Chelmarsh and Broseley make Bridgnorth Snooker final yet again

Season 2021-22

Match Report No 11 – 14th December 2021

League Cup Semi-Finals – Second Legs

For the fourth time in the past eight seasons, the First Division League Cup Final will be contested by Chelmarsh B, the current holders, and Broseley B. For Broseley B it will be a tenth consecutive final that, to date, includes five wins. In the four ‘head to heads’ honours have, so far, been shared.

Trailing 2-3 from the first leg, Broseley B had it all to do playing against St. John’s A. But the start of an excellent night’s work from Mick Brezwyn followed by an impressive performance from Pete Thompson temporarily put Broseley in front. Breaks of 35 and 34 allowed Mick to breeze past Kevin Hawkins whilst Pete comfortably beat Tim Steele. However, St. John’s soon came back to re-establish their lead thanks to two hard fought performances from Martin Lippitt and Rob Powell. Martin edged matters playing against Eddie Mullard whilst Rob beat Nick Carson. It was Broseley’s Andy Carson that took the fifth frame, and by beating Josh Summers he send the match into a ‘tie-break’ finale. After his early performance there could have been no doubt that Mick Brezwyn would take to the table for this decider. And he didn’t let the side down, beating Josh Summers to confirm Broseley’s place in yet another final.

It was also a close run thing in the other Semi-Final. Chelmarsh B also lead 3-2 from the first leg, playing against Shifnal B. Gary Smith made it 4-2 by beating Ian Postans. But Shifnal fought back. A hard fought win for Mick Mancini when playing against Mike Rogers and then a star performance from Carl Walker who crushed Chris Lewis meant the teams were all square with two frames to go. Carl knocking in an impressive 43-break in the process. However, Paul Manning restored Chelmarsh’s lead with an impressive win when playing against Beamer Jones and with Simon Thomas as the anchor man, Shifnal’s hope of a ‘tie break’ frame were over. Matt Judd has made an impressive return to the Shifnal line up but could find nothing to match Simon’s ruthless performance which included a masterful 70-break. 6-4 on aggregate to Chelmarsh, hence another Chelmarsh B/Broseley B final.

A club double of winning both the First and Second Division’s League Cups has only happened on four occasions in the past. Three times by Highley teams and once by Chelmarsh. Could this be Broseley’s year? Broseley A had already realistically confirmed their place in this season’s Second Division final when the beat Alveley C 5-0. But the match still had to be played and Alveley C did stay in the match for the first two frames: Steve Coldecott and Chris Jepson getting the better of Brian Edwards and Cameron Barden. Well that’s not strictly true although that is the way the match card reads. In fact, frames two and three were over on table two, and frame five was underway, before frame one came to a close on table one. And during this time Gary Watson had emphatically beaten Brian Arnold to confirm Broseley’s place in the final. Brian Oakley had opportunities to have at least given Alveley a consolation victory on the night, but he squandered them and was made to pay by an under par Andy Garbett. Then in that final frame that was started before the first had been concluded, Neil Caswell beat Kath Gill to ensure Broseley of a 3-2 win on the night and an 8-2 passage in the final.

In the final Broseley will play St John’s B, who after a one frame deficit from the first leg, cruised to a 5-0 win in the second to crush the hopes of Second Division league leaders: Alveley B. Had Alveley have been able to table full teams on both occasions the outcome might have been different. Mike Crawley battled with Will Rodenhurst to give St. John’s the early lead, and this was followed by reasonably comfortable wins for Mark Jones, Jason Brown, and Ashley Preece. Courtesy of Alveley being a player short, Roy Dickenson was given free passage. St John’s B were beaten finalist in the last campaign. Will they go one better this time around and burst the Broseley bubble?

The first legs of the finals to be played on Tuesday 4th January 2022 are as follows: Chelmarsh B v Broseley B and Broseley A v St John’s B. The second, reversed, legs will be played two weeks later, on the 18th January 2022.

Match Results

First Division - Broseley B 4, St John’s A 2 (Agg 6-5): M. Brezwyn 81, K. Hawkins 13; P. Thompson 48, T. Steele 18; E. Mullard 46, M. Lippitt 58; N. Carson 53, J. Summers 34; M. Brezwyn 67, J. Summers 45. Chelmarsh B 3, Shifnal B 2 (Agg 6-4): G. Smith 55, I. Postans 40; M. Rogers 40, M. Mancini 58; C. Lewis 6, C. Walker 81; P. Manning 55, B. Jones 9; S. Thomas 77, M. Judd 18. Second Division - Alveley C 2, Broseley A 3 (Agg 2-8): S. Coldecott 60, B. Edwards 40; C. Jepson 45, C. Barden 32; B. Arnold 9, Gary Watson 60; B. Oakley 24, A. Garbett 43; K. Gill 12, N. Caswell 74. St. John’s B 5, Alveley B 0 (Agg 7-3): M. Crawley 46, W. Rodenhurst 38, M. Jones 56, R. Scriven 22; J. Brown 49, J. Wright 25, A. Preece 68, D. Jones 30; Frame 5 Walkover for R. Dickinson – St John’s B.