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Posted by berty on 28-10-2009 19:11

After a week of cup exploits attention is turned again to the bread and butter of Croydon Pool, the league. The top already has a very familiar feel and if the league would end tomorrow at both top and bottom it is not beyond the realms of possibility that this would be how it would finish.

This is how I see next week unfolding as teams begin to settle in for the season ahead.

Pot Luck V Riley Unpredictables
Pot luck are out of their depth and the main concern remains them surviving the season rather than any tangible hope of beating the drop. Nothing but a 10-0 will do for an Unpredictable side that have had a bad start to the season. last weeks result against the Warbank not a terrible result but at home they need to be putting sides away that are in and around them. I predict Pot Luck to get their first frame of the season amid joyous celebrations akin to Obama being elected President!! 1-9 Unpredictables

Jolly Vs Eagles
The Jolly started with an emphatic win over the Forum but followed it up with a bit of a thumping at the hands of the Prop. They will feel if they can win or draw this one they give themselves a great chance of pushing up the league in the following 3 weeks (Unpredictables, Warbank, Pot Luck) however if they lose this one there will be more pressure on the following weeks. Jolly yet to prove pedigree against the big teams but I think this could be close with the home snooker table advantage. Eagles on a roll and have no reason to doubt themselves - 4 - 6 Eagles

Cuemasters V Propeller
The Cuemasters are on a roll at the moment and team spirit is incredibly high with an increased squad and healthy competition for places. Everyone looks capable of winning frames with no obvious weak link, We have ambition this year for sure and to match that we need to come up with the goods against the big boys. The next 2 weeks don't get any bigger and we will know more about where we are after this one and the Eagles next week. The Prop have started emphatically with a bye and a thumping of the Jolly. The Prop will be looking at weeks 8 and 9 against the Hot Shots and Eagles as pivotal to their season. Cuemasters will be looking to crash the top 4 party. 6 - 4 Cuemasters

Imperials V Forum A
Imps will have been buoyed by a battling draw against the talented young Eden side last week that would have given them spirit after a disappointing opener against the Patriots. Forum have little to cheer about after heavy defeats to the Jolly and Cuemasters. This form me could be a key fixture in the second half of the season as I fancy at least one of these sides to go down. I fancy the Forum to post their first win as they have a very competitive opening 3 players. Imperials to lose and then be looking at where their next win will come from with tough fixtures to come (Prop, Eagles, Unpredictables)4 - 6 Forum A

Patriots Vs Eden
Patriots have had a solid start to the season with wins at the Jolly and a very credible draw at Hot Shots. Patriots are widely tipped as a potential title contender this season and having the squad to push the Eagles. Eden have not yet started firing and so far have only managed to register 1 win in the league cup against a weak Pot Luck side. Some thing needs to start clicking and the Eden of years gone by would have targeted a game against a title challenger as a chance to set the tone for a season. Couple that with a need for a first win will see them over the line. If not they are faced with the Hot Shots next week and potentially a further wait to get the first win on the board. 4 - 6 Eden win with Scott winning twice.

Warbank Vs Hot Shots
A tough start to the season for the newly promoted Warbank including the Eagles and the Unpredictables. An open day thumping by the Eagles was somewhat recovered last week with an encouraging draw against the out of sorts Unpredictables. Hot Shots are playing down their title ambitions but have still managed a solid start to the season. Hot Shots to have too much for the Warbank - 3 -7 Hot Shots

---------------------------------------------------------
League Table after week 3 (prediction)

Eagles - 24
Propeller - 22
Hot Shots - 21
CueMasters -19
Patriots - 16
Farley Eden - 15
Unpredictables - 15
Jolly A - 13
Forum A - 12
Imperials - 12
Warbank - 10
Pot Luck - 1!!!!!!

and that's that.

Edited by berty on 28-10-2009 19:22

Posted by Spud on 30-10-2009 18:50

Meanwhile. . . .
My two cents worth:

Pot Luck 2 Unpredictables 8

A cruel in-off whilst dispatching the black for Graf, gives the Pot Luck thier first frame of the season. The joy is overwhelming, and they break dish the next to double that tally.

Jolly 4 Eagles 6

We'll be happy with any win on the big table. Jolly at home are a different animal, but our form is good and spirits are high. We'll be at full strength for the first time this season too.

Imps 4 Forum 6

Forum to start firing for thier first win of the season.

Cuemasters 5 Prop 5

A confident Cuemasters to remain unbeaten. A good draw for the Prop away in Lewisham.

