Cowdroy may not need his back-up plan
BRADLEY Cowdroy may be focusing on his “back-up” plan but it’s not doing his snooker any harm.
The 16-year-old from Bournemouth leads the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Gold Tour after claiming his fourth winner’s trophy of the season.
In a battle of the left-handers, Cowdroy beat Oliver Sykes 2-0 to clinch the ninth leg at the 147 Snooker Club, Swindon.
Both finalists recently earned promotion to the national under-21 circuit, the EASB Premier Junior Tour.
Cowdroy took the first frame on the black and a 46 break in the second left his 12-year-old opponent from Chandler’s Ford requiring snookers with three reds left.
“Oliver almost did a really good clearance to go 1-0 up and for me to nick that after he missed the black was massive,” he said.
Cowdroy, who lost 2-0 to Sykes in their first round-robin match of the day, reckons he’s not the quickest out of the blocks.
“It started off not great,” he said. “I always start off slow but somehow managed to get my game together and started to play some decent stuff.”
He added that travelling all over the country on the Premier Tour will be a “nightmare” but he’s “looking forward” to it.
However, with his GCSEs looming large on the horizon, the Greenbaize Snooker Club will be seeing less of the talented teenager for a couple of months.
“After I get my exams out of the way, I’m going to fully focus on snooker over the summer,” he vowed.
“I’m going to properly knuckle down to practise and try to keep my place next season and try to build from there.
“Snooker’s always been number one for me, and I still believe that can happen, but you always need a back-up.”
Connor Benzey (Eastleigh) recorded the day’s highest break of 80 against Evan Plummer (Coulsdon) in the group stages of the event sponsored by Swindon-based Smarter Cuesports.
Sykes knocked in a 76 in his 2-0 last-four victory over Anthony Rice (Fordingbridge).
Mickey Joyce (Basingstoke), smart in his England waistcoat, was beaten 2-1 by Cowdroy in the second semi.
Cowdroy takes a 15-point lead over Aidan Murphy (Bristol) into the tenth and final leg at Chandlers Ford Snooker Club on Sunday, May 6. Rice is three points further back in third.
“It’s always nice to have the lead going into the last event because whatever happens is totally within my hands,” said Cowdroy.
BREAKS
Connor Benzey: 80, 52, 43.
Oliver Sykes: 76, 53.
Bradley Cowdroy: 71, 46, 40.
Aidan Murphy: 52.
GOLD RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Anthony Rice (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Mickey Joyce (Academy, Basingstoke); 3rd, Connor Benzey (Chandlers Ford SC); 4th, Evan Plummer (Frames, Coulsdon); 5th, Dan Sykes (Chandlers Ford SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Oliver Sykes (Chandlers Ford SC); 2nd, Bradley Cowdroy (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 3rd, Olly Gibbs (Chandlers Ford SC); 4th, Jamie Wilson (Waterlooville Sports Bar).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Aidan Murphy (Fishponds Cons Club, Bristol); 2nd, Steven Hughes (Chandlers Ford SC); 3rd, Ryan Hughes (Chandlers Ford SC); 4th, Elliott Weston (Top Spot, Havant).
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Rice 2-1 Gibbs, O Sykes 2-1 Benzey, Cowdroy 2-1 Murphy, Joyce 2-0 S Hughes.
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): O Sykes 2-0 Rice, Cowdroy 2-1 Joyce.
FINAL (£65/£32.50, 25/18 points): Cowdroy 2-0 O Sykes.
Picture by Tim Dunkley
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Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)