Pete wins Open filled with early upsets

LANGLEY Hall Social Club, Olton B32 7HE was the setting once again for the popular annual Langley Hall Open which attracted a phenomenal field of players including Tour Card Holders and former Tour Card Holders together with the very best from around the Midlands.

- By ALAN TOWE

Top players Jamie Hughes, Nick Fullwell, Ian Jones and Matt Gallett all made their exits in the last 16 to respective opponents Mark Craddock, Graham Hall, Reece Colley and Dan Nicholls. All of the quarterfinal games finished with a 4-2 scoreline with Graham Hall, Tom Garfield, Samuel Price and Pete Hughes in turn taking out Mark Craddock, Reece Colley, Adam Smith-Neale and Dan Nicholls. The semifinals were the best of nine legs with Graham Hall beating Tom Garfield 5-1 and Pete Hughes winning 5-2 against Samuel Price. The final was the best of 11 legs and with a 6-1 result Pete Hughes defeated Graham Hall to collect the winner's top prize of £850 with runner-up Garfield receiving £450.

A 5-3 home win over Trident Spears sees Langley Arrows take their unbeaten run in group one of the Sheldon and District Summer League to three games and keeps them top of the division with a onepoint lead over Raven Arrows who take over the number two spot following Trident Spears defeat, Spears dropping to fourth with three points, three short of their victors. Raven Arrows handed out an 8-0 whitewash to their visitors Brian’s Flights who are currently bottom of the division without a point so far.

There were four maximums in the top group this week and they came from Carl Winters (Trident Spears), Jake Savage (Mackadown Sports and Social Club), Jake Liggins and Bobby Nixon (Raven Arrows).

There was just the one change in the group two table and it came at the bottom of the table as EBAHA, despite losing 5-3 at home to second placed RAFA, moved off the foot of the table and were replaced by Hunters Moon, who after their 7-1 defeat away to leaders Banbury Club, are one leg of average behind EBAHA, both with just one point.