THE Crucible Theatre it wasn’t. But Testwood Working Men’s Club last Wednesday still witnessed all the drama of snooker’s world championship final albeit in slightly noisier surroundings.

Covering our first pool match for the social clubs’ league, Happy-Snapper Kevin Legg and I headed west for the pool pairs final expecting a crash, bang, wallop, quick-fire match.

But we were treated to chess on green baize as both pairs conferred before every visit to try and manoeuvre two-shot opportunities. The final was best-of-nine frames or racks (depending on which side of the pond you were born) and lasted three hours.

Feet away from the table, which was in the middle of the bar area, four elderly gentleman were enjoying a cribbage game and above their heads the TV was showing Arsenal slugging out a 1-1 draw with Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Emirates Stadium.

All four players were laughing and joking with each other, and the referee, throughout. Play was held up at least once as the striker ordered a round of drinks at the bar.

And while eyeing up a particularly tricky safety shot, Adrian Sturgess didn’t bat an eyelid as a member of the ladies darts team walked past the table announcing to the world that blue ticket 950 had won a raffle prize.

The match was played in a great spirit by four players with massive mutual respect for each other. But make no mistake, this was serious stuff.

And a certain Happy-Snapper put his new-found ‘drinks on the house’ negotiating skills to the test - and passed.