News & Events

Northern Snooker Centre will play host to the 2018 Leeds City Championship Singles Final on Friday 22nd June, 19.30 start. Which will be contested between Jonathan Bagley and Mark Ball. This will then be followed by the presentation of the trophy along with all other 2018 Leeds City Championship competitions, please come and show your support on the evening.

Steven Hirst and Scott Fell from Belle Isle WMC won the Stan Brooke Pairs title last night over coming a resilient performance from Mark Smith and Peter Brier from Upper & Lower Wortley.

The match started in good spirit with both pairings having to adjust the formidable centre table that everybody loves to play on… it was Brier/ Smith receiving a healthy 29 point start per frame, this never looked like troubling the Belle Isle pairing early on. With some shots going astray early in the frame. Hirst/Fell battled away at reducing the deficit and were leading well going onto the colours, but a decisive pot on the final black from Smith ensured a slender 8 point lead for Hirst/Fell after the frame 1

The second frame and it was Hirst that opened his potting account with some early excellent pots and then making a brilliant crafted 36 break only to break down through loss of position. The pivotal moment came on the final pink and black when Fell looked to have put the Belle Isle pairing out of touch but missed the pink allowing Smith to pot pink and black to keep in the match.

So, the final frame and with 33 point lead after 2 frames it was the Belle Isle pairing with the advantage. However, they were conceding a 29 point start so the match was still in the balance. A slow start encountered, but Hirst/Fell soon began to reduce the start and quickly led in the frame. Although Smith/Brier had chances to get back into the match the task became too much and a shake of the hands soon resulted and the deserved winners Hirst/Fell triumphed.

Well played to both parings for reaching the final. Special thanks to Mark Ball for officiating and refereeing the final.
Thanks to NSC for hosting the final with an excellent playing facility.

Tuesday night’s match at the NSC saw the two contenders; Andy Farrally and Michael Gaughan battled it out for a place in the Sykes Cup Final against Lee Hart from Crossgates Recreation.
Frame 1 - Both players struggled with both the pace of the table and the tighter pockets from what they are used to playing on week in week out. Farrally managed to stay in the lead with his 30 point handicap start right up to the colours and had his chances to take the frame. However Gaughan took the remaining last few colours following an in off from Farrally to take the first frame 69 points to 56.
Frame 2 - Once again Farrally managed to keep his handicap lead right up until the colours and in fact was 16 points in front and the favourite to take the frame with just the brown, blue, pink and black remaining. Gaughan got a chance and took these remaining colours pinching the frame 69 points to 63.
Frame 3 - Gaughan started to turn the screw and after a 42 break early in the frame he had got back the 30 points handicap start and had taken the lead. Farrally however did not lie down and the fight back was on taking the last couple of reds with colours and the colours up to the pink over 4 visits to the table without a reply from Gaughan. However with just the pink required Gaughan stepped up and potted it taking the 3rd frame and ultimately the match 74 points to 59.

Overall a closer match than the score line suggests.

Well done to both players for reaching the semi final, and good luck to Michael Gaughan in the final.

Thank you to Alex Crum for refereeing and the NSC for the use of the centre table.

Officiated and scored by Andy Taffinder - LBSO Chairman

It promised to be a mouth-watering clash between two quality players on the Leeds snooker scene: Mark Ball and Ste Broadhead, And it did not disappoint!

The first frame saw some fluent and attacking snooker from both players, Broadhead making a quick-fire 25 break then Ball responding with a 19. It was in the balance until Ball made a superb clearance on the colours to take the first frame.
1 – 0
More followed in the next frame from Ball two early 20 plus breaks quickly followed by closing out the frame on the colours to take the frame.
2 – 0
Third frame and Broadhead changing his tactics showing just how good his safety game can be, managing to overcome a further two 20+ breaks from Ball with some high class snooker and potting ability to reduce the deficit.
2 – 1
In the fourth frame, nothing really in the frame until Broadhead made an expertly crafted 28 contributing to him winning the frame 66 – 33.
2 – 2
All square at 2 – 2. Both players now feeling that they could go on to win the match and book a place in the final against Bagley on the 22nd June. After some excellent safety play in the fifth, Ball managed to force an error and capitalised making breaks of 28 and 19 to get within one frame of winning the match.
3 – 2
Broadhead then showed why he’s been a top player for many years with some excellent safety of his own plus a classy break of 29. Ball fought back on the colours but it was Broadhead that levelled the match clearing up to the pink.
3 – 3
Inevitably, the match went to a tense decider, both players showing great temperament for the occasion. Broadhead was in first making 24 before losing position. Ball then missed a simple green and the chance was there for Broadhead to extend his lead and clinch the frame. However, nerves played a part as he missed the red. Ball took advantage only to lose position on 24 when in the balls and the frame at his mercy. Series of pots gave Broadhead a 21 point advantage with 4 reds remaining. A series of excellent safety shots then followed by both players, it was always going to be decided on a flick here or a bit of run there and Ball got the decisive run of the ball – fluking the 4th to last red! However, he still had to hold his nerve and make a clearance of 51 under pressure to seal his final spot.
4 – 3
A great semi-final played on a very unforgiving table! Well played to both players.

Thanks to Michael Davenport for refereeing and to Michael Jensen for officiating and scoring.

