Hard work and top practice partners key to Bubb’s first Silver title

SIMON Bubb reckons hard work and good practice partners was the key to his first success on the Cuestars Under-21 Silver Tour.

The 18-year-old from Ealing Common had never progressed past the quarter-finals in his four previous attempts.

He beat Riley Ellis (north Wilts) 2-1 in the final of the second leg sponsored by Pitman Training at Chandlers Ford Snooker Club.

A 37 break in the first frame calmed his nerves but former Bronze Tour rankings champion Ellis forced a decider which Budd won on the green.

“I feel really good because I’ve never got past the quarter-finals before,” said Bubb. “I’ve fallen short a few times. It feels amazing to finally win a trophy.”

Bubb has been putting in long hours at Cousins, a snooker and pool club in Holloway, and practising against other top London players like Lee Whaley, Aristos Pampouris and Marcos Dayao.

“I’ve got solid match practice from them,” he explained.

Rankings leader Elliott Johnson (Sutton) and second-placed John Donovan (Camden Town) both made semi-final exits.

Budd missed the first leg at Waterlooville Sports Bar as he was otherwise engaged in the EPSB junior play-off in Derby. He qualified for the second day but cruelly failed by just one frame to earn a place on the national under-21 circuit.

Frames Sports Bar, Coulsdon, hosts the third leg of six on Sunday, August 29.

For more information about Pitman Training, go to www.pitman-training.com.

BREAKS

Simon Bubb: 55, 39, 37.
Elliott Johnson: 48, 35.
Will Forster: 35.
Owen Jenkins: 33, 33.
William Thomson: 31.
John Donovan: 30.

SILVER RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Riley Ellis (Chandlers Ford SC); 2nd, Elliott Johnson (London Snooker); 3rd, William Thomson (Chandlers Ford SC); 4th, Harry Wyatt (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 5th, Balraj Gola (Hurricane Room, Kings Cross).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Simon Bubb (Cousins, London); 2nd, John Donovan (Cousins, London); 3rd, Mason Wilson (Academy, Basingstoke); 4th, Will Forster (Fareham SC); 5th, Owen Jenkins (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 6th, Nat Kidner (Greenbaize, Bournemouth).

SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Ellis 2-0 Donovan, Bubb 2-0 Johnson.

FINAL (25/18 points): Bubb 2-1 Ellis.

Picture by Tim Dunkley

From left: Simon Bubb, Paul Lawrence (from event sponsor Pitman Training), Riley Ellis.