Fairytale return after mental breakdown

A HAMPSHIRE snooker player who admitted going to “bad places” during a metal breakdown has made a fairytale return to a regional tournament circuit.

Aldershot hotshot Ryan Mears (pictured left) survived a thrilling fifth-frame decider that tested his character to the limit in the final of the Cuestars South of England Championship Tour event.

The 25-year-old had been diagnosed with a depersonalisation disorder brought on by having his anti-depression medication reduced too quickly.

“I suffered a massive mental breakdown,” he explained. “I could not live my life at all.

“I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t talk, I couldn’t eat – for a good eight months.

“You’re aware of it but there’s nothing you can do. It lasted for two years. “The (three years of) depression was one thing – I got into some really bad places. But the disorder was something else.

“I was in such a bad place for that long, I don’t really know how I’m still here.”

The 2010/11 rankings winner, who is based at the Sovereign Snooker Club, Farnborough, last played a Cuestars match in June, 2012, when he was beaten 3-0 by Jon Charlton in the semi-finals of the Championship Tour play-off in Swindon.

He rejoined the circuit for this season’s second leg at Woking Snooker Centre.

Qualification for the semi-finals was decided on the very last frame played in each group.

Despite winning five of his six round-robin matches, Dominic Holmes (Sovereign SC, Farnborough) missed out by one frame as Gary Lobb (West End Social Club, Surrey) couldn’t take a frame off Mears.

And West Londoner Andrew Scott watched – and then went home – as Wasim Khan (Liberal Club, High Wycombe) failed to win the third-frame decider against Neil Clayton (Woking SC).

After a 3-0 last-four victory over Clayton, Matt Ford (Sunninghill Comrades Club, Ascot), who had earlier knocked in a 100 clearance to wrap up a 2-0 group-stage win against Lobb, took a 2-1 lead in the final with a 40 break but broke down on 21 in the next.

Mears, who had seen off three-time ranking winner Charlton (Aldwick RBL, Bognor Regis) 3-1 in the second semi, picked out a plant and made a 44 to force a decider.

Gifted a golden opportunity amongst the balls in the fifth frame after Ford failed to hit a thin safety, Mears added only 13 before a kick on the black let his opponent in for a match-winning chance.

And Ford looked to have not read the script as he passed the half-century mark with ease. However, missing a straightforward pink on 57 gave Mears the merest hint of a lifeline.

It was a shame that his 56 wonder clearance in a quiet corner of Woking SC on a wet Sunday evening in November did not have a wider audience than his ever-present dad, Ray, and the tournament director.

Mears, especially pleased with a squeezed off-set plant on two touching reds down the rail, said: “Straight after I got the plant, I thought I could clear up here. But I never thought I would. I thought it would get to the point where the pressure would be too much.”

He described watching the match-ball pink drop as “amazing”.

A 14-strong field had assembled at the club that has been run for 26 years by Woking’s Mr Snooker, Bob Mason, who will be 80 next year.

Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club hosts the third leg of six on Sunday, January 11.

One last thought, though. What if Mears had lost?

“I’d have been happy,” he insisted. “I’d have been annoyed I got the kick on the black but I could handle it and I couldn’t before.”

Thanking his friends and family, Mears said: “Some have really done more than I thought could be done for another person to keep them strong.

“I’m happy. I’m happy at last,” he added with a laugh.

BREAKS

Matt Ford: 100, 71, 57, 51, 48, 40.
Neil Clayton: 89, 73, 59, 50.
Ryan Mears: 60, 56, 49, 47, 44, 41, 41, 40.
Jon Charlton: 60, 51, 44, 43.
Dominic Holmes: 57.
James Cullen: 56.
Andrew Scott: 52, 49, 42.
Andrew Seymour: 47.
Neil Herd: 40.

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP POSITIONS

GROUP A: 1st, Neil Clayton (Woking SC); 2nd, Jon Charlton (Aldwick RBL, Bognor Regis); 3rd, Andrew Scott (Acton, London); 4th, Wasim Khan (Liberal Club, High Wycombe); 5th, Martin Wallace (Crowthorne RBL); 6th, James Cullen (Woking SC); 7th, Neil Herd (Salisbury SC).

GROUP B: 1st, Ryan Mears (Sovereign SC, Farnborough); 2nd, Matt Ford (Sunninghill Comrades Club, Ascot); 3rd, Dominic Holmes (Sovereign SC, Farnborough); 4th, Craig Marsh (Crucible, Newbury); 5th, Andrew Seymour (Crucible, Newbury); 6th, Gary Lobb (West End Social Club, Surrey); 7th, Peter Chin (Woking SC).

KNOCKOUT RESULTS

SEMI-FINALS (£15, 15 points): Ford beat Clayton 3-0, Mears beat Charlton 3-1.

FINAL (£80/£30, 25/18 points): Mears beat Ford 3-2.

Report and picture by Tim Dunkley.