Breakers through in epic semi

A semi-final worthy of a final took place when Breakers’ stars Craig Frost and Guy Dennis took on Anston duo Jordan Joynson and Daz Oldfield in the three-frame aggregate handicap competition, writes Antony Coupe .

Joynson and Oldfield received 42 points start a frame and started the better to maintain their lead in frame one thanks to some vital points on the final colours to hold onto a 27 point advantage going into the second frame.

The Breakers pair responded well when Dennis produced a 31 break to reduce the deficit going into the colours.

However, the final blue, a fantastic pink and black from Oldfield gave the Anston pair an eight point lead in frame two along with 27 points from the first frame and the handicap start meant 77 points start would be the advantage for Joynson and Oldfield to take in the final frame.

But the class finally came through, Frost hit top form with an early 20 break to reduce the deficit and now the mountain did not look so high to climb.

The breakthrough came when Frost racked up an amazing 47 break with a fantastic array of pots and positional play to give the Breakers duo every chance of winning, the comeback was now well and truly possible.

Onto the final few colours, the Anston pair still held their lead however it was diminishing by every shot and when Frost again produced an excellent pot on the final pink sending the cue ball all the way around the angles to drop perfect on the black.

Frost duly potted to break the young Anston pair’s hearts and see the Breakers X pair go through to the final on the very last ball, the only time they had been in front in the whole match.

The other semi-final was Worksop Bowling Club’s Tony White and Steve Smith against Breakers S pair Shane Robinson and John Bell.

The Bowling Club pair hit the ground running and slowly built an impressive lead. This was reduced by Robinson who took the last 4 colours in a break of 22 in the first frame to keep the Breakers pair in the match.

In the second frame, Bell began to play well, making a break of 28 which along with some other good play put them ahead.

However it all came undone when Shane fouled and went in-off the pink.

White stepped up, potting a good pink and fantastic black to snatch the second frame by a narrow margin.

The aggregate scores meant that White and Smith received 59 points start in the last frame.

Bell rose to the challenge and with the blue, pink and black remaining, the Breakers Pair found themselves on the verge of a great escape.

However snooker can be very cruel, and a fluked blue handed the initiative back to the Bowling Club pair with a brilliant long pink by Smith sealing the win and a place in the final where they will face former professional Guy Dennis and Craig Frost.