Buckley keeps dream alive

CHADDERTON’S Andrew Buckley kept alive his dream of winning the Waterloo Handicap crown in Blackpool when he overcame highly-rated St Helens player Anthony Gartside 21-15 in the last 32 yesterday.

Victory for the Nimble Nook ace earned him a last-16 showdown with Lancaster’s Dave Clarkson, the winner of today’s match qualifying for tomorrow’s finals day.

Also hoping for a place in the last eight is Buckley’s Nimble Nook team-mate Gary Ellis, the 5-2 favourite for the title, who produced a sensational display to demolish Rotherham’s luckless Rob Swift 21-8. 

CHAMPION

Ellis was today taking on Congleton’s Geoff Boulton, who saw off defending champion Chris Mordue (Bradford) 21-16.

Other last-32 results: John Wilson (Billinge) 13, Mel Evans (Chadsmoor) 21; Mike Geraghty (Stretford) 16, Steve Pratt (Coventry) 21; Callum Wraight (Shrewsbury) 21, Andrew Lowe (Rochdale) 18; Simon Coupe (Preston) 21, Mark Thomas (Meole Brace) 7; Glynn Cookson (Winsford) 19, Eric Ralphson (Heywood) 21; Chris Kelly (Sheffield) 20, Tommy Johnstone (Warrington) 21; Ant Aldridge (Wolverhampton) 18, John Bailey (Deganwy) 21; Wayne Ditchfield (Eccleston) 19, Grant Soller (Macclesfield) 21; Mark Britton (Scholes) 21, Andrew Sykes (Mirfield) 12; Carl Fielding (Birmingham) 21, Matty Gilmore (Wallasey) 15; Martin Bacon (Bolton) 14, Clarkson 21; Kerry Morris (Stoke) 21, Martin Gilpin (Kendal) 20, Peter Consterdine (Bolton) 16, Darren Plenderleith (Haunchwood) 21.

SPRINGHEAD Libs ‘A’ won the Oldham Veterans’ League’s Clayton Cup at Springbank, beating Hollinwood Cricket ‘A’ in the final.

Details:

Springhead 189, Hollinwood Cricket 166: J Ashton 21, E Cottam 16; T Rogers 21, D Dawson 17; J O’Neill 15, J Ware 21; R Nealis 21, R Kelly 15; C Bradbury 21, P Heighway 12; D Morris 21, S Walton 15; J Thornley 10, M Van Volsen 21; R Carr 21, G Whittle 10; D Clayton 16, P Norris 21; B O’Neill 21, N Pickering 13.

STEVE Copeland and Ged Smedley beat Andrew and David Buckley 15-5 in the final of the Chadderton League pairs competition.

Losing semi-finalists were Barry Seville and Steve Mellor and Tony King and John Lord.

Alan Hodson won the league’s merit competition, beating M Doherty 21-10 in the final.

Quarter-finals: B Rayner 21, W McDermott 12; Doherty 21, P Guilfoyle 13; Hodson 21, T Johnson 14; G Shaw 21, D O’Brien 15.

Semi-finals: Doherty 21, Rayner 15; Hodson 21, Shaw 6.

FORMER Royton player Mike Holden won the Your Choice men’s singles competition at Norden BC when he beat Bury’s Kevin Newbury 21-18 in the final.

Tonge’s Colin Lane was beaten 21-20 by Newbury in the semi-finals.