Five chase national titles

FIVE Gold Tour players are today preparing to head up the M1 for a momentous weekend in Leeds.

On Saturday, it’s the last-16 of the English Under-14 Championship and on Sunday it’s the turn of the Under-16s.

National glory beckons, lads. Cuestars wishes you all the best of luck.

Mickey Joyce, 11, who lives in Basingstoke but is based at Chandler’s Ford SC, Jamie Wilson, 11, from Copnor SC, Portsmouth, and Bradley Cowdroy, 12, from Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth, will be in action on Saturday.

Fingers crossed they avoid each other in the draw at the Northern Snooker Centre.

It’s a best-of-seven-frame straight knockout. The two finalists then meet at the EASB finals weekend in May.

The following day, 15-year-olds Jonny Mutch, from Cambridge SC, and Mark Lloyd, from Stoke SC, Gosport, take to the tables.

They play best-of-seven in the first two rounds and best-of-nine in the semi-finals.

All five won through qualifying events earlier in the season.

Report and picture by Tim Dunkley: Mickey Joyce, left, and Jamie Wilson.