Alex Dunkley retains Chandlers Ford Club Championship
FORMER Cuestars Under-21 champion Alex Dunkley has retained the Club Championship title at Chandlers Ford Snooker Club.
The 28-year-old from Bursledon defeated Gold Tour player Anthony Rice 4-1 in a 67-minute final.
Dunkley, who hadn’t dropped a frame in his first three matches, was leading 2-0 and on a run of 54 in the next but broke down with the remaining reds in the open.
His 20-year-old opponent from Fordingbridge replied with a 50 and pulled a frame back on the pink.
However, Dunkley responded by matching the day’s highest break of 81 compiled by David Mumford in the first frame of his 3-1 quarter-final victory over Dan Sykes.
And he won the fifth on the green following a contribution of 42.
Nine-time Tuesday Singles League champion Mitch Wade, one of the pre-tournament favourites, was knocked out 3-2 from 1-0 up in the first round by 11-year-old Oliver Sykes.
Sykes then lost three close frames to Rice.
Cuestars Silver Tour rankings leader Ryan Hughes progressed the furthest of the under-18 players.
The 15-year-old beat Gold Tour players Mickey Joyce and Mike Trigg without dropping a frame and forced a decider from 2-1 down and more than 40 points adrift in the fourth to EASB Regional Junior Tour (South West) winner Rice in the semis before going out 3-2.
RESULTS (BREAKS)
Prelims: Dan Hammond (43, 42) 3-2 David Rice, David Mumford (67, 48, 40) 3-0 Riccardo Drayton, Mark Benzey 3-1 Jamie Risk, Neil Carroll 3-1 Carlo Cavagnetto, Oliver Sykes 3-2 Mitch Wade, Anthony Rice 3-1 Steven Hughes, Olly Gibbs 3-1 Brett Wallace, Dan Sykes 3-2 Steve Wheatland.
Last-16: Mumford (47) 3-0 Hammond, M Benzey 3-1 Carroll, A Rice 3-0 O Sykes, D Sykes 3-2 Gibbs, Ryan Hughes 3-0 Mickey Joyce, Alex Dunkley (62, 56) 3-0 Nathan Page, Connor Benzey (46, 40) 3-1 Suzie Opacic, Mike Trigg 3-1 Stu Barter.
Quarter-finals: R Hughes 3-0 Trigg, Dunkley 3-0 C Benzey, A Rice 3-1 M Benzey (44), Mumford (81) 3-1 D Sykes.
Semi-finals: A Rice (45) 3-2 R Hughes, Dunkley (69) 3-0 Mumford.
Final (£80/£40): Dunkley (81, 54, 47, 42) 4-1 A Rice (50, 43).
Picture by Tim Dunkley
Finalists Anthony Rice (left) and Alex Dunkley
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Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)