THERE will be no 12th Union Matchplay title for Andy Whitworth this year, after the Bradley Hall legend was bundled out at the first round stage by Chris Lander, when the opening two rounds were staged at Woodsome Hall.
The Halifax man beat the record-holding Whitworth 4 & 3, but was then knocked out himself by Huddersfield’s Union team member Andy Wilford 5 & 3.
Wilford became one of three Huddersfield players to reach the quarter-finals, where he will be joined by last year’s runner-up Brad Tupman and Aaron Schnacke, who won the trophy in 2009.
Tupman, beaten 12 months ago by Whitworth, came through against Ben Kaye and then knocked out Andy Shaw 4 & 3, while Schnacke was gifted a first-round walkover when Steve Beeby from Outlane pulled out, before he defeated felllow Fixby member Tom Williams 6 & 5.
Another former winner of the Matchplay tournament (played in memory of John Crawshaw) is Matthew Colcombe from Longley Park, winner in 2010, who came through against Jonny Heyes, and then defeated Woodsome’s Matthew Broadbent in round II 2 & 1.
West End’s Steve Martin, the third player still involved and got his name of the trophy in 2001, defeated two Halifax players on his way to the last eight, Liam Dean and Mark Birkett.
9.40am: Aaron Shnacke (Huddersfield) v Brad Tupman (Huddersfield); 9.50am: Matthew Colcombe (Longley Park) v Martin Cockroft (Bradley Hall); 10.00am: Steve Martin (West End) v Dan Hartley (Dewsbury); 10.10am: Ed Battye (Bradley Park) v Andy Wilford (Huddersfield).
The semi-finals will continue at 2.15pm.
First round: Schnacke bt Beeby walkover; Williams bt Michael Major 6 & 5; Tupman bt Kaye 3 & 2; Shaw bt Gary Moolman 2 & 1; Colcombe bt Heyes 5 & 3; Broadbent bt John Doherty 5 & 4; Jarrad Hazelden bt Michael Murray 1 hole; Cockroft bt Danny Lyness 4 & 3; Birkett bt Reece Wilby 3 & 2; Martin bt Dean 6 & 4; Dave Stafford bt Paul Walker 3 & 2; Hartley bt Ben Crowther at 19th; Jamie Smith bt Adam Cryer 5 & 4; Battye bt Adam Walker 3 & 2; Wilford bt Connah Judson 4 & 2; Lander bt Whitworth 4 & 3.
Second round: Schnacke bt Williams at 26th; Tupman bt Shaw 4 & 3; Colcombe bt Broadbent 2 & 1; Cockroft bt Hazelden 3 & 2; Martin bt Birkett 2 & 1; Hartley bt Stafford 2 & 1; Battye bt Smith 1 hole; Wilford bt Lander 5 & 3.