42nd trophy for 11-year-old

JAMIE Wilson dragged his dad out of his sickbed in order to claim his 42nd snooker trophy.

The 11-year-old Cuestars Gold Tour player clinched his third Eastleigh & District Under-13 Premier title at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club in the final week of the season.

Needing one frame to end the hopes of Connor Benzey, Wilson beat his title rival on the black in his first match.

Dad Steve, who had been laid low with a bug and forced to drive up from Portsmouth, said: “We couldn’t miss today.”

Wilson had been tipped to romp through the current league but was pushed all the way by Bronze Tour player Benzey.

Summing up the “challenging” ding-dong 20-week battle, he said: “Some I lost and some I won.”

In the end, Wilson finished the season with a six-point cushion over 12-year-old Benzey, from Eastleigh.

The previous week, he had added the Portsmouth U30 trophy to his overladen mantelpiece.

Elsewhere, Charlie Pringle, 13, clinched the Division 1 title. Nine-year-old Blake Mitchell claimed the Division 2 trophy. And eight-year-old James Greaves was crowned Division 3 champion.

League 48 kicks off on Saturday (January 3), 9-11am. For more details, ring 02380 254834 or e-mail Tim Dunkley.

Report and picture by Tim Dunkley.