Right On Cue

Bradford No 1 took a giant step closer to the YORKSHIRE INTER-DISTRICT LEAGUE Division One snooker title with an excellent 5-1 victory against Sheffield No 1 at Undercliffe Cricket Club.

Wayne Cooper took on Joel Walker, one of Yorkshire’s finest young players, and started the rout with breaks of 35 and 31.

This earned a 66-0 victory in the first frame and he followed up with another convincing performance in the second to take it 73-6.

Sheffield’s Martin Finnigan made a break of 30 to pull a frame back against Lee Atkinson, taking it 78-38.

But Atkinson restored Bradford’s two-frame lead by taking an early advantage and retaining it to finish a 52-23 winner.

Captain Kevin Firth fought out a tight fifth frame, picking off the colours to eventually win 65-31 against Kevin Breeze.

But Breeze was then blown away 74-6 in the last as English Seniors finalist Firth finished the night in style for the hosts.

Bradford now head the table by two points going into the final round of matches this weekend.

They take on Leeds at Undercliffe CC on Sunday (7.30pm), while second-placed Castleford No 1 host Harrogate in their last fixture.

In Division Two, Bradford No 2 face a tough final fixture with a trip to leaders Sheffield No 3, who are already promoted.

But they will be looking to secure the title over second-placed Castleford No 2, who are also already promoted.

* The first semi-final of the BRADFORD SNOOKER CHAMPIONSHIPS sees Cooper (Laisterdyke Cricket Club) taking on Howard Mawson (QTips Snooker Centre) at Eccleshill Victoria Conservative Club next Wednesday (7.30pm).

The pair have met a number of times over the years and had it not been for eight-times champion Cooper’s dominance, Mawson would surely have had more titles than his solitary 2004 success.

The other semi-final features holder Gareth Green (Lifeline Leisure) and surprise package Adam Tipper (Bradford Moor Conservatives).

* The second legs of the HEY’S TROPHY and HOPKINSON PLATE semi-finals are to be played tomorrow night.

Winning captains are reminded to inform tournament director Eddie Ratcliffe (07790-379832) of the outcome and send in the results sheet by Monday.