HOME TO WWSC (or THE LURE OF THE LUCRE!!)
Having endured a 10 hour drive back from Scotland Neil was missing was this fixture, and thus we broke new ground for Rackspack by actually fielding the same 6 two weeks in a row. We have been running a Rafa Benitez-style rotation system for 3 years and this was the first time I could remember us putting out the same side for two straight matches. Of course this meant good news for us as ‘Tiz’ was turning out for another bash, but it also meant two guaranteed frames for Hokey Cokey who was coming off the back off last weeks double bagel. Brad (the MHMIP) had shown up with a lovely tan probably courtesy of last weeks Showboat money, although he reckoned it was from sitting in the car parked up outside some shopping centre. Frankly neither reason was too appealing.
With Coach Southam running late it was survival of the fittest as to who would grab the team sheet and give themselves first crack at the showboat. Wonder Walls was quickest, and just managed to scrabble his name down in number one spot before Coach turned up and took over team selection
So first up aiming to take down the Showboat Jackpot of a mere £5 (thanks to the MHMIP), was the Wonder. Massive in the Maidenhead league with 8 from 8 wins and devastating in the Slough league with 10 out of 10 and 3 clearances to boot, it was surely a matter of time before he notched another to his tally. Michael Rapley broke and left nothing on - to ironic cheers from the Rackspack and a few “go on the Wonder” sniggers thrown in for good measure. Undaunted by the heckling, he picked off two reds, then three, split another, then a fourth and suddenly once the three ball plant was executed to perfection the ‘impossible dream’ was on!
Left with a long red to the top corner, and the white only 2 inches away, he cued it beautifully to pot the red and screw back into his last remaining colour. It left a razor thin snick to the bottom right but the angle meant he could free the black as well. The pot was sublime, the black was knocked free and the white had come to a halt in the middle of the table - it was all about where the black landed. While he was standing back admiring his work (and no doubt practicing his Showboat “HONK”) the black had careered across the table and was rolling towards the middle pocket. All it had to do was slow down a bit and stop and it was a tap in for the money…but it kept rolling…and rolling…and rolling. Like a Tiger Woods putt it just went on and on before plopping deadweight into the pocket losing him the frame. Robbed of the clearance of the season, The Wonder saw the last remaining unbeaten record of the summer gone as well. 1-0 to WWSC.
The lure of the prize had proved too much for The Wonder and he paid the ultimate price.
Up next was Bradley Bear against Wayne Parr. The Wonder was still in shock and if Brad had dished up it might have pushed him over the edge. St John’s ambulance were on standby but a scrappy frame ensued and they weren’t needed. Wayne missed 3 shots at the black to win it before the Bear levelled it up at 1-1. A huge chance for WWSC had gone begging.
Hokey Cokey was out to redeem his reputation after last weeks Double Bagel. Graham Henwood however was not a man to worry about reputations and was soon in command. When HC missed a straight yellow it was a tap in for Graham to win the frame. But somehow he fluffed it from an inch away from the middle pocket - Hokey Cokey was back in! But he then blundered his last yellow again and he was out of it. Graham, who obviously was enjoying watching HCs antics, inexplicably missed another go at the black and Hokey Cokey was back in to shake it all about once more. However he rattled the yellow for a third time and put it on the cushion. The groans from both sides got louder as Graham had another effort that ended up on the side rail. We were starting to get dizzy from trying to figure out whether HC was in, out, shaking it about or just plain taking the piss. He had only drank 2 bottles of Bulmers but had somehow converted it into a performance of a man who’d had 12.
All that was left was for someone to finish it off in a way that was totally in keeping with how bad the frame had been – and John was the man for the occasion. Doubling the last yellow off the top cushion it travelled 3/4 quarters of the way down the table, hitting Grahams black and potting it down the rail to put us 2-1 down. The worst frame in the history of pool bar none.
Coach Southam came in, and could relax into his game knowing that there was no way he could play a worse frame than what we had just witnessed. He had the nights first good chance of the show boat, but had to carefully navigate around a congested bottom end of the table. When, after a difficult cut, the white sat against his opponents red it left him partially snookered. The showboat jackpot was safe, and for the fourth time this season Kevin had put in the steady shift that we needed to get us back into the match and it was 2-2.
Having got within a coat of paint of taking last weeks Showboat JY had another chance. Geoff Heath had broke, potted a couple, but left a pretty clear table if only John could find a starter. Ordinarily JY never has trouble getting a starter, it’s more the free salad cart that poses a problem, but he couldn’t get one here. The yellow rattled when the rest were all on and Geoff quickly made it 3-2 to WWSC.
Tiz is quickly gaining the moniker of Captain Drybreak. Three frames for Rackspack and for the third time he had the break but failed to pot anything. More annoying was that Andrew Gilmore missed on his first shot and Tiz took out the seven reds and the black. An 8 ball dish but luckily for the Wizard it was on his second visit and didn’t count. Brad looked happier than a dog with its head out of a car window.
3-3 and up stepped Brad against Michael Rapley. Rapley broke and we held our breath as the balls settled and the chance of the clearance was on, but it didn’t happen and Brad had to settle for the win and a 4-3 lead.
JY took the next for 5-3, saving himself from the dreaded double doughnut and the Wonder saved himself with a scrappy victory over Wayne. 6-3 up and having pulled clear it was time to relax.
Tiz took ‘Pointless Flair Shot of the Week’ in some style. One red left, a yellow only an inch behind it, the normal thing to do would have been to clip the red and put the white on the cushion. Instead he fired the red off the edge of the yellow and it shot into the bottom right pocket while at the same time bringing the white round perfectly to land behind a straight black. A round of applause for the shot of the night.
Coach Southam went in and got yet another two wins and all eyes were now on the Hokey. After last weeks double loss and, after losing in the first half, the potential for another double doughnut this week it was clear to all that John had spent the week in negotiations with Krispy Kreme. To clinch the deal he needed to go 0 for 4 in two weeks. Never in the history Rackspack has anyone dialled up for the double bagel/double doughnut two week combo platter. There was also the small matter of £14 now in the Showboat as well so it was all to play for and let the barracking begin. Despite having taken more stick this summer season than a Blackpool donkey, John was never really in danger and rounded off a 9-3 win. The sponsorship deal will have to wait.
Next week we’re playing away to NMCC and the best table in the area. There’s no way - no way - that the Showboat is going to last next weeks onslaught. With Neil back and possibly 7 players available we are forced to draw lots at the match to see what the running order will be as the money isn’t going to last the night!
Find out who clinches the money next week!
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