By Roger Stephens

THE 2024/25 Looe and District Pool League Winter League, sponsored by the Coddy Shack and Key Solar, kicked off on Sunday, September 15.

In Division One, reigning champions Sports Club A from Liskeard head down to Looe Social B.

First off for the home side was Tristan Cooper who beat Luke Penhaligon 2-1 despite Luke making an 8 baller. 

Social captain Ian Basset went down to last season’s Open Singles finalist Brian Phillips 2-0, before Mark ‘Scooby’ Scoble put up a fight before succumbing 2-1 to Will Doidge.

Sean Score also lost to Trevor Budge 2-0 to wrap up the win for the Liskeard team, although Lewis Penhaligon managed to retrieve some pride with a win over Sports captain Rob Ivey 2-1.

Although a 3-2 victory for the champions, a frames score of 8-5 showed how well theunderdogs did.

Down the quayside, the Harbour Sharks played host to last year’s runners-up Social A who had moved to the Harbour Moon and now called themselves the Moonshiners.

Chris ‘Woodsy’ Woods went off first for the Sharks and after a hard-fought game, beat Roger Hawken 2-1.

Sharks captain Matt Gouriet took out newcomer Jon Godfrey 2-0 and the hosts were flying. 

However, the Moonshiners showed their class when taking the next two games with East Cornwall inter-leaguers Olly Rounsevell and

Captain Mark Stephens taking out Phil Dingle 2-0 and Roger Stephens 2-1 in that order.

It meant a decider as Pete Burke took on inter-league player Steve Eastley, but Eastley’s superior class prevailed with a 2-0 win for the match which overall was 3-2 and 7-5 in frames.

In Duloe, the Marquee entertained Sports Club B.

In another close match, Marquee’s Rob Bilsborough got the hosts away to a good start beating Jeremy Rendle 2-1.

Jason Spring then went down 2-0 to B’s captain Ian Penhaligon.

Jimmy Miles hit back for the marquee by taking out interleagues Darren ‘Donkey’ Hooper,that despite Darren knocking in an eight baller.

Marquee looking like causing an upset at this point, but the tail wagged for the visitors when Rob Cowling beat Paddy Mutton 2-0.

With Marquee captain Neil Hilton going down to Martin Gilbert 2-0 in the last and deciding game, it meant another 3-2 game, this one going the way of Sports Club B, and overall 8-4 in frames.

At Pelynt Social Club, the Cutouts entertained JJ’S A from Looe.

Keith Armitage took on Dan Clapson and won 2-0 before Darrell Hidson of the East Cornwall Interleague team beat Stuart Appleby 2-1.

Jimmy Stephens carried on the good work for the cutouts by beating Denham Guild 2-1.

Although the match was won, the Cutouts pressed home their advantage when Gerry Markwell – another East Cornwall Interleague player – took out Rhys Toms 2-0.

It was left to JJ Webber to give the division’s new boys some consolation when he beat Aaron Simmons 2-1.

A comprehensive 4-1 victory for the home team and a lesson in how tough the first divisionis going to be for the Division Two runners-up.

A frame score of 9-4 told the story, but hopefully better times ahead for the division new boys.

In Division Two, new side JJ’S C-Men visited the Barbican.

The home side got off to a flying start taking the first three games, when Si Hunt, Justin Woods and Mark Porter beat Toby Spring, Lennox Leary and Mike Busby 2-0, 2-0 and 2-1 in that order. 

Although the match was won, the Barbican weren’t finished and even though JJ’s Brandon Kebell took out Steve Graham 2-1, Scott Wright beat Jamie Wright 2-0 in last game for a 4-1 victory which was 9-3 in frames.