Mafia clinch league with one frame advantage

THE Mafia took the Captain's Challenge Premier Division by just one frame. Ady Holley's side won 16 and lost two of their 18 matches, as did last year's champions Gremlins and Happy Landings.

The difference was that the Mafia won a total of 188 frames, whereas Gremlins finished with one less on 187 to end up second while Landings won 177 to come third.

With 1,150 registered players, 74 teams and six divisions, the Guernsey league is said to be one of the largest in the world.

The Mafia picked up a cool £2,500 for their achievement.

'It was a hard-fought run-in,' said Holley.

'It was close. It was a three-horse race until the last game of the season and we luckily stumbled over the line.

'It was that close.'

Along with Holley, the Mafia comprises Jon Skillett, Martyn Desperques, Rick de Garis, Shaun Mahy, Paul Duncombe and Jim Wilson.

Their two slip-ups were both at the hands of Happy Landings.

'We did the double over Gremlins but we lost our two games to the Landings,' said Holley.

'They played well against us on the night. Basically that's what the league boiled down to.

'It's not that you beat the weaker teams but what you do against each other.'

The captain was beside himself with joy with his team's accomplishment.

They last won the league in 2002.

'It's always very pleasing to win over teams of the standard of Gremlins,' he said.

'To finish second would have been a disappointment. Coming first is everywhere, coming second is nowhere.'

Skillett echoed his captain's sentiments.

'We are very pleased because we haven't won it since 2001/2 and to win it by one frame was special,' he said.

The Andy Mildner-captained Gremlins were naturally disheartened to lose their title.

Mildner along with Adrian Lihou, Adam Shorto, Tristan Ozanne and Mick Le Noury are all ranked in the top 10 in the island.

'I'm disappointed but the Mafia fully deserved their win,' said Mildner.

'Good luck to them. There's not much between the two sides and it always was going to be close.

'No one has ever retained this league. It's a tough one.

'But such is life.'