Clock Tower duo triumphant in the Romley

Sponsor James Arthur with Romley Classic winner, Shaun Wilkes, Clock Tower ‘A’

Plate winner, Daniel Tramontano, Clock Tower ‘A’

As the dust settles on another highly successful Romley Caravan Storage Classic, it’s time to look back on what was once again a superb event. As always, the tournament attracted a fantastic mix of players from all five league divisions, with many enjoying the outstanding playing facilities at the Ding Junhui Academy in Sheffield for the very first time. It’s always great to see players of all abilities competing side by side, including a handful of our talented juniors.

For many, this competition remains the highlight of the Chesterfield & District Snooker League calendar—not just for the snooker itself, but also for the chance to socialise with fellow league members. As ever, the local Spoons certainly benefited from our arrival in town!

The competition began back in September with the preliminary round, which also produced the tournament’s highest break. James Harrison conjured up a moment of magic against Rob Morley, compiling a superb 108 break to become the second player of the season to join the Haney’s Driveways & Patios Century Club. Brilliant stuff, Jim.

The highest break on finals day at Ding’s was an impressive 97 clearance from David Birley—just a shame he ran out of balls.

Players were treated to exceptional playing conditions throughout the day, including the rare privilege of using Ding Junhui’s own practice table. Several competitors commented that it was the best table they had ever played on. This was exactly the vision James Arthur and I had when we first approached the Academy five years ago—to give our players a genuine taste of professional-level conditions—and it certainly delivered.

The day was split into two competitions: the main draw and the plate, determined by the preliminary round results. Both trophies were equally coveted. Play in the main draw got underway promptly at 9:30am, with scorecards soon piling up and the quality on show immediately evident through big breaks and closely fought matches.

Once the first round concluded, attention turned to the plate competition, which saw its biggest turnout since the format was introduced—great to see. The highest break came in the opening round, with Daniel Tramontano compiling a very respectable 59 against Steven Moss. Dan continued that fine form throughout the event, reaching the final where he faced Rob Morley, who was also cueing extremely well.

As expected, the final was a tense affair, with both players having chances. It could have gone either way, but in the deciding frame it was Tramontano who edged over the line, securing his second piece of silverware in as many seasons, along with the high break prize. Well done, Dan.

The main draw also produced several standout performances. David Birley’s 97 in the opening round set the tone, before James Harrison knocked him out in straight frames in the last 16 with a string of strong breaks. Young Rocco pushed Shaun Wilkes all the way to a decider, while Jonathan Hall entertained the crowd with a cheeky maximum attempt against Matt Edwards in the quarter-finals.

Jack Morton once again showed how much he thrives in this competition, making another deep run to the semi-finals. There he faced Jonathan Hall, who had already battled hard all day while giving away some tricky starts. Morton pushed Hall all the way, but Jonathan just edged through to book his place in the final, hoping to add the main Romley trophy to his 2023 Plate success.

The other semi-final featured the two standout performers of the day, James Harrison and Shaun Wilkes. Despite expectations of a tight, break-heavy contest, it turned into a rapid 3–0 victory for Wilkes, who was competing in the event for the first time. The match was over before the other semi-final had even completed its opening frame. Another strong run from Harrison, and congratulations again on securing the tournament’s highest break.

It was great to see a strong crowd stay on for the final between two players who fully deserved their places. Hall made the better start, taking the opening frame, before Wilkes claimed the second on the black. Hall edged a tight third frame and looked on course to seal the match in the fourth, building a break of 48 before breaking down. Despite a couple more half-chances, he couldn’t finish the job, and Wilkes responded with a classy 48 clearance to force a decider. Buoyed by that momentum, Shaun closed out the match to lift the title on his first attempt. Congratulations to Shaun Wilkes, and well done to Jonathan Hall for his part in a terrific final.

Both respective winners will now go on to play a bonus money match sponsored by Stephen Feeney of SightRight Uk.

Finally, sincere thanks go to everyone who helped make the event such a success:

James Arthur of Romley Caravan Storage for his continued sponsorship and support of both the event and the league
Alfreton SC, sponsors of the Plate competition
Stephen Feeney for sponsoring the money match
The Ding Junhui Academy for hosting the event
Adam Moss, with Donna, for running the Plate competition
Donna Hopkins for keeping players refreshed throughout the day
Ben Monk and Donna Hopkins for fundraising for the league
Jamie Rowland for the emergency production of napping blocks
Bulldog Billiards for supplying the Academy with a new light and ball cleaner
Adam Cupit and Adam Moss for refereeing
And to all the table brushers and helpers who ensured the day ran smoothly—this event wouldn’t be possible without you.

Route to the Final — Weekly Update

Route to the Final

Romley Classic

Player	Round	Result
Shaun Wilkes	Semi Final	bt Jim Harrison 3-0
	Quarter Final	bt Adam White 3-0
	Last 16	bt Rocco Amalou 3-2
	Last 32	bt Robert Cook 3-1
	Last 64	bt Lee Hage 3-1
Joanthan Hall	Semi Final	bt Jack Morton 3-2
	Quarter Final	bt Matt Edwards 3-2
	Last 16	bt Dean Bullock 3-1
	Last 32	bt Mark Bower 3-1
	Last 64	bt Adam Moss 3-0

Route to the Final

Plate Competition

Player	Round	Result
Dan Tramontano	Semi Final	bt Matt Scraton 2-1
	Quarter Final	bt Lee Hage 2-0
	Last 16	bt Riley Neale 2-1
	Last 32	bt Steven Moss 2-0
	Last 64	—
Rob Morley	Semi Final	bt Dunc Waring 2-0
	Quarter Final	bt Nathan Brown 2-1
	Last 16	bt Adam Cupit 2-0
	Last 32	bt Gary Scott 2-0

Tournament Breaks — Weekly Update

Tournament Breaks

Romley Classic

Player	Breaks
James Harrison	108	78	52	44	43	42	35
David Birley	97	67	54	43	33
Dave Pagett	80	47	37
Shaun Wilkes	79	78	57	53	48	40	34
Jonathan Hall	64	48	44	37	30
Guy Dennis	63	58	40
Rich England	58	46	44	42	35
Matt Edwards	58	35	31
Chris Winter	49
Jordi Stevenson	48
Kieron Stevenson	44
Jack Morton	39	39	39	38
Ben Monk	34	32
Adam White	33
Lee Hage	32
Gary England	32
Mark Hodgekinson	31