Mumford to return to the circuit?

Mumford battled through two marathon frames as he steered Chandler’s Ford Longshots to a second title in four years.

“This is the only competitive snooker I play,” said the exhausted skipper at gone midnight last Monday. “But, after tonight, I might just play a little bit more.” (Quickly, we hope.)

“I’m in shock because it’s so much harder when you’re not playing, when you’re not practising.”

After 70 minutes play and with his team locked at 1-1 with the battling Eastleigh Railway Institute Cuemen, Mumford stepped up face Jamie Coyle on the recently re-clothed Table 1 at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club.

In the semi-finals, he had compiled a magnificent 90 clearance. Spectators were waiting for a repeat performance – especially when Coyle added to his 38-point handicap start by slotting in two reds and blacks. And he then increased the gap to a massive 60 points.

There was to be no 90 break. But, perhaps even more valuably, Mumford bided his time (no comment) and picked off runs of 8, 9, 22 and 16 to reduce the deficit to four on the colours.

Coyle took the yellow. Mumford won a lengthy safety battle on the green and then went one point in front on the brown.

However, an uncharacteristic in-off on the blue - correctly forecasted by judge Graham Hollick - gave Coyle the lead again before Mumford ended the 52-minute frame on the black.

After Railway skipper Paul Shears had forced a decider, Mumford again tried to break the 60-minute-a-frame barrier against Justin Mines.

But he sadly fell short by 15 minutes.

Mumford said: “The technique that I’ve learnt, that I apply in my coaching, that I gave to Shane (Castle), that’s what I now rely on.

“I have a method which sometimes wins, sometimes loses. Tonight, I needed my method and it didn’t let me down.

“Maybe it was my turn today to dig us out a result.”

Hmm. This method...is there a fast-forward version?

In all, the five frames took a little under four hours.

Mumford said: “I’m absolutely delighted. Tonight’s match was a fitting end to a fantastic season.

“We love playing in it and we can’t wait to come back next year and defend it.”

Bonanza organisers denied they are planning a six-reds format for the 2012 final.

Referee and competition sponsor Jim Everett was unavailable for comment as he was soaking his feet.

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