Third national title for Mark Lloyd

MARK Lloyd has landed his third national title.

The 19-year-old from Gosport edged Callum Beresford 8-7 in the final of the English Under-21 Championship at the Star Snooker Academy, Sheffield,

Lloyd demonstrated grit and determination in the steel city to battle back from 7-5 down to force a 15th frame decider.

Cuestars director John Hunter, who runs the amateur circuits on which Lloyd has been a regular for more than a decade, made the trip north.

He said: “Mark showed again how good he is in national finals.

“He fights for every point and every frame to find a way to win.”

Lloyd fired in a 110 break in the third frame and took a 4-3 lead into the interval.

But he admitted it was nip-and-tuck all the way.

“The match was like a game of tennis,” he said. “I won a frame, then Callum won a frame

“Callum pulled off an unbelievable clearance of 43 to lead 7-5.

“I then just composed myself in my chair, knowing that I was still in it.”

Lloyd, who landed the national under-16 championship in 2015 and added the under-18 title the following year, won the next two frames.

And he accepted the handshake in the decider when his 18-year-old opponent from Mexborough, near Doncaster, went in-off the final pink.

Meanwhile, Cuestars Under-21 Gold Tour player Steven Hughes refereed the English Under-16 Championship final in which Liverpool’s Paul Deaville beat Yorkshire lad Liam Pullen 6-3.

Picture by Clive Brown

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Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)