Castle: I can be a double champion

The phenomenal 14-year-old from Marchwood gave an emphatic “yes” to the possibility of regaining the English Under-14 Championship crown AND claiming the English Under-16 trophy for the first time.

Castle dropped just three frames in six matches as the 16 qualifiers in each age group were whittled down to two at the Northern Snooker Centre, Leeds.

He now faces a double date at the World Snooker Academy, Sheffield, during the EASB finals weekend on May 26-27, against James Pearson (Leeds) in the under-14 final and Joshua Mulholland (Liverpool) in the under-16s.

The On Q Promotions-sponsored teenager, who claimed the under-14 crown in 2010, said: “I haven’t played James before but I’ve played Josh and I’ve never lost to him.”

Castle progressed through last November’s qualifying tournament and eased past George Kennedy (Leeds) 4-0, Hugo Tomas (Lincoln) 4-1 and Kieran Phillips (Leics) 4-1 with breaks of 68 and 64 in the last-16 knockout in Leeds.

“I didn’t play great in my first couple of matches in the under-14s,” he said. “But I didn’t have to play great.”

In the under-16s the following day, Castle accounted for his Chandler’s Ford SC clubmate Jordan Winbourne (Hedge End) 4-2, Adam Bobat (Fareham) 4-0 and Aaron Davies (Oldham) 5-0.

Bobat, 16, who was on the receiving end of breaks of 68 and 84, declared: “I’ve never seen anyone play that well against me.”

Castle admitted: “I did play well against Adam.”

And the European Under-21 runner-up added: “I’ve got a lot more match practice and experience. When Jordan, or someone like that, plays me and they play well, it makes me play better.

“When I was in amongst the balls, I didn’t really miss.”