Curry, Deep Heat and a winner’s trophy

A WELL-EARNT curry and a spot of Deep Heat ended a young Gosport player’s victorious day on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Silver Tour.

Olly Gibbs (pictured), who was suffering with a sore neck, did it the hard way in the fourth leg at Greenbaize Snooker Club, Bournemouth.

The 12-year-old defeated new rankings leader Steven Hughes, his clubmate from Chandler’s For SC, 2-1 from 1-0 down in the final. He took the second frame by a distance and the decider on the blue.

“I had a very tough game against Steven Hughes,” said Gibbs. “He played well and gave me a good match.”

Earlier, he qualified for the knockout on frames difference as one of the two best third-place finishers from the three groups of five.

“I didn’t expect to get though the groups after finishing third in my group of five,” he admitted.

“I then played James Beaven (Coulsdon) in the quarter-finals and I thought I was going to lose after I left him an easy pink. But, fortunately, he rattled it, leaving it over the pocket.

“And in the semi-finals, I had a tough game against Connor Benzey (Eastleigh), in which I trailed 1-0 but made a comeback to win 2-1.

“I was very happy to get home after a long day and a well-earnt curry – although my neck is a bit sore.”

Hughes, who is sponsored by Vankru Cycling, had won all four round-robin matches, which included a 2-1 victory over Gibbs.

Three Silver players notched up their highest breaks during the day’s action. At the age of ten years and 29 days, Oliver Sykes (Chandler’s Ford) made his first half-century – a 52 in a 2-1 group-stage defeat by Aidan Murphy.

Murphy (Bristol) increased his personal best to 47 against Ally Pollard (Alderholt), who chalked up a first 40 against Drew Hampshire (Swindon).

And home player Adam Cowdroy qualified for the knockout for the first time on the Silver Tour the day after recording his highest break of 38 with a new cue that still had a transit tip, which he chalked just once as he had left his chalk at home.

The fifth leg of eight is at Woking Snooker Centre on Sunday, February 7.

BREAKS

Oliver Sykes: 52.
Aidan Murphy: 47.
Charlie Pringle: 45.
Ally Pollard: 40.
James Beaven: 33.
Connor Benzey: 32.
Drew Hampshire: 30.

SILVER RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Aidan Murphy (Bristol Conservative Club); 2nd, Oliver Sykes (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Drew Hampshire (147 SC, Swindon); 4th, Ally Pollard (Salisbury SC); 5th, Nat Kidner (Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, James Beaven (Frames Sports Bar, Coulsdon); 2nd, Adam Cowdroy (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 3rd, Connor Benzey (Chandler’s Ford SC); 4th, Charlie Pringle (Chandler’s Ford SC); 5th, Kaine Petty (Salisbury SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Steven Hughes (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, David O’Callaghan (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 3rd, Olly Gibbs (Chandler’s Ford SC); 4th, David Rice (Salisbury SC); 5th, Keegan Reed (Salisbury SC).

QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Benzey 2 Murphy 0, Gibbs 2 Beaven 1, Hughes 2 Cowdroy 0, Sykes 2 O’Callaghan 0.

SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Gibbs 2 Benzey 1, Hughes 2 Sykes 0.

FINAL (25/18 points): Gibbs 2 Hughes 1.

Report and picture by Tim Dunkley.