Report submitted by Kidderminster Snooker League

Monday 5th March saw the semi-finals of the Championship Plate and the Preliminary Round of the Valentines Cup being played.

In the Plate the first semi-final was between St Johns 'D' and Workmans 'B'.

This is an aggregate score competition. In the first frame Workmans got off to a superb start with Paul Smith scoring 98 points and giving them a 79 point lead.

This was increased in the second frame when Rob Southall won scoring 77 points.

In the third frame Colin McMurray of Workmans won scoring 66 points and building the Workmans lead to 118 points.

Although St Johns came close in the final singles frame and won the doubles frame they lost by 113 points.

The Valentines Cup is the only Handicapped Cup competition.

Both preliminary matches were between teams from the Pockets club. In the first Pockets 'H' played host to Pockets 'B'. The 'B' side started 198 behind due to the handicap system.

The 'H' side won the first frame and increased their lead. This was to be their high point. The 'B' side won the next two frames clawing the lead back.

At the start of frame four the 'B' side were still over 190 points behind. Gareth Ward played an excellent frame scoring 105 points, thus cutting the lead by half. In the final frame the 'B' sides Rich Pepperall and Gareth Ward scored 109, with Rich Pepperall having a 46 break, they won the match on the final black of the final frame. It could not have been closer.

In the second preliminary match Pockets 'C' took on Pockets 'D'. In the first frame the 'D' side extended their 16 point lead with Andy Grose winning his frame.

They also won the second frame and had established a 75 point lead. Reg Burton of the 'C' side reduced this lead winning his frame with a score of 64.

In the doubles frame the 'D' sides Andy Grose and Paul Carter proved too strong and won by 29 points. Unfortunately for the 'C' side they did not have a fourth player and so had to forfeit the final singles frame which cost them 75 points and confirmed their exit from this competition.