Former footballer scores on debut
HE IS cueing up for success on the snooker table after being told by his grandad that he’d never make a professional footballer.
Carshalton teenager Ronnie Blake (pictured) made a winning debut on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Gold Tour.
The 19-year-old defeated James Budd (Stoke SC, Gosport), his rival from another circuit, 3-1 in the final of the sixth leg at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club.
Budd, also 19, had beaten Blake 2-1 in the round-robin group stages and is lying second on the EASB Regional Junior Tour South, one point ahead of the Londoner.
He said: “I would like to congratulate Ronnie on his win. He made a great clearance at the end and fully deserved the win.”
Blake, who is coached by Terry Burke at Frames Sports Bar, Coulsdon, said: “Me and (Budd) have tough battles so it’s good to beat him. I didn’t play great. I just dug in and kept it tight.”
Earlier, he edged Bradley Cowdroy (Greenbaize, Bournemouth), who the previous day had reached the semi-finals of the English Under-14 Championship in Leeds, 3-2 in the last-four.
Explaining why he took up the game three years ago, Blake said: “I played football but my grandad (Richard Slade) said I’d never turn professional.
“I gave it up and saw snooker on telly, Ronnie (O’Sullivan) and Neil Robertson.”
And he added with a laugh: “They were knocking in hundred breaks and I thought ‘that looks easy’.”
Beaten semi-finalist Brad Chappell (Greenbaize, Bournemouth) takes over top spot in the rankings from Mark Lloyd (Stoke SC, Gosport), who was otherwise engaged in Leeds qualifying for the final of the English Under-16 Championship.
The seventh leg of eight is at Fareham Snooker Club on Sunday, April 12.
BREAKS
Brad Chappell: 61, 48.
Bradley Cowdroy: 52.
Austen Petty: 43.
Ronnie Blake: 40.
RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Bradley Chappell (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 2nd, Bradley Cowdroy (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 3rd, Anthony Rice (Salisbury SC); 4th, Sam Storey (Crucible, Newbury); 5th, Callum Browne (Player’s, Westbury); 6th, Nathan Farmer (Stoke SC, Gosport).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Ronnie Blake (Frames, Coulsdon); 2nd, James Budd (Stoke SC, Gosport); 3rd, Austen Petty (Chandler’s Ford SC); 4th, Anthony Church (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 5th, Mark Wells (Greenbaize, Bournemouth).
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Budd 3 Chappell 0, Blake 3 Cowdroy 2.
FINAL (£40/£15 25/18 points): Blake 3 Budd 1.
Report and picture by Tim Dunkley.