Carroll makes winning start to long season

NEIL Carroll kicked off an extremely busy season by retaining his Tuesday Singles League title at Chandlers Ford Snooker Club.

The 52-year-old from Rownhams pocketed £128 prize money after defeating women’s world number eight Suzie Opacic in the Series 16 play-off final.

Opacic was left chasing snookers on the blue in the opening frame. And, needing two snookers on the green in the next, she managed to extract three sets of penalty points before her opponent mopped up the last few colours.

Carroll, who overcame nine-time champion Mitch Wade 2-0 in the last-four, said: “It was nice to win.

“When you’ve done it once, it’s easier to cross the line. What I was particularly pleased with was my clearances on the colours.

“I’m enjoying it more than I have done for quite a long time.

“The (Open Series) competition with the young lads on Saturdays is brilliant. It’s really pushed me along.”

Next up for Carroll is a trip to Bournemouth on September 24 for the start of the eight-leg Cuestars South of England Seniors (40+) Tour.

Next month he travels to Newbury and Llanelli for qualifying tournaments for the World Seniors Championship.

He also plays for Eastleigh WMC B in the social clubs Super League as well as being a regular in the Tuesday Singles League and the Saturday afternoon Open Series.

Opacic, who finished second to Carroll in the ten-week league, became the first woman to reach a last-eight play-off final largely thanks to a 60 break in a third-frame decider against Robbie Leach-Lewis.

There was a flurry of fifties in the quarter-final matches. Wade recorded a 51 against Paul Lawrence. And two-time champion Dan Hammond posted a 53 in his 2-1 defeat by Leach-Lewis, who was forced to play safe on a run of 50.

A new ten-week league kicks off at 8pm on Tuesday.

PLAY-OFF RESULTS (BREAKS)

Quarter-finals (£16): Neil Carroll 2-0 David Stewart, Mitch Wade (51) 2-0 Paul Lawrence, Dan Hammond (53) 1-2 (50) Robbie Leach-Lewis, Suzie Opacic 2-0 John Barton.

Semi-finals (£32): Opacic (60) 2-1 Leach-Lewis, Carroll 2-0 (39) Wade.

Final (£128/£64): Carroll 2-0 Opacic.

Picture by Tim Dunkley

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Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)