter and E.Martin gave Spartans breathing space at 3-1. H.Warwick brought it back to 3-2 and an impossible looking cut by G.Burns on his last colour to land perfectly on the black levelled the scores at 3-3 to put the pressure on the home side. The consistent Martin won frame 7 to edge Spartans ahead 4-3 at the interval. Back came Greenisland, with Burns notching up his second for 4-4. Then the pivotal frame 9 as E.McDowell gladly accepted the chance to put his team ahead at 5-4. Spartans kicked on from that and a faultless frame from K.English and another Hawkins win eased the pressure to put Spartans on the hill at 7-4. And the points were soon secured as Martin completed his hat trick for 8-4. An 8 ball clearance by English made it 9-4 but Greenisland Captain Warwick won the last to give the scoreline the respectability his teams performance deserved.
Whitehead Trojans 5-9 Pirates. With Captain Roy McMurtry unavailable for tonights match, stand in Captain Hugh McMurtry was hoping Pirates wouldn't be like a rudderless ship as they travelled down the coast to face Whitehead Trojans. But he needn't have worried as his team led 4-3 at the interval although it could have easily of been the other way as Trojans considered themselves a bit unfortunate. But a 4 frame burst from the visitors sealed the 3 points and kept Pirates outside title hopes alive. Trojans took 2 out of the last 3 and Manager Gordon McCormick can be quite pleased overall with the performance. Scoring for the hosts were T.Scott-Heyes (2), S.Hamiltom (1), G.McCormick (1) and A.Matthews (1). For the away side it was S.Carson (3), A.Corrigan (3), C.Carson (2) and P.McCaffrey (1),
Valkyries 3-11 Rockers. Rockers had one eye on the action next door where Spartans were struggling against Greenisland, but their own result was never in doubt as they stormed to the 3 points to send out a signal that they will fight to the bitter end to try and retain their League crown. John McClean's side raced into a 5-0 lead and even though a spirited comeback by the hosts made it 5-3, Rockers reeled off the final 6 frames to seal an emphatic win. Scorers for Valkyries were A.Galloway (1), C.Webster (1) and M.McCourt (1). For Rockers it was A.Arbuthnot (3), W.Lewis (3), R.Butler (3) and P.Harris (2)