The South London & Kent Pool Alliance are at the business end of the season and this week we had The Founder’s Cup semi-finals and the divisional play-offs. 

Fighting it out for a place in the Premier Division were Rugrats, who finished third from bottom in the top division and third in Division One, Crayford Arms. 

It was not a good night at the office for Crayford, after being whitewashed, 8-0 as Rugrats Premier experience shone through. 

Crayford were without, arguably their best player, Ian Stringer but they still had stalwarts like, Dave Selby, Akar Necati, Brett Crawley and Captain Paul Baker, so the match should have been a lot closer. 

Rugrats were ruthless on the night, punishing all of Crayford’s mistakes, led by their Captain, Scott Shephard, who capped off a fabulous season with an unbeaten brace and he was joined by Dafydd Ruffell and Steve Gibson, with Pat Firth and Josh Page winning their only frames. 

Crayford will have to battle it out for another year in Division One, while Rugrats live to fight another day in the Premier Division. 

Fox & Hounds finished second bottom in Division One and they played New Eltham New Boys, who were third in Division Two, to see who would be playing Crayford, among others next winter season. 

This match was much closer than the other play-off and it became a tactical battle at times, making it difficult to see who would emerge as victors. 

Neil Shelton and Alan Dolan gave Fox a, 2-0 lead before Michael Barnes pulled one back for New Boys but Fox’s Captain, Kerry Wyatt won the fourth frame to give her side the set. 

New Boys then won four frames in a row to go 5-3 up, which included Michael Barnes’ second frame win, but Glen Ward and Shelton won frames nine and ten to tie the match at five all. 

It was all square going into the final set, but Greg Fothergill put the New Boys one in front however, Clive Forrest equalised, and daughter/father partnership, Kerry and Tom Wyatt finished it off to give Fox & Hounds the, 8-6 victory.

The only unbeaten player on the night was Fox’s Neil Shelton, winning both his frames.

New boys had a good first winter season to finish third, but they will have to wait until next year to see if they can progress to Division One, whereas Fox & Hounds will need to improve on this season’s performance if they are to avoid the drop next season. 

The Founder’s Cup semi-finals were all Premier Division affairs, with third place Eltham Terrace Club A taking on Sharks, who finished in seventh and champions, Allstars playing bottom team, Pickwick. 

Eltham Terrace got off to the perfect start, whitewashing the first set, 5-0 and Ben McIntosh won his second frame of the night to make it six without reply. 

Eno Idiong prevented the total whitewash with his first and only frame of the night and Sharks’ Captain, Rahat Munim made it, 6-2 but that would be it for them, as Dans Heinink and Foley won the last two frames of the set, to have the match won, 8-2 without the need for the final set. 

Foley, Heinink and McIntosh all finished on unbeaten braces, with Paul Shrimpton winning his only frame for Terrace. 

There was 59 points and nine places between Allstars and Pickwick in the league, but you would never had known it, as Pickwick won the first three frames, with the three Pauls, Slater, Gafa and Dawson all winning a frame.

Allstars brought it back to three all, with frames from Stacy Redman, Jamie Simmons and Tony Halpin, but this match see-sawed and Gafa and Slater gave Pickwick a two-frame lead, before Simmons and Paul Cook made it level again. 

All square going into the final set but Halpin put Allstars’ noses in front for the first time in the match however, Dawson produced a break and dish to tie the match once again. 

Cook potted a wonderful long black to put Allstars, 7-6 ahead and Redman wrapped it up with a hard fought fourteenth frame against Dave Pile for the, 8-6 triumph. 

The two matches between these teams in the season were hard fought affairs, so it was no surprise that this match followed suit, but it did surprise Allstars that Pickwick finished bottom of the division. 

The final of The Founder’s Cup will be on Thursday 21 March, with Allstars chasing the league and cup double and Eltham Terrace Club A standing in their way. 

Also, to be played that night at Eltham Terrace is the final of The League Cup, where Happy Hustlers will be facing New Eltham Social Club. 

For more information on the SLKPA including league tables visit our website at www.slkpa.com or contact our Secretary, Paul Gafa on 07443 456662 or secretary@slkpa.com with any queries.

The league is looking at potential sponsors; any interested parties can also contact Paul Gafa.