Eight-year-old sets Cuestars record

A PINT-sized potter from Sutton has earned a place in the records book of a regional junior snooker circuit that covers central southern England.

Alex Scotney is now the youngest player to collect a winner’s trophy in the 15-year history of the Cuestars Under-21 Bronze Tour.

He beat Harry Wyatt’s record by three months by edging debutant Ben Taylor-Jenkins 2-1 from 1-0 down in the final of the first leg at Salisbury Snooker Club.

Scotney, who clinched a tense deciding frame on the pink, said: “I’m really happy and excited.”

The budding star is coached by Brian Cox at the Surrey Snooker Academy.

Taylor-Jenkins is another product of the Chandlers Ford Snooker Club junior programme. The 13-year-old from Hedge End won the Rotary Summer Cup there and declined a holiday in Spain to attend every single one of the 28 days of competition.

Charlie Ings (Salisbury) and Marshall Denieffe (London) set their stalls out as title contenders by making the last-four for the first time.

Two players beat their highest breaks in the event sponsored by Salisbury SC but, as so often is the case, they both lost that particular frame. Toby Walker (Hove) made a 24 against Sam Borgars (Colchester), who earlier put together a run of 21 against Beibei Ji (Southampton).

Wyatt (Ferndown), now an England international, set the record by winning the third leg of the 2018/19 season at Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon, at the age of eight years and 11 months.

For more information about the event sponsor, visit: salisburysnookerclub.co.uk.

Frame Sports Bar, Coulsdon hosts the second leg of ten on Sunday, October 6.

BREAKS

Marshall Denieffe: 31.
Toby Walker: 24(PB).
Archie Light: 24.
Sam Borgars: 21(PB).
Charlie Ings: 20.

BRONZE RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Beibei Ji (Chandlers Ford SC); 2nd, Charlie Ings (Salisbury SC); 3rd, Sam Borgars (Stepfield SC, Witham); 4th, Alfie Wyatt (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 5th, Toby Walker (Castle SC, Brighton).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Alex Scotney (Surrey Snooker Academy); 2nd, Lewis Thomson (Chandlers Ford SC); 3rd, Archie Light (Chandlers Ford SC); 4th, Jack Miller (Salisbury SC); 5th, Isaac Church (Chandlers Ford SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Aariz Tariq (Welling SC); 2nd, Marshall Denieffe (Hurricane Room, Kings Cross); 3rd, Harry Merwood (Salisbury SC); 4th, Stanley Sims (Woking SC); 5th, Toby Waters (Salisbury SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Ben Taylor-Jenkins (Chandlers Ford SC); 2nd, Kieran Hall (Stepfield SC, Witham); 3rd, Jesse Goncalves (Liss RBL); 4th, Fabian Bernal (Paddock Wood Social Club).

QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Denieffe 2-1 Ji, Taylor-Jenkins 2-0 Thomson, Scotney 2-1 Hall, Ings 2-1 Tariq.

SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Taylor-Jenkins 2-0 Denieffe, Scotney 2-0 Ings.

FINAL (25/18 points): Scotney 2-1 Taylor-Jenkins.