Billy Castle: lucky to be alive
BILLY Castle is lucky to be alive let alone preparing for his first Southampton Town Championship final.
Thirty minutes after beating Jimmy White 8-5 in a friendly last Tuesday at Churchills, Eastleigh, Castle was lying in the back of an ambulance.
His dad Derek’s car had just been written off in a collision with a lorry on the Redbridge Road in Southampton.
Luckily, neither were seriously hurt.
Two days later, and dosed up with painkillers, the 19-year-old defeated Ben Tanner 3-1 in the Frank Mintrum Cup semi-finals at Eastleigh Railway Institute.
Clearly not on top form, Castle admitted: “I’m still in shock.”
Remarkably, all four semi-finalists are Cuestars regulars.
Mike Finn ended 16-year-old Jordan Winbourne’s hopes of becoming the youngest finalist in the competition’s 64-year history.
The defending champion won 3-1 from 1-0 down.
Bitterne Conservative Club will host the final on March 15.
Picture by Kevin Legg