The King is dead! – long live the King!
Robert Read has finally lost his crown after being knocked out of this year’s Open Snooker Championship by Rob Armitage.
It is the first time in seven years that Lindley WMC player Read has lost a match in the Championship after a remarkable record-breaking run.
Read took the opening frame of the best-of-seven clash at Newsome WMC, before Marsh Liberal Club star Armitage levelled it with a break of 38 in the second, and then took the third with a 42 break.
Armitage lost the fourth as the match was back to level at 2-2, but a 61 break gave him the lead once more, before Read made 46 to tie it up again in the sixth.
The final frame was a nip and tuck affair, but it was Armitage who finally grabbed the initiative and sealed a famous 4-3 victory on the brown, the match finishing at almost 11.30pm.
It is 10 years since Armitage claimed his one and only Open title, when he also defeated Read in the final, and he will now face either Andy Battye or Michael Whaley who were due to meet in last night’s second semi-final.
But this will not be Armitage’s only final in this year’s Billiards and Snooker Finals Festival, for the brilliant cue-man is also through to the Open Billiards final after beating his friend and clubmate Tony Clegg in the semi-finals.
It was a stunning victory for Armitage, who had a 61 break in the first half, but only led by 60 at the half-way stage.
However, in the second half, at Lindley Liberal Club, Armitage was rampant with breaks of 56, 62 and then a magnificent effort of 116 to leave the Association president bewildered.
He now faces holder Matthew Peaker in the final, but should Armitage be successful in both Billiards and Snooker, he will become only the third man ever to win both titles in the same year.
Brian Cousen achieved the remarkable feat in 1965, while the late, great Tommy Donlan performed the double no fewer than four times in 1972, 79, 81 and 84.
There was further anguish for Read and his partner Andy Boothroyd, when Golcar Conservative duo Trevor Liversidge and Mick Stocks reversed last year’s final result by knocking the Lindley pair out of the Leonard Oldham Pairs.
There was no indication of the upset to the holders when Boothroyd showed why this pairing had lifted the title on several occasions with some excellent play, culminating in a 51 break to take a 2-0 lead.
Stocks responded with a 57 break to claim the third frame and then Liversidge got into the match to level at 2-2.
The deciding frame was more drawn out until Liversidge potted brown, blue and pink to take the frame and the match.
They now await the outcome of the second semi-final between Michael Whaley and Chris Thorpe and Mohammed Naeem and Haydn Corbett.
Latest scores in the Huddersfield Open Snooker League:
Crosland Moor Con A 3 Lindley Lib B 1 – M Atkinson (3) 54 A Holding (owes 6) 51, S Moorhouse (owes 21) 79 J Bowker (20) 53, K O’Prey (15) 67 J Scholefield (10) 50, G Doughty (owes 14) 51 C Hill (23) 60.
Break: S Moorhouse 27.
Deighton WMC B 2 Lindley WMC A 2 – I Elson (29) 68 J McMahon (owes 27) 77, D Wenzel (22) 79 M Naeem (owes 42) 69, J Senior (22) 116 R Read (owes 45) 75, J Wenzel (3) 76 H Corbett (owes 33) 79.
Broad Oak BC B 3 Top Spot A 1 – M Burgess (13) 80 S Jiu (21) 58, J Lendon (24) 79 S Reilly (owes 4) 21, R Waterworth (owes 5) 70 M Boylan (owes 23) 35, A Haigh (15) 51 B Pickup (owes 2) 62.
Canalside B 1 Cowcliffe Lib A 3 – D Bottomley (owes 4) 72 P Proctor (23) 59, C Keegan (owes 7) 50 R Hawkyard (15) 66, D Mann (10) 16 A Flathers (21) 72, C Mann (24) 57 T Proctor (4) 78.
Marsden Con 1 Canalside A 3 – S Peacock (owes 23) 16 C Norcliffe (owes 26) 81, I Shepherd (17) 69 S Stennett (owes 7) 76, R Taylor (scr) 52 D Saeed (21) 50, L Bradbury (owes 2) 46 M Saeed (9) 56.
Breaks: C Norcliffe 40, 20.
