I knew your brother…Dick Barton

Among the distinguished guests of honour at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club was Peter Marchi.

Although unsteady on his feet, the 83-year-old’s brain was as sharp as something really sharp.

“Hello,” he said to John Barton. “I knew your brother, Dick.”

Peter was driven to the club by Sarisbury Social billiards veteran John Oldfield. Also watching Cue T’s Terrors beat Bitterne RBL 3-1 were former Saints star and four-time Town Champion Ken Jones, 13-time Town Champion Chris Holland and billiards aficionado Peter Green… dear boy.

Tony Aldridge popped in, proud as punch that the competition he founded after watching the 1978 World Cup on TV was still going strong. 

Also in the audience was a young man who had won his first tournament the previous day. Luke Beebe, 11, the 2012 Cavagnetto Cup champion, met his idol Shane Castle, 14, and had his picture taken.

It appears that “little lad” Shane has grown a tad.

Meanwhile, Neil ‘Dutch’ Holland was the star of the night, beating Drew Farminer in the final frame to clinch the trophy.

Neil smashed the pack off a black and helped himself to a useful 40 break. Game over.

“I’ve got fairly strong matchplay underneath me when I need it,” he said. “So, with a healthy lead like that, it was going to be extremely difficult for him to come back at me.

“I was so focused I didn’t see anybody. You know you’re playing well when you can’t see the (30-strong) crowd and nothing is bothering you.”

“I really, really wanted to win the frame. I saw it as an opportunity to take out their best player and make a really decent contribution for the team.”
 

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