Penal’s Headquarters took advantage of the forced inactivity of United Stars to go back to the top of the National Pool League table on Wednesday night.
The inclement weather forced the postponement of round 12 matches between Pit & Pub/Liquidatorz and United Stars/Reel Steel Shotters. However, the rains did not affect Headquarters, who journeyed to St James and beat the slumping Upper Deck 3-2.
The hosts, who opted to rest top players Adrian Mora and Keris “Pantz” Carew, could have had a much better result had they taken their chances but poor shot selections and ordinary execution let the visiting Headquarters off the hook.
Ravie ‘Mex’ Sookdeo was fortunate to come out a 3-2 winner over Aaron Alexis and Christopher Lee Ganese, the HQ skipper, had an easier time disposing of Ian McCall 3-1. Upper Deck finally got their first win of the night in the doubles through Nigel St Clair and Priya Gomes, who bettered Damian Solomon and Nicholas Ramlakhan 3-1.
Anslem “Villas” Villafana had a chance to keep his team in the match but let a 2-1 lead slip before gifting Amar Ramlal the game and Headquarters the match. Upper Deck’s Aaron DeCoteau then beat Radesh Seepersad 3-1 in the final game for a consolation win.
Headquarters’ record now stands at nine wins and three losses while Upper Deck are eighth with four wins from 12 matches played.
Making some significant strides too were The Specialists, who beat Fearless 4-1 at the Dekko Sports Bar in Princes Town. That win pushed the Clint Bachan-skippered Specialists up to second on the table with a record of 8-4.
Bachan (5) was the lone casualty on the night, going down to his opposite number Roopnarine “Din” Latchman (3) three frames to two. Desmond “Blade” Nicholls, Reagan Low Chew Tung and Ceon Archer won the other singles matches, while the pair of Sham Jagerssar and Vishaal Singh, teaming up for the second successive time, registered a comfortable win in the doubles.
The only other match of the night saw Spar United hand Kenny’s their second loss on the trot. Spar, hailing from Reform Village, travelled to Chaguanas where they beat the home team 4-1.
For Spar, Guniss Seecharan, Sunil “Ren” Chankersingh, Tom Ali and Ayoub Mohammed were victorious in the singles while Kenny’s pair of Nandlal “Penny” Ramlakhan and Alvin Daniel won the doubles.
The teams who played on Wednesday will have the next week off as the league seeks to complete round 12 before taking a break for the Christmas holidays.
Round 12
Wednesday (Start time at 8 pm)
Reel Steel Shotters v United Stars, Reel Steel Sports Bar, Fyzabad
Pit & Pub v Liquidatorz; Golden Arches II, Curepe