Bradley and Colne WMC B 0 Meltham Lib D 4 – R Townley (6) 32 C Keogh (7) 56, B Wheeler (29) 56 M Hellawell (21) 76, A Fenton (owes 5) 44 L Fitzgerald (22) 63, J Waters (18) 56 A Stott (17) 85.
Springwood BC A 1 Golcar RBL D 3 – A Batty (owes 14) 43 N Sutton (8) 56, B Whitehouse (6) 33 S Lucas (2) 50, B Stead (7) 72 I Shaw (owes 18) 47, T Whitehouse (12) 50 J Reany (8) 75.
Moldgreen Con A 2 Primrose Hill Lb 2 – L Carr (5) 20 R Sylvester (19) 67, D Crines (5) 63 C Wilkinson (13) 36, K Hobson (4) 29 A Gilroy (11) 60, J Bastow (owes 36) 90 P Daw (28) 80.
Top Spot B 0 Broad Oak BC A 4 – C Reynolds (17) 34 M Heap (owes 4) 66, M Houlton (16) 39 A Harper (6) 68, M Wood (owes 16) 48 K Ellis (26) 74, J O’Kane (21) 47 K Baxter (owes 14) 57.
Marsden RBL A 1 Slaithwaite CBC A 3 – J Shaw (owes 5) 37 L Quarmby (owes 27) 71, B Wood (17) 36 D Holroyd (9) 70, D Kipling (1) 66 B Morley (26) 51, G Irving (11) 35 P Wood (24) 75.
Crosland Moor WMC A 0 Lower Hopton WMC 4 – D Fuller (14) 23 N Ewart (4) 81, T Bullas (38) 71 I Newby (6) 77, L Fallas (9) 34 P Kennedy (10) 79, D Hallas (10) 45 D Poutney (owes 24) 73.
Upper Hopton WMC B 1 Marsden Soc 3 – J Wilson (16) 48 D Crosbie (owes 17) 75, R Head (scr) 44 D Sewell (2) 60, S Holmes (7) 65 M Auty (21) 54, D Rourke (owes 27) 54 L Blagborough (8) 83.
Crosland Moor Con 1 Lockwood Con A 3 – G Moorhouse (15) 32 P Bodsworth (11) 62, N Cox (19) 57 R Bodsworth (1) 65, B Haigh (9) 60 D Singh (1) 49, G Ineson (owes 6) 44 C Ball (21) 84.
Almondbury Con A 2 Moldgreen Lib A 2 – S James (owes 19) 72 G Manson (21) 77, S Taylor (15) 52 M Burnand (21) 78, K Dyson (9) 75 J Delahunty (26) 39, D Morton (owes 6) 56 P Garraty (owes 12) 29.
Lepton Lib A 1 St Patricks B 3 – S Kemp (23) 50 J Halstead (14) 75, C Dean 25) 71 Z Hussain (24) 70, I Hoyle (owes 9) 58 S Hussain (33) 68, C Ellis (11) 31 J Halstead (scr) 61.
Golcar Con B 1 Paddock CBC 3 – M Stocks (owes 45) 109 S Tattersal (27) 72, P Smith (9) 36 P Garforth (6) 50, H Peel (19) 41 M Barrett (15) 62, G Hey (owes 11) 62 I Fretwell (12) 68.
Break: M Stocks 42, 25.
Lindley Lib A 2 Hillhouse and Birkby BC A 2 – R Waters (6) 63 J Watson (owes 5) 56, G Jordan (15) 51 K Hirst (owes 17) 77, R Kaye (28) 50 C Sykes (owes 8) 77, A Wortley (12) 54 S Berry (5) 42.
Breaks: K Hirst 28, C Sykes 27.
Golcar Con C 2 Moldgreen Con C 2 – A Brough (29) 51 R Wilson (35) 87, T Riley (1) 67 R Bintcliffe (10) 63, D Fawthrop (owes 2) 62 K Gledhill (owes 10) 35, T Hirst (31) 54 S Morris (6) 64.
