TWICE-WINNER Steve Copeland and Andy Duckett have made it through to finals night in the Clifford Crawshaw Memorial Classic at Hill Crest.
Both progressed in front of a smaller crowd than usual on Saturday and Copeland will face Halifax's Graham Hickey and Duckett will play Gary Ellis when the event concludes on Saturday, July 19.
Copeland (Royton) had a tough looking opener against Da
vid Scott (Silsden) and the scores were level at seven, nine and 12. Copeland made a run to 20-15 and although Scott rallied to lead the jack at 19-10, his rivals pulled away to 24-19 before winning 31-24.
Copeland's next opponent was Greater Manchester county teammate David Thornley (Dobcross), who had beaten an out-of-sorts Paul Dudley (Radcliffe) 31-15.
Thornley's win included an 11 break and Copeland match ed that to take a 14-3 lead against him. Thornley clawed his way back to 19-21 but Copeland went 28-20 up before winning 31-24.
Duckett (Whitchurch) opened with a 31-15 win over Johnathan Welsby (Warrington) in a one-sided game and then put out another former double champion in Michael Leach (Hothersall).
Leach had easily accounted for Andrew Judson (Shrewsbury) 31-18 and he figured in the game of the evening against Duckett, who always had a couple of points lead but could not shake off his opponent.
Leach had his usual rapport with the crowd and battled all the way to the line before losing 31-29 to Duckett.
Next Saturday's final qualifiers feature former the 1994 and 2004 champion Tommy Johnstone (Warrington) and 1986 winnner Roy Nicholson (Holmfield), Roy's son Gareth and a third local player in Ian Bottomley.
DRAW: G.Nicholson v T.Johnstone, C.Brown (Sheffield) v T.Roberts (Wrexham), R.Nicholson v M.Bower (Sheffield), J.Wilcox (Crossgates) v I.Bottomley.
GRAEME Wilson and Andrew Cairns are the latest qualifiers for finals night in the Renew Windows Masters at Spen Victoria BC on Saturday, September 6.
RESULTS: J.Hanson (Pudsey) 21 R.Wormald (Brighouse) 20, M.Regan (Halifax) 21 S.Mort (Rossendale) 8, G.Wilson (Oldham) 21 B.Richards (Littlemoor) 18, S.Goodwin (Warrington) 14 C.Kelly (Sheffield) 21, A.Cairns (Rossendale) 21 D.Metcalfe (Bradford) 9, T.Hanson (Pudsey) 18 J.Edmondson (Brighouse) 21, C.Armitage (Warrington) 19 R.Crowther (Huddersfield) 21, R.Clark (Sheffield) 18 I.Bottomley (Halifax) 21.
Hanson 21 Regan 8, Wilson 21 Kelly 16, Cairns 21 Edmondsonn 17, Crowther 21 Bottomley 13.
Hanson 18 Wilson 21, Cairns 21 Crowther 13.
SATURDAY: G.Herbert (Birmingham) v V.Senior (Sheffield), M.Higgins (Huddersfield) v M.Tunstall (Merseyside), D.Hallam (Sheffield) v D.Fisher (Denby Grange), J.Senior (Huddersfield) v C.Bielby (Bridlington), P.Bailey (Birmingham) v N.White (Huddersfield), R.Thompson (Sheffield) v A.Deighton (Bridlington), G.Wike (Leeds) v D.Barwise (Merseyside), R.Howson (Sheffield) v D.Walker (Leeds).
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