Lloyd has scoring boots on in Salisbury

MARK Lloyd has built up a commanding lead in the Cuestars Championship Tour rankings after claiming a third tournament win of the season.

The 25-year-old from Gosport followed up his success in south London last month by winning the fifth leg at Salisbury Snooker Club.

And he nearly became a maximum man. Lloyd pocketed £130 in prize money after wrapping up a 3-1 victory over Ryan Hughes in the final with a run of 112 – missing a tricky 15th red into a corner pocket.

Earlier, he recorded the day’s highest break of 134 in his 3-0 last-four win over Dharminder Lilly (Fareham). In fact, Lloyd chalked up seven of the ten breaks of 50 or more scored by the entire field.

Hughes, who won the Bronze Tour rankings in 2015/16 and the Silver rankings the following season, moved into second place.

Home player Frank Gumbrell (Tidworth) reached the semi-finals for the first time.

Riley Ellis (Swindon) beat Martin Evans, from the gloriously named village of Puddletown in Dorset, 2-0 in the Plate final.

To find out more about the event sponsor, go to salisburysnookerclub.co.uk.

Chandlers Ford Snooker Club hosts the sixth leg of nine on Sunday, February 9.

RESULTS (BREAKS)

PRELIMS: Ryan Spratt 0-3 Alex Greenham.

LAST-16: Alex Greenham 0-3 (87, 52, 50) Mark Lloyd, Martin Evans 0-3 (54) Neil Herd, Mike Trigg 1-3 Will Forster, Dharminder Lilly 3-0 Jimmy Johnson, Frank Gumbrell 3-0 Riley Ellis, Jack Dady 2-3 Dan Webb, Paul Davis 3-0 Simon Dent, David Stockwell 0-3 Ryan Hughes.

QUARTER-FINALS: Mark Lloyd 3-1 Neil Herd, Will Forster 0-3 Dharminder Lilly, Frank Gumbrell 3-0 Dan Webb, Paul Davis (70) 2-3 Ryan Hughes.

SEMI-FINALS (£20): Mark Lloyd (134, 52) 3-0 Dharminder Lilly, Frank Gumbrell 1-3 Ryan Hughes.

FINAL (£130/£65): Mark Lloyd (112, 74) 3-1 (54) Ryan Hughes.

PLATE RESULTS (BREAKS)

PRELIMS: Riley Ellis 2-0 Simon Dent, Jack Dady 2-0 David Stockwell, Ryan Spratt 1-2 Jimmy Johnson.

SEMI-FINALS: Riley Ellis 2-0 Jack Dady, Jimmy Johnson 1-2 Martin Evans.

FINAL (£20): Riley Ellis 2-0 Martin Evans.

By Tim Dunkley and Steven Hughes