Norton wins third Masters event

COLIN Norton has won his third event of the season on the Cuestars Masters Tour.

The 56-year-old from Gosport pocketed £70 in prize money after beating Phil Butler 2-0 in the final of the fifth leg at Salisbury Snooker Club.

It follows his successes in Woking last October and in Chandler’s Ford the following month.

Norton played solid all day in the SnookerHub-sponsored event.

Butler (Bournemouth) continued to improve his results on the midweek circuit for players aged 55 and over by reaching his first final.

Leg-four winner Karl Townsend (Northolt) and reigning champion John Hunter (Andover) went out in the last-four. Malcolm Slark (Salisbury) qualified for the knockout for the first time.

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

Woking Snooker Centre hosts the sixth leg of eight on Wednesday, March 15.

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

BREAKS

Karl Townsend: 74, 46.
Colin Norton: 66, 52, 41, 41.
Phil Butler: 52.
John Hunter: 50, 43, 41.
Steve Ashton: 45.

RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, John Hunter (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Stephen Hills (Northfleet Traders Club, Gravesend); 3rd, Adrian Walsh (Fareham SC); 4th, Paul Burt (Salisbury SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Colin Norton (Stoke SC, Gosport); 2nd, Steve Ashton (Salisbury SC); 3rd, Malcolm Slark (Salisbury SC); 4th, Ray Grall (Hayes WMC); 5th, Mike Bennison (Salisbury SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Karl Townsend (Rickmansworth RBL); 2nd, Phil Butler (Bournemouth Constitutional Club); 3rd, Neil Carroll (Chandlers Ford SC); 4th, Mark Wareham (Winton Workmens Club); 5th, Nick Miles (Romsey Comrades).

QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Hunter 2-0 Slark, Butler 2-1 Ashton, Norton 2-0 Carroll, Townsend 2-0 Hills.

SEMI-FINALS (£20, 15 pts): Butler 2-1 Hunter, Norton 2-1 Townsend.

FINAL (£70/£40, 25/18 pts): Norton 2-0 Butler.

Picture: Colin Norton (left) and Phil Butler