HEADLINES
ROCKERS WIN TOP 2 BATTLE TO BLOW TITLE RACE WIDE OPEN ~ PIRATES & CASTLE BACK IN THE HUNT
Whitehead Trojans 8-6 Teddy Bears
Pirates 14-0 Alpha
MSC Trojans 2-12 Castle
Barbarians 7-7 Monkstown
Scorpions 11-3 Valkyries
Rockers 8-6 Spartans
Eastway 14-0 Greenisland
Barbarians 7-7 Monkstown. The first 2 frames were shared, H.Regan for the hosts and P.Henderson for the visitors. Barbarians then had a purple patch, running off the next 3 courtesy off G.Harrington, M.Lowry and H.Regan with his 2nd of the match. Back came Monkstown with a hat trick of their own, R.Nelson, P.Henderson (8 ball clearance) and S.Walker on the scoresheet. But despite Barbars poor league form early in the season, they are becoming stronger as the season nears it end and they went 6-4 up with Harrington winning his 2nd and H.Regan getting his hat trick yet again. The next 2 were shared, R.Henderson for Monkstown and J.Regan for the hosts to leave the score at 7-5 with 2 to play. Monkstown, much to Manager S.Greenbergs delight, finished best taking both frames through Henderson brothers Paul and Robert to send both teams home with a well earned point.
Rockers 8-6 Spartans. Quite simply, anything less than a home win would have given reigning Champions The Rockers very little chance of retaining their crown. And it looked ominous when wins from R.Hawkins and K.English put Spartans 2-0 ahead. The experienced Darren Whiteside pulled one back for the hosts but a good clearance from R.Hawkins restored the Spartans 2 frame advantage. Further home scores by A.Arbuthnot and J.Johnston either side of an E.McDowell win left the interval score at 4-3 to the visitors. P.Harris was fortunate to get back to the table late on in frame 8 but when he did he levelled the scores at 4-4. Spartans rallied again with E.Martin but 2 home wins on the trot from Whiteside and Arbuthnot put Rockers ahead at 6-5 for the first time in the match. Harris guaranteed the home side at least a point when he finished well to make it 7-5. McDowell ensured the match would go all the way as most predicted with a good finish in frame 13. But it was Johnston who was the Rockers hero, when he calmly finished to give John McCleans team the 3 valuable points.