Top tip helps Townsend to victory

WAYNE Townsend pocketed £250 in prize money for winning the opening leg of the 2022/23 Cuestars Championship Tour thanks, in no small part, to the player he knocked out in the first round.

The 42-year-old from Northolt, west London, split his cue tip in a 3-0 victory over Adam Nash (Southampton) at Chandlers Ford Snooker Club.

But renowned tip expert Nash stepped forward to save the day.

Townsend, who dropped only one frame all day, went on to beat Mark Lloyd (Gosport) 3-0 in the final.

Three-time national junior champion Lloyd, 22, who won the Championship Tour rankings title in 2018/19, received £110.

Carl Davies (Bournemouth) and Troy Brett (Aylesbury) collected £60 apiece for making the semi-finals.

Former professional Billy Castle (Reading) recorded the day’s highest break of 114 in his 3-0 last-32 victory over Riley Ellis (north Wilts).

Jack Dady (Basingstoke) beat Will Forster (Wickham) 2-0 in the Plate final.

Londoner Marcos Dayao was presented with his trophy for winning last season’s ranking title.

There were 36 runners for the tournament that was sponsored by Chandlers Ford SC member David Stewart to raise awareness of Sightsavers (www.sightsavers.org), a charity that works to eliminate avoidable blindness and promote the rights of people with disabilities.

Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon, hosts the second leg of nine on Sunday, October 16.

RESULTS (BREAKS)

PRELIMS: Dan Hall 1-3 James Budd, Mike Finn 3-0 William Thomson, Riley Ellis 3-0 Mason Wilson, Billy Castle (68, 62) 3-0 Ray Grall.

LAST-32: James Budd 0-3 (56) Mike Finn, Riley Ellis 0-3 (114) Billy Castle, Wayne Townsend 3-0 Adam Nash, Ronnie Sullivan 3-0 Will Forster, Ronnie Blake 3-1 Neil Carroll, Jack Dady 2-3 O’Shay Scott, Steve Read 1-3 Carl Davies, Asten Sahota 3-2 Paul Ives, Harry Wyatt 3-1 Ryan Spratt, Neil Herd 1-3 Mark Lloyd, Aristos Pampouris 1-3 Adam Stacey, Kevin Collins 0-3 James Hawes, Dhar Lilly 3-0 Caden Read, Troy Brett 3-1 Marcos Dayao, Alex Greenham 1-3 Gareth Howard, Will Harrison 2-3 Liam O’Shea.

LAST-16: Mike Finn 1-3 Billy Castle, Wayne Townsend (83) 3-0 Ronnie Sullivan, Ronnie Blake (59) 3-2 O’Shay Scott, Carl Davies 3-0 Asten Sahota, Harry Wyatt 0-3 Mark Lloyd, Adam Stacey (78) 3-1 James Hawes, Dhar Lilly 0-3 Troy Brett, Gareth Howard 0-3 Liam O’Shea.

QUARTER-FINALS: Billy Castle 0-3 Wayne Townsend, Ronnie Blake 1-3 Carl Davies, Mark Lloyd 3-0 Adam Stacey, Troy Brett 3-1 Liam O’Shea.

SEMI-FINALS (£60): Wayne Townsend (87, 70) 3-1 Carl Davies, Mark Lloyd (61, 56) 3-2 Troy Brett.

FINAL (£250/£110): Wayne Townsend 3-0 Mark Lloyd.

PLATE RESULTS (BREAKS)

PRELIMS: Mason Wilson 2-1 Ryan Spratt, Steve Read 1-2 Neil Herd.

LAST-16: Mason Wilson 0-2 Neil Herd, Caden Read 0-2 Dan Hall, Kevin Collins 1-2 Will Forster, William Thomson 0-2 Will Harrison, Neil Carroll 2-0 Ray Grall, Jack Dady 2-0 Adam Nash, Aristos Pampouris (58) 2-0 Paul Ives, Marcos Dayao 2-0 Alex Greenham.

QUARTER-FINALS: Neil Herd 2-0 Dan Hall, Will Forster 2-1 Will Harrison, Neil Carroll 0-2 Jack Dady, Aristos Pampouris 2-0 Marcos Dayao.

SEMI-FINALS: Neil Herd 0-2 Will Forster, Jack Dady (53) 2-0 Aristos Pampouris.

FINAL (£40/£20): Jack Dady 2-0 Will Forster.