Fareham winner Lloyd moves into second place
MARK Lloyd came through a tough draw to win the fifth leg of the Cuestars Championship Tour at Fareham Snooker Club.
The 23-year-old from Gosport pocketed £150 in prize money after beating Paul Morrison (Ashford) 3-0 in the final of the Fuller’s Brewery-sponsored event.
Earlier, Lloyd defeated former World Masters champion Dhar Lilly (Fareham) 3-0, Mickey Joyce (Basingstoke) 3-2 and James Budd (Gosport) 3-0 before edging Connor Benzey (Eastleigh) 3-2 in a hard-fought and tight match of the day.
The three-time national junior champion moves into second place in the rankings behind Wayne Townsend (Northolt).
It was a good run to the final for Morrison who made the last-eight on the Cuestars Seniors Tour (40+) at Waterlooville Sports Bar last month.
Aaron Canavan (Jersey), the 2018 World Seniors champion, and Adrian Morrissey (Ireland) made their Cuestars debuts following last-64 exits the previous day in a World Seniors Championship qualifying tournament at The Crucible Sports & Social Club Reading.
The two youngest players in the field were drawn together in the first round, with 13-year-old Harry Wyatt (Ferndown) overcoming 14-year-old O’Shay Scott (Eastleigh) 3-2.
Women’s world number eight Mary Talbot-Deegan (Angmering, near Worthing) defeated Simon Dent (Brighton), who was making his first appearance of the season, 3-2 in a marathon opening match before going out 3-1 to Neil Herd (Frome).
Joyce recorded the day’s highest break of 97 in his opening match against Mike Wright (Andover).
For more information about Fuller’s Brewery, go to www.fullersbrewery.co.uk.
Salisbury Snooker Club hosts the sixth leg of nine on Sunday, February 12.
RESULTS (BREAKS)
PRELIMS: Adrian Morrissey 3-0 James Leader, James Budd 3-1 Oliver Sykes, Mickey Joyce (97) 3-0 Mike Wright, Mark Lloyd 3-0 Dhar Lilly.
LAST-16: Budd 3-2 Morrissey, Lloyd (52) 3-2 Joyce, Aaron Canavan (65) 3-0 Bradley Cowdroy, Connor Benzey (93, 63) 3-0 Will Forster, Mary Talbot-Deegan 3-2 (70) Simon Dent, Neil Herd 3-1 Jamie Wilson, Harry Wyatt 3-2 O’Shay Scott, Paul Morrison 3-0 Jack Dady.
QUARTER-FINALS: Lloyd 3-0 Budd, Benzey 3-1 (58) Canavan, Herd 3-1 Talbot-Deegan, Morrison (55) 3-0 Wyatt.
SEMI-FINALS (£20): Lloyd 3-2 Benzey, Morrison 3-1 Herd.
FINAL (£150/£80): Lloyd (50) 3-0 Morrison.
PLATE RESULTS (BREAKS)
PRELIM: Jack Dady 2-0 Mike Wright.
QUARTER-FINALS: Simon Dent 2-1 Dady, Oliver Sykes 2-1 Will Forster, Jamie Wilson 2-1 O’Shay Scott, Bradley Cowdroy 2-0 James Leader.
SEMI-FINALS: Sykes 2-0 Dent, Cowdroy 2-1 Wilson.
FINAL (£20/£10): Sykes 2-1 Cowdroy.
By Tim Dunkley and Chris Wyatt