Paddock Con 1 Upper Hopton WMC A 3 – J Wise (12) 48 B Cook (23) 59, B Jowett (21) 77 S Weatherby (12) 23, D Lewis (26) 49 S Larner (owes 2) 83, N Hartley (14) 56 M Haigh (11) 70.
Meltham Con A 3 Deighton WMC A 1 – M White (owes 30) 86 B Cummerford (20) 56, G Wilkinson (owes 26) 55 M Parker (12) 75, C C Worrall (18) 66 J Core (7) 48, B Flanagan (21) 82 D Core (18) 69.
Break: M White 35.
Meltham Lib A 2 Berry Brow Lib C 2 – A Chapman (owes 21) 81 E Claydon (30) 72, P Headey (owes 3) 53 D Middleton (21) 62, T Boothroyd (owes 9) 46 P Boothroyd (16) 72, P Waddington (owes 13) 69 A Middleton (scr) 26.
Shelley SSC A 1 Marsden RBL B 3 – P Hoyland (owes 1) 44 C Shaw (owes 4) 67, P King (27) 77 S Burgon (31) 64, P Schofield (25) 43 R Clarke (owes 3) 85, S Armitage (33) 46 C Zaffino (scr) 91.
Break: R Clarke 28, 28.
Cowcliffe Lib B 2 Crosland Moor Con B 2 – S Rogers (22) 54 T Huntington (owes 5) 62, H Stoney (45) 61 D Frost (26) 102, T Whiteley (39) 78 A Fowler (2) 58, C Weston (21) 87 D Jessop (1) 43.
Break: T Huntington 25.
Netherton Con B 2 Moldgreen Con B 2 – T Whittaker (13) 69 D Blacker (owes 5) 59, J Pejica (14) 75 T Atkinson (owes 3) 55, N Brook (26) 55 I Pursell (25) 66, I Moseley (owes 32) 38 M Gildea (34) 86.
Marsh U BC A 3 New Mill B-Police B 1 – K Jackson (19) 83 J Lee (1) 45, A Heywood (12) 62 Joe Lee (21) 49, S Crowther (32) 57 R Parr (2) 42, G West (1) 29 D Hey (4) 61.
Slaithwaite CBC B 3 Almondbury Con B 1 – S Given (18) 73 C Madden (25) 68, W Scott (34) 58 C Marsden (15) 80, C Dack (32) 59 M Sykes (20) 48, J Langfield (16) 67 D Lucid (21) 55.
Lindley WMC B 2 Hillhouse and Birkby BC B 2 – R Whitcombe (34) 51 J Thorpe (owes 5) 62, I Strudwick (19) 80 S Thorpe (16) 76, N Armstrong (owes 9) 29 C Sykes (25) 75, M Goodier (owes 19) 83 D Kaye (320 76.
Broad oak BC C 2 Marsh U BC B 2 – B Littlewood (30) 52 G Rogers (22) 82, D Walsh (38) 101 D James (27) 64, C Beaumont (21) 26 D J Simmons (13) 60, M Whitehead (16) 75 A Oldfield (19) 49.
Golcar RBL A 1 Berry Brow Lib B 3 – R Sutton (scr) 20 S Cogger (28) 60, T Glover (17) 50 E Crookes (21) 62, N Dawson (26) 87 R Farrar (11) 68, M Hirst (34) 65 M Howes (21) 99.
Lockwood Con B 4 Marsh Lib B 0 – K Wood (owes 9) 74 J Ashton (29) 64, D Shaw (21) 74 A Clegg (owes 28) 43, C Heywood (21) 71 T O’Hara (1) 40, R Driver (10) 90 R Armitage (owes 45) 76.
Break: K Wood 34.
New Mill Club A 3 Milnsbridge Lib 1 – S Whiteley (owes 7) 86 M Graham (31) 78, P Booth (21) 79 S Price (21) 45, D Lomax (8) 79 L Boothroyd (8) 58, M Holding (owes 13) 57 J D Haigh (32) 69.
Hillhouse and Birkby BC C 2 Golcar Con D 2 – R Tunnacliffe (owes 2) 53 M Bamforth (34) 67, I Vernon (38) 69 R Hall (32) 78, W Watson (38) 82 I Brogden (24) 58, J Dolan (20) 74 D McLean (scr) 14.
