THERE were three incredibly close matches as battle got under way in the Griffin Pairs.
Sponsor Duncan Reeves and Terry Brook won their preliminary in the event by the narrowest margin, 21-20, against Alex Byrnes and Danny Radcliffe before going on to beat Chris Davies and Dennis Tattersley to 17 in the first round.
At that stage, two more matches went all the way – George Fellows and Ashley Daykin beating Barry Gibson and Mark Sykes to 20 and Peter Hopkinson and Gary Siswick following suit against Alan Crowther and Mark Richardson.
Preliminary round – Steve Hirst and Danny Fountain 21 Mark Bramall and John Ollerenshaw 19, Brian Morley and Peter Kain 15 Ronnie Wormald and Frank Greenwood 21, Barry Gibson and Steve Parkin 15 Chris Davies and Dennis Tattersley 21, Alec Byrnes and Danny Radcliffe 20 Duncan Reeves and Terry Brook 21.
First round – Richard Brook and Harry Ellis 7 Jack Dyson and Nathan Haigh 21, Tony Marren and Richard Punshon 21 Ray Whitwam and Don Rae 18, Mark Wood and Graham Tandy 21 Gerald Sykes and Alan Hirst 9, Barry Gibson and Mark Sykes 20 George Fellows and Ashley Daykin 21, Alan Crowther and Mark Richardson 20 Peter Hopkinson and Gary Siswick 21, Roy Sutton and John Ineson 21 Dave Scott and Keith MIdwood 15, Steve Hirst and Danny Fountain 21 Ronnie Wormald and Frank Greenwood 13, Chris Davies and Dennis Tattersley 17 Duncan Reeves and Terry Brook 21.
Sunday’s Sixteen is sponsored by Mark Sykes and starts at 11.00.
Draw (with odds in brackets): Alex Byrnes (33) v Danny Radcliffe (16), Mark Bramall (8) v Jack Dyson (7/4), Peter Kain (10) v Craig Gant (6), Danny Fountain (14) v Ray Whitwam (10), Graham Tandy (33) v Peter Hopkinson (33), Chris Davies (5) v Mark Wood (7), George Fellows (20) v Brian Morley (12), Gary Siswick (6) v Steve Parkin (25).
