Cowdroy favourite to land Premier Junior Tour promotion
A NEVER-say-die attitude has taken Bournemouth teenager Bradley Cowdroy to the brink of automatic promotion to the national under-21 snooker circuit.
The 14-year-old has won his third tournament of the season and now leads the EASB Regional Junior Tour – South West.
Cowdroy replaced Connor Benzey (Eastleigh) at the top of the rankings after defeating his title rival 2-0 in the final of the fifth leg at the Ambassador Club, Poole.
The pair now face a showdown on April Fool’s Day at, rather appropriately, Jesters Snooker Club in Swindon.
Double points are on offer at the last event but, assuming both young guns reach the latter stages, Cowdroy just needs to match or better 15-year-old Benzey’s performance on the day.
Cowdroy finished third in his six-man round-robin group and then overcame 11-year-old Oliver Sykes (Chandler’s Ford) 2-0 and Anthony Rice (Fordingbridge) 2-1 to reach the final.
“I couldn’t really have picked a better time in the season to come into form,” said the classy left-hander.
“I haven’t made any huge changes to my game but this season I’ve tried to implement a more determined, never-say-die attitude and it’s done wonders for my results.
“Connor was very consistent all day, as he always is, but regardless of who won the final, with results going as they did, we both have some breathing space from the chasing pack going into the last event. I’m sure we’ll have a great battle.”
Remarkably, Cowdroy has reached the final of his last seven tournaments in all competitions.
As well as winning the last two Regional Junior Tour events and the last two Saturday afternoon handicap competitions at Greenbaize SC, he was runner-up in the Dorset Open and in the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Gold Tour legs in Havant and Fareham.
Earlier in the group stages in Poole, Rice recorded the day’s highest break of 97. The 19-year-old missed the final blue for his first competitive ton.
Cowdroy said: “Most of us had stopped playing on the other tables. We were all willing him on but it wasn’t to be.
“Anthony will be gutted to have missed what was a very gettable pot, but he is a class player and in my opinion it’s surely only a matter of time before he knocks one in.”
Picture by Tim Dunkley
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Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)