Swaffield keeps up the pressure

A SALISBURY cueman has upped his bid to land a snooker title founded a decade ago in memory of his late teammate Graham Lee.

Richard Swaffield is one point off top spot in the Cuestars South Wilts Snooker League following a solid display of matchplay at Salisbury Snooker Club.

Two black-ball games gave Swaffield a 2-0 lead over Steve Ashton. The 42-year-old compiled a 39 break in response to his opponent’s 43 in the first frame and crafted a 48 clearance from 38 points behind in the next.

After Ashton squared the match, clever snookering from Swaffield in the decider clinched a 3-2 victory.

Ashton said: “It was an enjoyable, good-quality contest.”

Neil Herd (Frome, Somerset) beat Paul Burt (Britford) 4-1 to jointly top the table with defending champion John Hunter (Andover), who saw off Richard Arnold by the same scoreline.

Arnold took advantage of an error by Hunter and cleared well from brown to black to take the first frame but failed to further impose himself on the match when his opponent just nicked the second.

Hunter grew progressively stronger with runs of 45 and 66 and ran out a 4-1 winner.

Alex Thorn (Shrewton) described the final frame of his 3-2 victory over teenager Callum McDonald (Bishopdown) as a “joke”.

He said the “lowlights” included his 15-year-old opponent fluking the yellow, attempting the blue and fluking a full-ball tight snooker behind the black, and fluking the pink off three or four cushions because he hit it so hard.

Anthony Rice (Fordingbridge) defeated Martin Hill (Durrington) 3-2 in a match of two halves.

Rice, who led 3-0, said: “He went on to find some form as I lost mine.”

And Hill added: “He deserved his win, playing some solid stuff. I left it a bit late to get going.”

Results: Richard Arnold 1 John Hunter 4, Martin Hill 2 Anthony Rice 3, Steve Ashton 2 Richard Swaffield 3, AlexThorn 3 Callum McDonald 2, Neil herd 4 Paul Burt 1, Trevor Pittman 5 Ally Pollard 0.

Report by Tim Dunkley.