Four-midable Beebe

BOURNEMOUTH, Chandler’s Ford, Swindon, Fareham – four winners’ trophies from four venues that will be forever etched in the memory of a 12-year-old budding snooker star from Eastleigh.

The impressive haul of silverware means Luke Beebe (pictured left) has claimed his first regional title.

Beebe was crowned Cuestars South of England Under-21 Bronze Tour rankings champion after winning his fourth successive final.

It has been an imperious run that has seen the Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club youngster’s game mature month by month.

And it fulfilled a promise he had made to his dad.

Hot favourite for the title going into the seventh and penultimate leg at Fareham Snooker Club, Beebe needed to beat title-rival Ollie Gibbs to wrap things up before next month’s trip to Salisbury.

Proud dad Mark, who the previous day had won his first tournament in the Open Series at his home club, revealed: “He promised me he was going to do it and he did it. Fair play to him.

“It’s been a great weekend.”

Beebe guaranteed the title (as long as he turned up at Salisbury) by seeing off Ed James (Woking SC) 2-1 in the last-four.

“I had to play more safety but when I had my chance I took it,” said Beebe, who compiled a 40 break.

But it was put beyond any doubt when he clawed back a one-frame deficit to beat Gibbs (Stoke SC, Gosport) 2-1 in an edge-of-the-seat final.

“It was a good final but it was very nerve-racking,” said Beebe.

Reflecting on his title-winning campaign, he said it felt “great” and added: “I’ve battled hard for it and I think I deserved it.”

Meanwhile, Kaine Petty (Salisbury SC) survived a three-way play-off in his group but missed out on a first ever appearance in a final after suffering a third semi-final defeat of the season, 2-0 to Gibbs.

Petty won his quarter-final match 2-0 against David O’Callaghan (Greenbaize, Bournemouth), who also prevailed in a three-way play-off to make the knockout for the first time in his debut season.

And Cuestars debutant Steven Hughes (Chandler’s Ford SC) impressed by winning all four group matches before being knocked out 2-0 by Gibbs.

The eighth and final leg is at Salisbury Snooker Club on Sunday, May 4.

BREAKS

Luke Beebe: 40, 21.
Ollie Gibbs: 27, 24.
Kaine Petty: 20.

BRONZE RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Steven Hughes (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, Lee Fitzpatrick (Totton Recreation Club); 3rd, Ally Pollard (Salisbury SC); 4th, Keegan Reed (Salisbury SC); 5th, Connor Shaw (Greenbaize, Bournemouth).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, David O’Callaghan (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 2nd, Nat Kidner (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 3rd, Adam Cowdroy (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 4th, Sam Warren (Chandler’s Ford SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Luke Beebe (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, Kaine Petty (Salisbury SC); 3rd, Ben Tillison (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 4th, Connor Benzey (Chandler’s Ford SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Edward James (Woking SC); 2nd, Ollie Gibbs (Stoke SC, Gosport); 3rd, Callum McDonald (Salisbury SC); 4th, Liam Ashman (Player’s, Westbury); 5th, Jordan Lee (Woking SC).

QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Gibbs beat Hughes 2-0, Petty beat O’Callaghan 2-0, Beebe beat Kidner 2-0, James beat Fitzpatrick 2-0.

SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Gibbs beat Petty 2-0, Beebe beat James 2-1.

FINAL (25/18 points): Beebe beat Gibbs 2-1.

Picture by Tim Dunkley