Berry Brow Lib A 3 Meltham Lib B 1 – I Meehan (28) 74 J Ellis-Pownall (owes 13) 13, R Gee (3) 35 A Lawton (26) 67, A Muff (16) 71 M Hill (owes 8) 36, R Steer (7) 60 F Wrathall (4) 49.
St Patricks A 0 Crosland Moor WMC B 4 – Mir (21) 45 A Roberts (42) 89, D Adams (44) 74 D Peacock (45) 90, B Adams (35) 52 M Peacock (34) 92, C Adams (30) 53 R Hewson (34) 78.
Meltham Lib C 3 Golcar Con A 1 – D Hoyle (44) 85 E Charlotte (20) 80, I Lee (25) 72 P Ainley (12) 58, P Stenson (20) 61 J Kitson (owes 1) 36, P Shaw (owes 13) 74 R Singleton (38) 76.
PREMIER Section
Broad Oak BC D 25 16 6 3 65
Lindley WMC A 25 11 12 2 65
Cowcliffe Lib A 25 11 10 4 59
Canalside A 25 9 13 3 55
Crosland Moor Con A 25 10 9 6 53
Springwood BC A 25 8 11 6 52
Broad Oak BC B 25 9 9 7 51
Golcar RBL D ** 25 10 8 7 50
Lindley Lib B ** 26 7 11 8 48
Meltham Lib D 25 6 6 13 45
Canalside B 25 5 7 13 44
Deighton WMC B 25 4 11 10 44
Top Spot A 26 7 6 13 43
Bradley-Colne B 25 5 10 10 41
Marsden Con 26 3 7 16 33
Section IA
Lower Hopton WMC 23 14 6 3 62
Broad Oak BC A 23 11 9 3 59
Moldgreen Con A 23 9 6 8 49
Lepton Lib B 24 8 9 7 49
Crosland Moor Con C 23 7 9 7 49
Slaithwaite CBC A 24 9 8 7 48
Lockwood Con A 24 8 9 7 47
Top Spot B 24 8 8 8 47
Holme Spts 23 8 6 9 45
Primrose Hill Lib 23 3 15 5 45
Upper Hopton WMC B 24 4 11 9 42
Crosland Moor WMC A 24 4 8 12 39
Marsden RBL A 23 6 7 10 38
Marsden Social 23 7 5 11 37
Section IB
Paddock CBC 25 18 2 5 67
St Patricks CC B 23 14 6 3 60
Upper Hopton A 23 13 6 4 57
Moldgreen Con C 23 9 7 7 49
Hillhouse-Birkby A 23 9 9 5 48
Lindley Lib A ** 24 10 6 8 47
Golcar Con B 23 7 8 8 47
Moldgreen Lib 23 5 10 8 44
Almondbury Con A 23 6 6 11 42
Paddock Con 23 8 4 11 41
Hillhouse-Birkby D 23 7 7 9 41
Netherton Con A 23 6 7 10 41
Lepton Liberal A 24 3 9 12 39
Golcar Con C 25 1 9 15 29
Section IIA
Meltham Con A 24 14 4 6 60
Moldgreen Con B 23 12 6 5 57
Marsden RBL B 23 12 6 5 56
Honley Con A 22 12 6 4 54
Deighton WMC A 23 11 7 5 52
Crosland Moor Con B 23 7 10 6 48
Meltham Lib A 24 6 10 8 47
Netherton Con B 24 6 9 9 44
Kirkburton Lib B 23 5 11 7 43
Shelley SS A 24 5 10 9 43
Cowcliffe Lib B 24 6 9 9 41
Newsome WMC B ** 23 6 6 11 37
Springwood BC B 23 4 7 12 33
Berry Brow Lib C 23 2 9 12 33
Section IIB
Marsh U BC A 21 11 5 5 50
Marsh Lib Club A 21 9 7 5 49
Bradley & Colne WMC A 21 9 9 3 48
Almondbury WMC 21 10 6 5 47
Broad Oak BC C 22 6 13 3 47
Shelley SSC B 22 9 3 10 46
Kirkburton Lib A 21 8 9 4 46
Almondbury Con B 22 6 8 8 42
