Steam Packet send out warning in defence of their title

STEAM Packet sent a warning to their Monday Premier League rivals that the title is not going to be given up easily after they defeated current leaders Octagon A 7-4.

This was only Octagon’s second reverse in 16 matches but their advantage over Packet has now been cut to just nine points with the Devonport side having two matches in hand.

Nobody would deny Packet their victory who were superb in the individual phases inspired by Quinton Taylor (26.84) (pictured) who in winning 3-0 in 15, 18 and 23, recorded the week’s highest checkout of 160.

He was well supported by Neil White who won 3-1 in 20, 17 and 19, Dave Matthews (26.37) a 3-0 winner in 16, 20 and 21 and Luke Johnson (27.83) who also won without dropping a leg in 15, 18 and 21.

The match produced 104 ton plus scores of which Octagon’s Jordan Grimshaw and Lee Hellings were both on target with two maximums. Grimshaw also partnered Paul Palmer (100x12) to a 2-0 doubles victory with their best leg coming in 18.

Porters A edged out Indian Inn A 6-5 when Scott Wapshott (29.47) clinched the sixth and decisive point winning 3-0 in 16, 18 and 17 while Alan Masters (29.47) was prominent for Bluebird B against Bluebird D and in helping his side to a 7-4 victory, also claimed his singles in 17, 16 and 18.

Bluebird C claimed the bragging rights against stablemates Bluebird A with an 11-0 whitewash and had Glenn Halford emerging a 3-0 winner with his best legs being won in 15 and 16 while Micky Organ (100x13) top-scored.

Porters B defeated Indian Inn B 7-4, the same winning scoreline that was also achieved by The Tradesman when hosting Maritime Social Club.

The winners put 51 throws of a ton or more on the scoreboard with John Mann (100x14) as their leading exponent while Kieran Burns was on target with a brace of 180s and one of only two individual winners for Maritime.

Octagon B won 9-2 against Ford Hotel as did Brewery Tap on their visit to Plympton Cons. Tap’s Scott Cook hit a 14-darter in a 3-0 win but in the best singles encounter of the match Nathan Langdon (100x11) took Paul Gavican (100x12) to 2-2, aided by a 15-darter, before Gavican clinched the deciding fifth leg.

Victory B hosted a well contested encounter and had Phil Hoskin and Ryan Harris winning their doubles 2-0 aided by a leg in 18. Victory then went on to take the first four singles to lead 5-4, only to be denied when Frankie Stout and Mark Hopkins both won 3-0 for Firkin Scholar to win 6-5.

Notable outshots were achieved by: Scott Wapshott (130), Paul Freeman (127), Dan Hurley (127), Eddy Bull (124), Alec Turner (119), John Mann (116), Lewis Dare (116), John Carr (115), Billy Rennie (113), Steve Crane (106).