Rob becomes finalist again – plays against Matthew Essick in the final – a repeat of last years GC Worlds final

Game 1 was full of uncharacteristic errors, including a number of failed hoop attempts and balls being hampered. Rob finally won the game, but it was almighty close with a hampered shot after the rover peel forcing Rob into pegging out one of his own balls and leaving Thomas on the East and West boundaries. Thomas hit in, but ultimately blobbed a hoop with Rob’s ball close, so Rob won by a squeak.

Game 2: Thomas started with a good break fourth ball and made a leave after 3-back. Rob hit down the boundary and was making his way round when he misapproached 2-back in the rain and retreated leaving an easy 5 yarder. Tom then made his break comfortably, and with only one peel to make finished easily.

Having got started with a third turn break Thomas hit straight against the wire on hoop 1 in the next game. Rob hit and then made a break to 1-back, when he under approached and had to scatter his balls. Thomas hits a 13 yarder and goes round to 4-back, making a leave. Room misses the long lift and then with a break Thomas misapproaches hoop 1. Rob misses a relatively easy roquet and Thomas takes the break. Everything is going swimmingly until rover and the peel succeeds, but the striker ball has run too far, can’t run the hoop or see any other ball, so has to tun to corner 2. Rob appears to be unusually tentative in taking the 5 yarder, but hits and blobs hoop 1 again! Thomas has to play his peg ball and makes a leave. There’s a sort of double at 35 yards, but Rob tries it, going down the middle but a hill takes it and it hits! He goes round and completing a tp, gaining a win from the jaws of defeat – score 2:1 after more than 6 hours play.

In game 4 Rob puts out a supershot (near hoop 5) then hits down the boundary on turn 3 and makes a three ball break. Runs 3-back and makes a 3 ducks leave, no he doesn’t, he puts one of his balls on the West boundary! Thomas shoots down the East boundary, no he doesn’t, he shoots from end of A baulk and misses. May be his last shot of the match? Rob misses his first attempt at the 4-back peel, but the break continues. His second attempt succeeds and he proceeds with the break to peg-out and win his semi-final three games to one.

Now on to the final tomorrow – a reprise of the GC World Championship final last year against Matthew Essick, who won his semi-final against the number 1 player in the world Robert Fletcher from Australia by three games to none.

Good luck Rob!!