Thanks to NSC for providing excellent playing facilities

Karl Hemsley over came young Dylan Myers of New Wortley to reach the Stan Brooke Singles final where he will meet his counterpart David Sutcliffe.

The first frame got off to a nervy start for Myers with his large following crowd, receiving 9 point start per frame began missing early pots when looking to get settled. but it was Hemsley the more experienced of the two settled and added breaks of 22, 28 and 25 to quickly to gain the advantage after frame 1
111 – 60

Second frame started very scrappy with both players not really find their feet and breaking down early when at the table. But the spirited Myers became more settled and added some mini breaks of his own with some wonderful potting to eventually reduce the deficit going into the last frame
46 – 73

So, with a healthy 34 point advantage it was Hemsley favourite to reach the final…. Myers had other ideas as he took advantage of early misses by Hemsley to open up a 32 point lead early in the frame. Another mistake allowed Myers to really extend his lead but a missed pink allowing Hemsley in and he duly took his chance, compiling a wonderful 36 break to take the steam out of young Myers and despite his spirited fight back, Hemsley clinched the match clearing the remaining colours to reach the final.

Well played to both players and to Alex Crum for refereeing.

Thanks to NSC for their excellent playing facilities

Thirty five gnarled and battle scarred "veterans" fought it out this afternoon for the Leeds "over 50,s" title.
In the "Plate" competition for first round losers, the quarter final stage went as follows-
Adel's Alan Sowden defeated Barnbow's Nigel Turner, plate "specialist" Steve Gale of New Middleton beat Harehils Labour's Steve Parlour, U&L Wortley's Graham Audus overcame Charlie McGuigan of Main Line Social, and Dave Horry from Barnbow beat the competition's "back marker" Ian O'Brien of Harehills WMC.
In the semis Steve Gale beat Alan Sowden and Graham Audus defeated Dave Horry.
In the final, Gale had to concede 30 points start and it looked to be too many as Audus still led by 30odd with only a couple of reds left. Gale battled back however and forced the frame to a black ball finish, a relieved Audus eventually potting it to take the consolation prize.

In the main competition, the quarter finals looked like this-
Leeds Deaf's Andrew Hawkridge beat Beechwood's Dave Longthorn, Dave Boyes of Gildersome defeated NSC's Howard Brazil, Harehills WMC cueist Winston David overcame Crossgates WMC player Nick DeWhytell, and Middleton Con's Richard Aspin beat Peter O'Connell of Leeds Deaf.
In the semis Dave Boyes continued his good form and defeated Andrew Hawkridge despite conceding 57 start, and Winston David overcame Richard Aspin.
So the final was the first in living memory to contain two players without a grey hair between them. 😉
David was 2 points in front on the blue, but in potting a great long blue he managed to unluckily "angle" himself on the pink. He managed to swerve and hit the pink, but a great long pot on the pink followed by an easier black gave Boyes his first "Veterans" title.

Many thanks to the NSC for excellent "refreshments" and use of the facilities.

Lee Hart defeated Mark Ball 3-0 in last nights Sykes Cup semi. Receiving a hefty 74 start per frame, Hart won the first comfortably 111-48. Ball was unlucky in the next, looking poised to clear up for a black ball win, he potted green but left himself hampered over the blue and missed the brown off its spot, and the chance was gone. Hart eventually winning the frame 84-60. The third frame was another comfortable win for Hart (94-40), and the match was all over,3-0.
Thanks to referee Bob Patterson and the NSC for the excellent facilities.

Dave Sutcliffe of Harehills WMC eased past Steve Gale from New Middleton to seal his Stan Brooke Singles final spot.

The first frame wasn’t anything to write home about in a scrappy, slow and low scoring frame. Sutcliffe receiving 17pts start per frame never really came to terms with the table speed and challenging pockets. Gale too found the table difficult and lost position on many occasions. It was Sutcliffe that finished the lengthy frame the brightest and took it 69 – 48

Second frame started and it was like watching two different players to the previous frame. Sutcliffe started well with some early pots, then compiling a good 20 break to open up a good lead. Now it was Gale to show what he can do and he stepped up to the task contributing a fantastic 30 break of his own to narrow the deficit. Sutcliffe then potted some great colours to edge further ahead, but Gale potted the remaining Pink and Black to reduce the score-line. 83 – 64

With a 40 point advantage plus his 17pt start it was Sutcliffe with the big advantage going into the last decisive frame. Gale started the strongest add a 15 break to his scoreboard, but Sutcliffe came back with a quick flurry of pots to maintain his advantage. Gale had several chances that he could take and it was Sutcliffe then to put a 14 break together to put the match beyond the reach of Gale and seal his final spot.

Well played to both players, thanks to Ken Symons for refereeing the match and to NSC for their excellent playing facilities.

The draw for the Semi-Final of the Lee Lee Pairs is now live, please see competition tab for me details.

Closing Date: Sunday 24th June

Next week sees the following matches taking place at the NSC.

Mon 4th - Sykes Cup semi, Mark Ball(-42) v Lee Hart (+32).

Tue 5th -Veterans (over 50) competition-11am.

Thur 7th- Stan Brooke Individual semi, Dylan Myers (+22) v Karl Helmsley (+13).