WITH a good Friday under our belts we have a brief look at the remaining matches available before the three day break after Sunday.
Alan Norris takes on Ryan Joyce as we enter the last 32 phase so the format is now a race to four sets. Norris made hard work on seeing off Steve Lennon sporting a new look with glasses. This evidently is what has assisted Norris in trying to turn around a below par season.
Joyce has come through two games already at Ally Pally with the pair meeting just the once with Norris the victor.
The match odds imply Joyce has the slight edge, however Norris is the more experienced on the big stage so you would over the extended format favour Nozza?
It’s possibly the bet to give Noz the Nod on the maximums seeing as Joyce has landed 8 maximums in two games compared to Norris landing 10 in one appearance. At 8/11 this is back able however Paddy Power do punt 11/10 Norris wins by two or more.
Ryan Searle was in excellent form in knocking off Suljovic despite the Austrian flying out the blocks in the first set with a display of maximum galore.
Searle’s opponent Willie O’Connor showed great resilience in beating Wilson and layers find it almost too close to call with varying opinion on either player around evens.
There are cases for both players although Searle will require his average to be upped as a similar average to both players last matches will see the Irish thrower through to the last 16.
Chris Dobey can knock out Hightower Vincent Van Der Voort on Sunday with the young player in fairly good nick in his first two games. Vincent took out demolition man in round two and barely got out of third gear.
Voort has been here before and could be an interesting game but if Vincent’s erratic throwing sets in it could be for Dobey to hoover up victory with his overall 45% clear up rate in the event.
Brendan Dolan and Mervyn King toe the oche as our final game before signing off for the Christmas break where Dolan leads the head to head 6-4. However King’s victories have all come on TV in major events with the former top 8 player having the edge here.
King has not passed the last 32 since the 2014 event with his opponent never making it beyond this stage. The History Maker has not had the best of seasons having made one TV major last 16 with King pretty much in an identical position.
We will take on King on the basis of his strict practise regime and no discredit to Dolan, I see the Irishman putting out a great performance and see a similar checkout performance. However from seeing King over the years I agree with layers taking marginal favour on him.
Recommended Bets
- Norris – most 180s Vs Joyce – 8/11 general 2.5 pts
- Searle – 1/1 Paddy Power 1pt
- Dobey – 11/12 Marathonbet 1pt
- King – 5/6 BoyleSports 1pt
