Comeback kid claims first Silver trophy

AUSTEN Petty’s battling qualities were rewarded with a first winner’s trophy on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Silver Tour.

Twice the 15-year-old from Boyatt Wood (pictured left) fought back from 1-0 down in the final stages of the fifth leg on home tables at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club.

He won the last two frames to account for Joe Kitchen (Stoke SC, Gosport) 2-1 in the last-four and repeated the feat in the final against Nathan Farmer (Stoke SC, Gosport).

“The pressure was off me,” said Petty. “I play a bit better when I’m behind.”

New rankings leader Farmer took the lead by fluking the frame-ball pink into the middle pocket when attempting a snooker.

Petty compiled a 30 break when already 34 points in front in the next and his opponent conceded with three reds left.

And it was all over when Farmer went ‘in-off’ the pink when chasing two snookers in the decider.

“He fouled a few times,” admitted Petty, the 2012 Bronze Tour Champion, who had never previously been past the Silver quarter-finals.

But he added: “After the first frame, I tightened my grip a little bit and it improved from there.”

Petty actually knocked out three Gosport lads as he beat Cameron Gillon 2-0 in the last-eight.

However, he had only scraped through as runner-up in his round-robin group on the head-to-head rule after finishing with an identical record as Jasmine Bolsover (Woking SC).

Now in his second Silver season, Petty also leads the Eastleigh & District Under-18 Premier Division and competes on the EASB Regional Junior Tour.

Elsewhere, Dan Sykes (Chandler’s Ford) was knocked out in the semi-finals by Farmer for the second time this season.

And Joe Kitchen (Stoke SC) qualified for the knockout for the first time and saw off leg-one winner Callum Browne (Player’s Westbury) 2-1 in the quarter-finals.

Deposed rankings leader Mickey Joyce (Chandler’s Ford) crashed out in the group stages.

The sixth leg of eight is at Jesters Snooker Hall, Swindon, on Sunday, March 2.

BREAKS

Bradley Cowdroy: 35.
Callum Browne: 32.
Austen Petty: 30.

SILVER RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Cameron Gillon (Stoke SC, Gosport); 2nd, Nathan Farmer (Stoke SC, Gosport); 3rd, Mickey Joyce (Chandler’s Ford SC); 4th, Karan Chadda (Chandler’s Ford SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Callum Browne (Player’s, Westbury); 2nd, Canberk Benning (Jesters, Swindon); 3rd, Bradley Leishman (Stoke SC, Gosport); 4th, Mike Trigg (Chandler’s Ford SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Dan Sykes (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, Joe Kitchen (Stoke SC, Gosport); 3rd, Jamie Wilson (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 4th, Bradley Cowdroy (Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Matt Gillon (Stoke SC, Gosport); 2nd, Austen Petty (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Jasmine Bolsover (Woking SC); 4th, Thomas Holton (Woking SC).

QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Petty beat C Gillon 2-0, Kitchen beat Browne 2-1, Sykes beat Benning 2-1, Farmer beat M Gillon 2-0.

SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Petty beat Kitchen 2-1, Farmer beat Sykes 2-1.

FINAL (25/18 points): Petty beat Farmer 2-1.

Picture by Tim Dunkley