TILBURG - The Brabant derby between Cues&Darts and Stichting Topbiljart Zundert, with six of the eight foreign players in the arena, ended in a victory for Zundert. The winner of the match, which was decided in one encounter, challenges the Dekker Keukens team to the next round of the play-offs in the Dutch premier league. Roland Forthomme handed out the knock-out for Zundert with a flashy start in his match against Ruben Legazpi: 20-0 in three innings after runs of 5, 9 and 6 from the Belgian, who was also the big standout in the last round of the competition. Forthomme was the brilliant finisher: he beat Ruben Legazpi after another run of 8 to 40-10 in 11 innings.
Cues&Darts brought its strongest line-up in the billiard arena in the home match with Ruben Legazpi, Robinson Morales, Pierre Soumagne and Huub Wilkowski. The Zundert team played with Roland Forthomme, Thorsten Frings, Francis Forton and Sam van Etten. At first, that looked to be a match that was completely balanced.
Robinson Morales, who scored 9 and 11 for a 20-8 lead in 7 innings against Thorsten Frings, eventually won the match 40-26 in 21 innings. The match was levelled not much later by Sam van Etten in the encounter between the two Dutchmen this evening. The North Holland player beat Huub Wilkowski 40-26 in 33, making the score 1-1, the caroms were also exactly equal: 66-66.
Roland Forthomme's lightning start soon brought an end to the tension. With another 8, Rolandinho ran far ahead. And with Ruben Legazpi unable to do anything in return, it eventually became 40-10 in 11 innings. Pierre Soumagne was still ahead at that moment, but because Francis Forton was on 23 caroms, the match was played.
Topbiljart Zundert will therefore play the next match in the play-offs for the Dutch championship against Dekker Keukens in Sprundel. The winner of that match, may challenge SIS Schoonmaak for the premier league championship match.
The two teams: left to right: Huub Wilkowski, Sam van Etten, Ruben Legazpi, Francis Forton, Robinson Morales, Thorsten Frings, Pierre Soumagne and Roland Forthomme (picture Monique Wilkowski).