Billiards and Snooker: In-form Cousen making his mark in a big way

Nov 22 2003 By David Lockwood, The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

BRIAN COUSEN is enjoying a hot run of billiards form at the moment.

After helping steer Huddersfield No1 to a whitewash over Harrogate in the Yorkshire League with a walloping win over Bob Parker, the Lindley Liberal Club player raced to the semi-final of an amateur billiards competition in Nuneaton.

And for good measure he has now posted the top mark in the Huddersfield Open Billiards League, with a 68 break against John Bowden as Lindley beat New Mill 3-0.

In the Yorkshire match, Huddersfield's trio were all on the button with Matthew Peaker giving his side a solid start, playing well to defeat Tom Halliday 200-140 with a best break of 46.

Cousen then totally destroyed Parker with breaks of 37 and 74 to win 200-27.

"Brian played as well as I've seen him play for years," said teammate Tony Clegg, who finished Harrogate off by defeating Tim Godolphin 200-83 for a 7-0 win at Springwood BC.

The same Huddersfield trio were then joined by David Peaker, Jeremy Ford, John Ingleby, Julian Hodge and Peter Mortimer in the ABC competition in Nuneaton.

Clegg won through his first round helped by a break of 82, but then came up against English No3 Dave Burgess, and sat back as the international put down breaks of 54, 72 and 185 - all in the space of one hour!

Cousen, meanwhile, moved through to the semi-final before losing to the eventual winner.

Clegg, Cousen and Peaker (Matthew) are in Yorkshire League action tonight at Bradford No2.

* On the snooker front, Lindley Working Men's are joint top of the Premiership in the Open League, and are bidding to create another little piece of history.

For as well as going through an entire season unbeaten and winning their Section and the Bass North League Championship trophy double for two successive years in 2001-2, 2002-3, they are also bidding to become the first side to win each of their sections all the way up from Section 3 (which was the bottom section when they joined) up to and including the Premiership.

Lindley share top spot with Lower Hopton on 21 points, following the Brian Street club's 3-1 win over Marsh Liberal Club.

And it could so easily have been a four-pointer, as Andy Boothroyd just lost to Tim Moore on the black 49-51.

Pat Joyce made a 28 break to give Lindley a flying start in beating Graham Whitehouse, while Richie Harradine had too many start for Huddersfield Open champion Robert Armitage.

The Lindley No3 started 61 points ahead, and quickly added another break of 20 to put the frame out of Armitage's reach.

Robert Read then finished the job for Lindley, beating Steve Stennett, giving the Marsh man 63 start before winning 107-65.

At the this stage of the season, all the divisions are pretty tight, but Golcar RBL have a seven point lead over Bradley and Colnebridge in Section 1A.

* HUDDERSFIELD No2 snooker team have rung the changes for the next Yorkshire League Division III match tomorrow night at Moldgreen Liberal Club (7.30).

Skipper Andy Battye has called up Bradley and Colnebridge player Simon Stockwell - currently holding the highest break of the season in the Open League with 91 - for his League debut.

And also in the side to face Sheffield, is Hillhouse and Birkby player Kevin Hirst.

* Results secretary John Needham has been experiencing computer problems, but says the League's website will be updated when he is up and running again.