Right on cue

Bradford’s snooker sides both suffered defeats in the latest round of YORKSHIRE INTER-DISTRICT LEAGUE fixtures.

The No 1 team hosted a strong Leeds outfit at Undercliffe Cricket Club and lost 4-2.

Two former professionals faced each other in the first match, with Wayne Cooper of Bradford taking on Kuldesh Johal.

The Leeds player opened with a break of 68 and had looked set to make a century before a wicked kick forced a miss.

With 75 remaining on the table, Cooper appeared set to steal the frame but broke down at 39 when much of the hard work had been done and his opponent took advantage.

Frame two also went to Johal, who finished with a break of 33 to put the visitors 2-0 up.

Dave Stirk and Leeds’ Curtis Lewis played out two tight frames, the first going to Lewis after the host player had the misfortune of a kick while taking on a simple pink for victory.

Stirk redeemed himself well by taking the next frame, also on the pink and black, but Leeds then went 4-1 up when Richard Binns made a frame-winning break of 40 against Kevin Firth.

The Bradford player hit top form in the dead final frame to win it comfortably with some outstanding snooker.

Meanwhile, Bradford No 2 travelled to leaders Sheffield No 2 and suffered a 6-0 whitewash.

Gareth Green, Boover Singh and Damian Wilks were on the wrong end of some first-class snooker, with Wilks in particular having little chance against in-form Wayne Wootton’s breaks of 83 and 104.

The E ROSSE HOPKINSON PLATE quarter-finals get underway tonight with first-leg matches as follows: Low Moor v Birkenshaw Liberals A, Great Horton Cons v Harold Club B, Windhill Cons v Upper Bolton Cons A, Wibsey Liberals A v Eccleshill WMC B’.

Second-leg matches take place on Thursday, March 25.

The semi-final line-up is now confirmed for the HEY’S TROPHY, with Harold Club A taking on Laisterdyke WMC B and Laisterdyke WMC A facing East Ward Labour Club. These ties will take place on Thursdays, April 8 and 22.

Defending champions Chris Melling and Jason Walton of Shipley Club lost the final outstanding BRADFORD SNOOKER PAIRS last-16 match 3-1 to Manningham Ward duo Gareth Green and Damian Wilks, who next take on Howard Mawson and Chris Metcalfe of Q Tips Shipley.