New Mill B - Police 22 5 8 9 40
Hillhouse-Birkby BC B 20 4 10 6 38
Marsh U BC B 22 4 8 10 36
Slaithwaite CBC B 22 6 4 12 35
Lindley WMC B 22 2 12 8 35
Meltham Con B 0 0 0 0 0
Section III
Lockwood Con B 26 15 10 1 69
Berry Brow Lib A 25 14 7 4 63
Hillhouse-Birkby BC C 25 13 7 5 63
Milnsbridge Lib 25 11 7 7 58
Meltham Lib C 26 10 8 8 55
Berry Brow Lib B 25 10 10 5 54
Marsh Lib B 25 11 4 10 51
New Mill Club A 25 8 11 6 49
Crosland Moor WMC B 25 7 9 9 47
Golcar Con D 25 9 3 13 46
Golcar RBL A ** 26 7 8 11 46
Golcar Con A 25 8 5 12 45
Meltham Lib B 25 7 6 12 42
Newsome WMC A ** 25 4 10 11 37
St Patricks CC A 25 0 5 20 23
** Points deducted under Attendance Rule
Highest Breaks in Handicap Groups:
Owes 45 to owes 24 Robert Read (Lindley WMC A) 88.
Owes 23 to owes 8 Adrian Chapman (Meltham Lib A) 57.
Owes 7 to rec 8 M Heap and Ryan Waterworth (Broad Oak) 50.
Rec 9 to rec 24 J Lendon (Broad Oak BC B) 47.
Rec 25 to rec 45 N Brook (Netherton Con B) 37.
VETERANS Section I
Springwood BC A 18 14 4 34
Crosland Moor Con B 18 13 5 34
St Patricks A 18 12 6 30
Paddock Con A 18 9 9 28
Meltham Lib 18 9 9 27
Marsh U BC A 18 8 10 26
New Mill Club C 18 7 11 24
Canalside B 17 6 11 24
Borough Club 17 7 10 23
Marsh Lib A 18 4 14 17
Crosland Moor Con A 0 0 0 0
Section
Marsh Lib C 20 17 3 42
Hillhouse-Birkby 20 12 8 34
Golcar RBL B 20 11 9 32
Canalside A 20 11 9 32
Bradley-Colne WMC A 20 11 9 32
Crosland Moor WMC A 20 11 9 30
Turnbridge WMC 20 8 12 30
Lepton Lib 20 8 12 29
Meltham Con A 20 9 11 25
Moldgreen Con 20 6 14 23
Marsh U BC B 20 6 14 21
Section III
Lindley Lib A 18 13 5 36
New Mill B 18 13 5 33
Paddock Con B 18 12 6 32
New Mill D 18 9 9 31
Crosland Moor WMC B 18 11 7 27
Primrose Hill Lib 18 7 11 25
Springwood BC B 18 8 10 23
Crosland Moor Con C 18 7 11 23
Marsh Lib B 18 3 15 21
Golcar RBL C 18 7 11 19
Lindley Lib B 0 0 0 0
Highest Break: Denis Rourke (Springwood BC A) 45.
BILLIARDS
Springwood BC A 18 15 3 39
Brockholes BC 'B' 18 12 6 30
New Mill Club B 18 9 9 30
Lindley Lib 'A' ** 18 12 6 29
New Mill Club A 18 12 6 29
Upper Hopton WMC 18 9 9 26
Springwood BC B 18 5 13 22
Moldgreen Liberal 18 5 13 21
Lindley Lib 'B' ** 18 8 10 19
Milnsbridge Liberal 18 3 15 19
** Points deducted under Attendance Rule
Highest Breaks in Handicap Groups:
Owes 100 to Owes 35 Brian Cousen (Lindley Lib A) 126.
Owes 30 to Rec 30 John Ingleby (Moldgreen Lib) 65.
Rec 35 to Rec 75 P Stanyer (New Mill A) *51.
Rec 80 to rec 130 D Ainscough (Lindley Lib A) 49.
