Since installing four Supreme Winner tables in the Stateside bar, Northern Snooker Centre has become a real hot bed of 8 ball pool in the Leeds area.

We host three teams, all members of the Premier division of the Leeds Pool League
www.leedspool.com

As well as this, we are also the proud home of three representative teams playing in the West Yorkshire County Interleague www.wycpa.org, two in the top division. They are Leeds www.leedsinterleague.webs.com, East Leeds and the recently formed Leeds Legends who won their division at the first time of asking last year and start 2010 as a promoted team.

Interleague games are played on the last Sunday of each month, commencing 28th February, whilst the local Leeds Pool League games are played on Tuesday evenings.

The 2010 Leeds Pool League season started with an absolute humdinger with 2009 Cup winners Northern Phoenix playing 2009 league runners up Imports, who have moved to Northern in the pre season and are a very welcome addition to the pool family here.

Both teams had new personnel with Imports strengthening considerably. Phoenix had a very experimental team on display with only a couple of familiar faces from the season previous.

It turned in to an enthralling game which swung one way and then the other. Phoenix newcomer Simon D’Vali, a 9 ball pro, made a superb transition to the smaller table by winning both his frames against two of Leeds Pool’s finest Rob Johnson and Stu Wilson, both of who had more success in their other games against Lee Stowe and Paul Buck respectively.

An older face, Phoenix’s Eamonn Heneghan, also had a brilliant start with a 100% record, beating two brilliant players in Lee Betts and Kam Singh.

Once again, the two Imports players didn’t go home completely empty handed as Singh wrapped up an unhappy debut for Stowe whilst Betts beat Dom Leach in the ninth frame to put Imports 5-4 up.

Leach was sick of the Betts clan as he had earlier lost to Lee’s Dad John and John it was to try and get Imports their first win of the season. As it happens, he never got a chance as Paul Buck broke and cleared in the final frame to secure a draw, which was a fair result on the night.

In the meantime, Northern 69ers stormed to the top of the league with a superb 8-2 victory over newcomers East Leeds Rhinos.

The 69ers had had a disappointing season in 2009, finishing not much above the relegation zone, but had strengthened considerably in the close season and how it showed! It could have gone wrong as newcomer to the England youth side Liam Waterworth kicked off their season and suffered a shock defeat.

However, Ian Richardson, the ever dependable Chris Baker and James Wood, welcomed back to the side, all secured excellent braces. Aided by frames secured by Gav Kellet and Steve Robinson this was a victory which sent a clear message to the rest of the league – Jo Baker’s 69ers are ready to mix it with the big boys once again.

So, all in all, a great start for Northern’s teams, who secure 3 of the top 4 spots in the early Leeds Pool League (incidentally, our sister club Excelsior sit in the other spot!)

Next week sees Phoenix host The Hope, who have also strengthened considerably. The Imports and 69ers travel to East Leeds Rhinos and The Station respectively.

Good luck to all our teams!

Leeds Interleague Fixtures 2010