Karl wins on another record day for Masters Tour

KARL Townsend made it two wins out of three on another record-breaking day for the Cuestars Masters Tour.

The Northolt cueman beat rankings leader John Hunter (Andover) in a one-frame shootout in the final of the sixth leg at Woking Snooker Centre.

As it was after 9pm, the pair agreed to split the £150 prize pot and play a shortened match for the points.

The turnout of 23 for the SnookerHub-sponsored event was the highest since the increasingly popular midweek circuit for players aged 55 and over was launched five years ago.

Townsend – who also won on his debut in the fourth leg in Newbury in January, which attracted the previous record attendance of 20 – chalked up the day’s highest break of 77.

Colin Norton (Gosport) was forced to withdraw from the competition at the quarter-final stage because of a neck problem.

Malcolm Slark (Salisbury) made his highest Cuestars break of 31.

Reigning champion Hunter leads the table from Norton. Neil Carroll (Southampton) is third. Masters rankings include points earned by over-55 players on the Cuestars Seniors Tour.

Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club hosts the seventh leg of eight on Wednesday, April 12.

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

BREAKS

Karl Townsend: 77, 60, 53.
Colin Norton: 62, 55, 54.
John Hunter: 53, 50, 47, 42.
Bob Toulouse: 52.
Mark Thomas: 52.
John Rees: 49.
Raj Puri: 45.
Ray Grall: 43.
Malcolm Slark: 31.

RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, John Hunter (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Malcolm Slark (Salisbury SC); 3rd, Mike Bennison (Salisbury SC); 4th, Ray Mears (Sovereign, Farnborough).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Karl Townsend (Rickmansworth RBL); 2nd, Colin Norton (Stoke SC, Gosport); 3rd, Dalton Lawrence (Woking SC); 4th, Stephen Hills (Northfleet Traders Club, Gravesend).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Raj Puri (Hartley Country Club); 2nd, Paul Burt (Salisbury SC); 3rd, Mark Burrell (Jesters, Swindon); 4th, Neil Carroll (Chandlers Ford SC); 5th, Nick Miles (Romsey Comrades).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Steve Allen (Totton Rec); 2nd, Steve Ashton (Salisbury SC); 3rd, Mark Wareham (Winton Workmens Club); 4th, Phil Butler (Bournemouth Constitutional Club); 5th, Kevin Morris (Woking SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP E: 1st, John Rees (Lyonsdown SC); 2nd, Mark Thomas (Shots, Watford); 3rd, Bob Toulouse (Sovereign, Farnborough); 4th, Ray Grall (Hayes WMC); 5th, Dennis Tristram (Shots, Watford).

LAST-16 (10 points): Hunter 2-1 Butler, Norton 2-0 Burt, Burrell 2-1 Rees, Lawrence 2-0 Allen, Toulouse 2-1 Puri, Slark 2-1 Wareham, Thomas 2-1 Ashton, Townsend 2-0 Bennison.

QUARTER-FINALS (£10, 12 pts): Hunter w/o Norton, Burrell 2-0 Lawrence, Toulouse 2-0 Slark, Townsend 2-0 Thomas.

SEMI-FINALS (£20, 15 pts): Hunter 2-0 Burrell, Townsend 2-0 Toulouse.

FINAL (£75/£75), 25/18 pts): Townsend 1-0 Hunter.

Pictured, from left: John Hunter, referee Terry Teeman, Karl Townsend.