Karl claims second successive Masters win

KARL Townsend climbed to fourth place on the Cuestars Masters Tour rankings after winning his second successive event.

Townsend (Northolt) edged rankings leader John Hunter 2-1 in an exciting final of the Mark Thomas-sponsored fifth leg at The Crucible Sports & Social Club, Newbury.

Hunter (Andover) forced a decider with a 62 break but lost the third frame on the black.

Earlier, Trevor Thorn (Basingstoke) made his highest competitive break of 67 against Phil Butler (Bournemouth) in a group-stage match of the Snooker Hub-sponsored midweek series for players aged 55 and over.

Butler and Neil Carroll (Southampton), who are ranked second and third respectively, went out in the last-four.

Cuestars organisers said a “massive thanks” to Masters player Dennis Tristram who has agreed to sponsor this season’s final leg in Newbury on May 15.

Greenbaize Snooker Club, Bournemouth, hosts the sixth leg of nine on Wednesday, February 7.

To find out more the amateur game, visit snookerhub.co.uk.

BREAKS

John Hunter: 78, 65, 62, 58, 43.
Trevor Thorn: 67.
Karl Townsend: 59, 57, 51, 48.
Phil Butler: 43.
Neil Carroll: 40.

RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, John Hunter (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Andy Darken (Feltham Constitutional Club); 3rd, Mark Thomas (Shots, Watford); 4th, Ray Grall (Hayes WMC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Phil Butler (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 2nd, Dennis Tristram (Shots, Watford); 3rd, Trevor Thorn (Basingstoke Cons); 4th, Paul Burt (Salisbury SC); 5th, Malcolm Slark (Salisbury SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Karl Townsend (Rickmansworth RBL); 2nd, Neil Carroll (Chandlers Ford SC); 3rd, Steve Ashton (Salisbury SC); 4th, Al Maher (Frames, Coulsdon); 5th, Howard McKenzie (Salisbury SC).

QUARTER-FINALS (10 pts): Hunter 2-0 Thorn, Carroll 2-0 Tristram, Butler 2-0 Ashton, Townsend 2-0 Darken.

SEMI-FINALS (£15, 15 pts): Hunter 2-0 Carroll, Townsend 2-0 Butler.

FINAL (£70/£40, 25/18 pts): Townsend 2-1 Hunter.