Express & Star

Captain marvels are through to the last four of knockout

The semi-final line-up in Aldridge Snooker League’s Captains Cup has now been confirmed.

Published

Anthony Rhodes was the first one to make it through his quarter-final as he overcame the challenge of Willenhall Liberals’ Lee Thomson.

Rhodes, who had a 28-point start per frame, began the match in great form as he took the opener by 44 points and continued that momentum into the next frame as well, winning that by the same score to leave himself with a huge 109 lead going into the final frame.

Thomson did take the frame on the black, but it was nowhere near enough to turn the match around.

Mark Poole will join him in the next round as he eventually overcame his opponent Bob Foster.

Poole, who was giving away a seven-point start to his opponent, looked to put himself in control as he took the opening frame by 20 points – but a better performance from Foster in frame two saw him take it by 42 points to see him hold a 29-point advantage at the start of the final frame.

Despite holding that lead, Foster was unable to hold his advantage and Poole came back with a much-improved display to take the final frame by 51 points and the match win by a score of 167-138.

The final match played saw Birchills’ Noel Maxwell make the most of his handicap advantage to see off the challenge of Golden Cue’s Ron Smith.

Maxwell used his handicap to great effect in the opening frame as he took it by 41 points to extend his overall lead.

Smith managed to offer some resistance in the second frame, but he only took it by four points on the black to leave him trailing going into the deciding frame.

Smith managed to win the final frame also, but the 14 points he won it by were not enough to overturn the lead Maxwell had built up during the first frame as the match finished 252-228 in Noels favour.