Ally Pollard in dreamland

ALDERHOLT’S green-baize battler Ally Pollard finally got his hands on a winner’s trophy at his 50th tournament on a regional snooker circuit.

It has taken the never-say-die 21-year-old more than five years and several thousand miles of travelling to reach his champagne moment.

Pollard beat Ferndown potter Nat Kidner 2-1 in the final of the ninth leg of the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Silver Tour at the 147 Snooker Club, Swindon.

He explained what winning the silverware meant to him in his penultimate event on the junior circuit and reflected on the years of disappointments.

“To finally get my hands on a winner’s trophy is a brilliant feeling,” said Pollard. “Especially in my last year.

“I just remember playing and getting beat every single time. I felt like winning was miles away.

“I kept trying and I kept coming along and this season it seems to have all happened for me.”

Pollard was forced to fight back from 1-0 down to Kidner, a winner of two legs this season.

However, the fairy tale looked to be over as Kidner took the lead in the decider.

Needing the last four colours, Pollard potted brown and blue, fluked the pink, and sunk a missable black.

It is hoped the table will recover from the celebratory bang it received from the victor’s hand.

Talking about the clearance, Pollard said: “My head was starting to go at that point.

“I was thinking I’m 20 behind. But then I looked at the table and thought hold on a minute – if I could get myself together and pot these four balls, it’s all there.

“Now that it’s happened, I’m on cloud nine. It’s been a long time playing in these competitions.”

Pollard had topped the round-robin group in the event sponsored by Swindon-based Smarter Cuesports and edged Chloe White (Havant) 2-1 in the last-four.

Kidner defeated rankings leader Brett Wallace (Gosport) 2-0 in the second semi.

Pollard began his long journey to success on the Cuestars circuit on home tables at Salisbury Snooker Club in October, 2012.

Promotion from the Bronze Tour followed two seasons later. But before finishing runner-up in the previous two events in Fareham and Salisbury in his fourth campaign on the Silver Tour, he had never appeared in a final.

Chandlers Ford Snooker Club hosts the tenth and final leg on Sunday, May 6.

BREAKS

Brett Wallace: 38.
Nat Kidner: 32.

SILVER RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP: 1st, Ally Pollard (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Brett Wallace (Fareham SC); 3rd, Nat Kidner (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 4th, Chloe White (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 5th, Callum White (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 6th, Riley Ellis (147 SC, Swindon); 7th, Kaine Petty (Salisbury SC).

SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Kidner 2-0 Wallace, Pollard 2-1 Chloe White.

FINAL (25/18 points): Pollard 2-1 Kidner.

Picture by Tim Dunkley

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Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)