Martin Lester won the Newport B-Level

[<<] [>>] by Andrew Gregory at Newport
24th June (AC)

Six souls gathered for an all-play-all block at Newport.

The first round saw a shock as the lowest handicapped player (and defending champion) Mike Bithell lost to Jonathan Lambton in the latter's first game at Newport. This despite Jonathan pegging one ball out prematurely in a big roll across the lawn.

Mike recovered to 3/4 and in the last round faced another Newport debutant in Martin Lester. Martin was undefeated so Mike needed a win to force a play-off.

Mike had first break. After some interaction he took the chance to make a couple more hoops with the forward ball. Martin then picked up a break and after 2-back made a speculative attempt at the rover peel. Had it failed he could still have had a reasonable lift leave, but when it succeeded he went all the way round and pegged out Mike's ball.

Off the contact Mike rolled from 1^st corner to hoop 2 and made it, but progressed no further.

Later Martin stuck in the middle of hoop 6. Mike had a shot from near 4^th corner, which hit the hoop but not the ball, and Mike's ball finished in the vicinity. From which Martin finished.

Martin collected some handicap trophies in his bandit years, but this is his first level success.

Winner: Martin Lester 5/5

Runners-up: Mike Bithell, David Mooney 3/5