Wallace leads Seniors Tour
MARTIN Wallace had taken the lead on the Cuestars Seniors (40+) Tour after winning his second event of the 2021/22 campaign.
The 54-year-old Wokingham beat first-time finalist Jason Pusser to clinch the fourth leg at Greenbaize Snooker Club, Bournemouth.
Both players agreed to a one-frame shootout for the £100 first prize due to the lateness of the hour.
Wallace, who won the first leg in Fareham last November, recorded the day’s highest break of 69. He now has a healthy 20-point lead in the rankings over the absent John Hunter.
Pusser (Bournemouth) knocked out leg-three runner-up Nick Birney (High Wycombe) 2-1 in the last-four. In the second semi, Wallace chalked up a 2-0 victory over Neil Herd (Frome), who last reached this stage more than three years ago.
Nick Miles (Southampton) qualified for a Seniors Tour knockout for the first time since December, 2015.
The massive field of 26 for the event, sponsored by Martin Rabbets Snooker & Pool Services, returned 18 breaks of more than 40.
Hunter – along with two other top-ten ranked players, Dharminder Lilly and Wayne Townsend – was competing in the World Snooker Federation Championship in Sheffield.
Salisbury Snooker Club hosts the fifth leg of eight on Sunday, March 13.
For more information about the event sponsor, visit www.snookerandpoolservices.co.uk
BREAKS
Martin Wallace: 69, 50, 48.
Steve Wheatland: 64.
Nick Birney: 61, 53.
Alex Greenham: 60.
Dominic Holmes: 57.
Jason Pusser: 56, 55, 53, 52, 47, 46.
Neil Carroll: 51.
Neil Herd: 49, 49.
Darren Johnson: 43.
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP POSITIONS
GROUP A: 1st, Martin Wallace (Crucible, Newbury); 2nd, Nick Birney (High Wycombe Liberal Club); 3rd, Richard Arnold (Salisbury SC); 4th, Steve Read (Chandlers Ford SC).
GROUP B: 1st, Carl Davies (St James Institute, Bournemouth); 2nd, Dean Goodall; 3rd, Steve Wheatland (Chandlers Ford SC); 4th, Wayne Muddiman (Chandlers Ford Central).
GROUP C: 1st, Jason Pusser (St James Institute, Bournemouth); 2nd, Steve Ashton (Salisbury SC); 3rd, Darren Johnson (Petersfield Bowls & SC); 4th, Gareth Samuel (Lytchett United RBL).
GROUP D: 1st, Alex Greenham (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 2nd, Carl Groves (Bournemouth); 3rd, Mark England; 4th, Kevin Collins (Jesters, Swindon).
GROUP E: 1st, Andrew Darken (Feltham Constitutional Club); 2nd, Neil Carroll (Chandlers Ford SC); 3rd, Nick Miles (Cue T’s, Marchwood); 4th, Will Brown (Salisbury SC); 5th, Peter Ebbins (Greenbaize, Bournemouth).
GROUP F: 1st, Neil Herd (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Dominic Holmes (Sovereign SC, Farnborough); 3rd, Shane Hatfield (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 4th, Frank Gumbrell (Salisbury SC); 5th, Aaron Downey (Sovereign SC, Farnborough).
KNOCKOUT RESULTS
LAST-16 (10 pts): Wallace 2-0 Miles, Goodall 2-0 Groves, Herd 2-1 Ashton, Hatfield 2-1 Darken, Pusser 2-1 Wheatland, Holmes 2-0 Greenham, Birney 2-1 Carroll, Johnson 2-1 Davies.
QUARTER-FINALS (12 pts, £10): Wallace 2-0 Goodall, Herd 2-1 Hatfield, Pusser 2-1 Holmes, Birney 2-0 Johnson.
SEMI-FINALS (15 pts, £30): Wallace 2-0 Herd, Pusser 2-1 Birney.
FINAL (25/18 pts, £100/£60): Wallace 1-0 Pusser.
Picture: Martin Wallace (left) and Jason Pusser