Fifth success for Wade

PROLIFIC break-builder Mitch Wade insisted good safety play was the key to claiming a fifth Tuesday Singles League title at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club.

The 32-year-old (pictured right) added £85 prize money to his coffers after winning the Series 6 play-off.

Runner-up Phil Morgan (left) had gone into the final buoyed by making his highest match break of 72 – at the age of 52 – to wrap up a 2-1 last-four victory over Series 5 finalist Neil Carroll (Rownhams).

But Morgan (Salisbury), who had replaced his tip at 2pm that day, went down 2-0. It came nine days after he made his Cuestars debut at the Seniors Tour event in Fareham.

Wade said: “Well done to Phil. That was a great break. It was really nice to watch and it could have been a few more as well.

“But, in a way, it may have been the undoing of him.

“It’s often hard to follow up your highest break with another good performance because you’re on such a high. It’s tricky to get your mind off the big break and concentrate on the next match.”

Wade, who competes on the Cuestars South of England Championship Tour, had lost the first frame of the evening to 17-year-old Anthony Rice.

Rice (Fordingbridge) took the lead with a run of 41 but the defending champion was relentless in his pursuit of another title and won the next two frames.

“I knew I’d been in a game after that one,” admitted Wade.

“That was probably the best I’ve played tonight. I had to play well because he’s full of confidence at the moment (following his first century in a practice match 11 days previously).”

Wade then saw off Steve Tonks (Hythe) 2-0 in the semi-finals but didn’t manage a 30 break all evening.

“My safety was pretty solid tonight which got me over the line in quite a few of the frames,” he said.

Wade has now appeared in all six finals and played six different opponents, losing only once – to his brother-in-law Danny Gallant in Series 2.

He is now gunning for Gallant, last year’s winner, in the annual Club Championship on Easter Monday.

“There’ll be a few of us trying to take that title off Dan,” he smiled.

A new ten-week scratch league kicks off at 8pm on Tuesday. Ring 023 8025 4834 for details.

RESULTS (BREAKS)

Quarter-final draw (£12.50): Neil Carroll 2 Dave Nunn (34) 1, Paul Solloway 1 Steve Tonks 2, Mitch Wade 2 Anthony Rice (41) 1, Phil Morgan 2 Dan Hammond 1.

Semi-finals (£25): Morgan (72) 2 Carroll 1, Wade 2 Tonks 0.

Final (£85/£45): Wade 2 Morgan 0. Frame scores: 53-17, 61-40.

Report and picture by Tim Dunkley.