Steven Hughes wins RJT fourth leg

STEVEN Hughes moved closer to his dream of promotion to the national under-21 tour the day after returning to England from the World Snooker Federation Open in Malta.

The 18-year-old from Chandler’s Ford beat Londoner Lee Whaley 2-1 in the final of the fourth leg of the EPSB Under-20 Regional Development Tour South at Frames Sports Bar, Coulsdon.

Victory in south London earned second-placed Hughes £100 prize money and, more importantly, took him to within 15 points of rankings leader Jack Haley (Harlow) ahead of the final event in Swindon next month.

He said: “It felt great to get the win after being runner-up in the previous two events and also the fact that I only got back from Malta yesterday morning.

“I would like to say thanks to Mark and Amanda (Stickland) of Aquatec Plumbing and Heating for their continued support.”

Six Cuestars members progressed to the quarter-finals.

Leg-three winner Ryan Hughes lost 2-1 to Whaley, who then beat Haley in the semis. Steven Hughes accounted for Aristos Pampouris 2-0 and Ronnie Sullivan 2-1. Sullivan had defeated Riley Ellis 2-0 in the last-eight.

Samuel Laxton, Mason Wilson, Simon Bubb, O’Shay Scott and debutant Will Forster made group-stage exits.

Picture by Andy Chubb

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Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)