Draw: Tuesday, February 13 at Club Lithgow Jiggers v Helmets and at The Workies Pockets versus Red Sox and Tall Timbers versus Miscues.

All the results this week were 5–2 and the game of the round was the top of the table clash between leaders Helmets and second place Red Sox.

Red Sox flexed their muscles as they drew first blood and gave Helmets their first defeat leaving both teams in first position. After two successive losses Miscues stepped up and defeated Pockets though Miscues only just won the aggregate by one point and Tall Timbers recorded their first win when they beat a lethargic Jiggers.

Logan ‘herbs and’ Spice versus Jeff Stait: The young and improving Spice up against the more experienced Stait and both had won their last two games. Stait was out the blocks early making easy inroads to the 22 start and all Spice could do was pot a couple of speculator shots. Stait easily ran away with the match 82-38 as he restricted Spice to just score 16 points.

Dianne Stait versus Peter Warner: Stait has been distracted lately at the bakery and had to get her concentration back and Warner was back refreshed from a couple of weeks’ break. Stait was maintaining her 27-point lead for a while as Warner set about chasing the deficit playing safe and potting the loose ones. Warner timed his run as he does and came home strong to win 70–58.

RW Farnsworth versus Shannon Baer: This was set up as a good clash as both undefeated Farnsworth two from two and Baer three from three. Both are potting and playing the safety game well and the difference is Farnsworth is more relaxed and Baer is methodical and slow with his shots. Both hit the ground running and some good play entailed and once the dust settled it was Farnsworth who inflicted Baer’s first loss 70–58.

Ian Miles versus Trevor Cameron: These two don’t get around the table as nimbly as they used to though they still regularly pot a very good ball. Miles is veteran with a lot of experience and Cameron at times relies on his opponent making a mistake so he can capitalise on it. Slow and entertaining it was with lead changing and Cameron took a good lead and whether it was Alzheimer’s or not Miles sank the last two balls as he miscalculated because he needed a snooker only to see Cameron win 60-57.

Tom Drury versus Rod Denley: After a dismal 2017 Drury, has made every post a winner being undefeated and playing like a much younger version of himself. A good game by both though a bit slow due to mistakes and missed opportunities and it was close most of the way. Denley went well but not as good as Drury as he stays undefeated 53–31.

Robert Farnsworth versus Tom Gaynor: Farnsworth was up against it from the start as Gaynor has not been beaten and teams still make the mistake of not putting Gaynor on early as he wins 90 per cent of his games playing last. Again, Gaynor was too strong and Farnsworth played well only to come up short 55–40.

Players of the match were Jeff Stait and RW Farnsworth.

Bill Cook versus Wade Barrington: You know what you get when  Cook plays it the same old game just sometimes it can go bad and Barrington still in the learning phase sometimes has to learn to close a game out. This was close all the way through with both playing well. Barrington had a chance and missed it as Cook took the opportunity and won 53–40.

Lawrence Creasy versus Trent Lewis: Creasy at times relies on luck and on part his opponent’s bad luck though lately Lewis has been putting in the big shots and is undefeated. Creasy started out slowly potting some good shots but he was also setting up Lewis as Lewis again potted some big shots as he blasted them into the pockets. Creasy scored an 11 break and got within a black ball only to see Lewis pot it to win 41–34.

Michael McCosker versus David Adams: Not often you get the Association Vice President play the President in comp snooker but it happened, who was going to get the bragging rights. Adams had a 34 start and used this well and was slowly increasing his lead. McCosker unusually played it cool and was dragging back the deficit with the help of a 14 break. Adams made a few mistakes which helped McCosker pull in front on the colours. With 2 balls left Adams needed them plus a snooker to win and in a moment of madness Adams sunk both for a 13 break only to see the Vice President McCosker win 77–72.

Aaron Vandermeer versys Justin Nelson: Vandermeer had a whopping 50 start and he would have to be at his best to try and stop Nelson. Vandermeer started out hesitantly with some success as Nelson was making inroads with small breaks but he also fouled a couple of times. Nelson scored a 14 break and took the lead late and it came down to the black ball and lo and behold Nelson sank the black and the white went in/off giving Vandermeer the game 82–79.

Maurie Smith versus Wayne Lewis: Smith just returned from getting his eyes checked and after this game maybe he should get them checked again. Smith did not go that badly it was just Lewis played the better game and made the most of his opportunities with the help of a 13 break won the game 59–39.

Frank Wawn versus Kyle Lewis: Usually Wawn doesn’t chase large scores very well and he was chasing the 37 points Lewis had. Wawn proved his critics wrong as he went about not just pulling back the deficit but he only let Lewis score 19 points as Wawn won 75–55.

Players of the match were Bill Cook and Wayne Lewis.

Brian Nightingale versys Steve Hewitt: At least Nightingale has a win up his sleeve and Hewitt with three consecutive losses was looking for that first win. Both turned their form around as Hewitt was hot to trot and potting all before him and Nightingale hit the wall hard as Hewitt won 52–22.

Kevin Slaven versus Jeff Holt: These pair struggle all the time hence their high handicaps but this was a very entertaining game. Holt’s two losses have been by a black ball result and again it happened. Both played well with the lead changing several times and the result came down to the black and it was Slaven who was the victor by the barest of margins 60–59.

Matt Tattersall versus Shane Eagle: Both were not at their best last week being easily beaten so this had the potential to be an open game as that is the way they both play. Both were on the board early and Eagle was maintaining a slender lead and Tattersall was not letting him get too far ahead. After toing and froing for a while it was Tattersall who made his move late to come home a 54–48 winner.

Brain Bonus versus Trystan Ford: Bonus had to give Ford 34 start and with winning his last two games Ford was confident. No need to worry for Bonus as he came out firing on all cylinders potting well and playing good safety. Ford made a lot of mistakes but Bonus made it look easy as he won 70–51.

Dennis Goodwin versus Brad Preston: Both have had two wins and this was going to be a good battle. Goodwin though not at his best kept the lead for a while and then Preston up the ante as when took the lead he maintained to win 58 – 44. Garry

Bender versus Brett Holt: Bender’s form at times is hard to fathom as he is hot and cold and Holt’s form though playing well in patches is losing a few games. Bender was too good as again Holt played well only to lose 62–43.

Players of the match were Brian Bonus and Steve Hewitt.

Point score: Helmets and Red Sox 19, Jiggers and Tall Timbers 13, Miscues 12, Pockets 8