Patriots 7 Eden 3

Only drawing at home last time out in a game they'd have hoped to have won could undermine Eden confidence. Not what you want playing away to, what I agree with Wackojacko, as a genuine title contender in the Patriots.
I'm quite excited by the Patriots powerful line up this season, they mean business and it can only be good for the division

Warbank 6 Hotshots 4

Nothing to do with the so called "depleted" team the Hotshots have. They're still strong, make no mistake.
No, my prediction is based on the Warbanks strong team spirit, and the fact they still feel hard done by after thier first home game when we nicked 8 from them. They proved that with a very credible draw away at the Unpredictables.
I think they will rally the troops and begin turning thier home venue into a fortress.

Posted by Truey on 30-10-2009 19:20

pot luck 0 unpredictables 10 -
As said after we played them in the Lge cup, teams need to help these boys with the rules etc & even then i think they will be lucky to get 5 frames by the turn of the year.....they need to take the experience of watching good players & take that into next season when it all begins for them really
Jolly 4 Ego's 6 -
A tough away trip for everyone, but the ego's will have too much for the jolly, but could be close & this is a possible bannana skin for the best side in the lge
Imperials 3 Forum 7 -
We saw 1st hand last week that the imperials have a spirited side, but in Baylis/Herbet/Clarke the forum should have more than enough
Cuemasters 6 Prop 4 -
Tough one to call, but i fancy the cuemasters to have a very good season & this is the acid test for them
Patriots 4 Eden 6
we have yet to fire in our 1st few games & need to start picking up some performances/results, we love bursting a bubble & we will fancy causing an upset against a team tipped to challenge for the title...will be a tough match but we know the players in the patriots side we need to beat & if we do that then we will win :O:
Warbank 3 Hotshots 7 - Hot shots still to have more than enough against the warbank, who will need Scott H/Rob C/Mark H firing if they are to get anything here

Posted by ThePower on 31-10-2009 05:37

#10

Pot Luck -v- Unpredictables
Heard the Unpreds could only muster 4 players last week for their league cup draw with Wizards. Not a good sign and early indications that Knocky is not part of the regular set up is concerning. Having said that, this is a game they will win. Pot Luck will do well to pinch a frame here and it has the makings of another 10 zip.

Jolly -v- Eagles
A heavy defeat against the Prop last time buggered up my prediction in favour of the Jolly. Back at home and they are back in their comfort zone as most of their points will come from home form. A loaded Ego's squad visiting South Norwood and still odds on for the title even at this early stage of the season, will mean the Jolly need a big performance to get anything out of Tuesdays match. U just can't back against the Ego's. It has to be an away win, 7-3.

Imperials -v- Forum A
Most pre-season predictions indicated the Forum would be a safe bet to survive but all ready two matches in and they have lost twice. The graveyard that is the Jolly Sailor and a resurgent Cuemasters, maybe not a disgrace in that. They just have to win this one though. The Imps on the other hand nearly beat the Eden and took a few off the Patriots. Home advantage and with the Forum not yet getting it together, I'll back the Imps to win 6-4.

Cuemasters -v- Propeller
This is the headline act of Division 1 this coming Tuesday. The Prop have bearly dropped a frame in the opening weeks of the season. One thing the Prop are excellent at, is getting everyone focused on the job and they will not be peturbed by a trip to Lewisham. Cuemasters seem very confident and a good away win in Forestdale followed by thrashing ex-Div 1 side, the Legion, in last weeks league cup takes them into this game full of confidence. But this is the Cuemasters first serious test to their own pre-season predictions of being one of the Big 4. Prop teams are based and founded on resilience. I just have a feeling they will win it but its going to be a cracker of a match. 6-4 Propeller.

Patriots -v- Eden
Berty stating the Eden have only won once is incorrect. Monday saw a tough away win against a full strength Warbank. The Eden will prefer to explain this seasons present record is only one defeat in the opening 5 weeks of the season. We have a big squad and last week we put together a very different 5 players on Monday & Tuesday and got results. Truey will no doubt be hoping this Tuesday he has a full team to pick from. Patriots are a very decent side. They have added a couple of very good signings and started well enough. Eden are keener than ever to put in a big showing in the league & this game will tell us where we are at the moment. Draw.

Warbank -v- Hot Shots
Eggs, Money, Cash, Beans. Is that all the Addington boys can produce these days?! A good draw last time out against the Unpreds or have we been fooled? Was that a match between two sides that will be knocking on the trapdoor back to Division 2? Its back to reality for the Warbank as this is the sort of week in week out tough fixture Div 1 gives you. Warbank cannot keep relying on the likes of Harrison/Collings to pinch the needed frames to get them close to the winning line and others will need to chip in. Hot Shots unbeaten this season, were taken close to defeat last Tuesday by Div 4 side View 'A' on away turf and as it was the first journey they had to make away from the comfort zone of Lewisham maybe another long trip to North West Addington will prove another problem. Hot Shots have too much depth and strength. Too much mustard for the Warbank's beans. 7-3 Hot Shots.

Edited by ThePower on 31-10-2009 06:43