Gillon on the brink of Silver success

ONE by one his three title rivals fell by the wayside to leave Gosport teenage Matt Gillon standing alone on the brink of regional glory.

It all fell into place as the 17-year-old (pictured) collected his second winner’s trophy of the season in the penultimate leg of the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Silver Tour.

Callum McDonald was knocked out in the group stages at Fareham Snooker Club, Gillon beat Stoke clubmate Joe Kitchen in the semi-finals for the third time this season and first-time finalist Drew Hampshire accounted for Jasmine Bolsover in the last-eight.

Gillon – who takes a 20-point lead into the eighth and last leg at Salisbury Snooker Club on Sunday, May 3 – said he “hopes” he has done enough after defeating Hampshire (147 Club, Swindon) 2-1 in the final.

He eased through the first and third frames but was undone by good safety play in the second.

“There was nothing I could do,” admitted Gillon. “I’m awful against tactical (play).”

And he added: “Well done to Drew. It’s good to see him in a final.”

Reflecting on the title race, he said: “I always expect Callum to go through because he’s a good player. He used to beat me in Bronze quite a lot.”

And he said he was pleased to see Bolsover go out because he “can’t beat” the 15-year-old from Woking SC who joins 36 other female cueists from around the globe in Leeds next weekend for the women’s world championships.

Kitchen’s fourth semi-final exit in a row takes him up to second, 20 points adrift of Gillon and two points ahead of one-time rankings leader McDonald (Salisbury SC).

SILVER RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Matt Gillon (Stoke SC, Gosport); 2nd, Reece King (Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth); 3rd, Drew Hampshire (147 SC, Swindon); 4th, Nat Kidner (Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth); 5th, Ally Pollard (Salisbury SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Kaine Petty (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Jasmine Bolsover (Woking SC); 3rd, Lee Fitzpatrick (Totton Rec); 4th, Abhay Chopra (Chandler’s Ford SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Olly Gibbs (Stoke SC, Gosport); 2nd, Joe Kitchen (Stoke SC, Gosport); 3rd, Callum McDonald (Salisbury SC); 4th, Bradley Hatch (Eastleigh).

QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Gillon 2 Fitzpatrick 0, Kitchen 2 Petty 1, Gibbs 2 King 1, Hampshire 2 Bolsover 0.

SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Gillon 2 Kitchen 1, Hampshire 2 Gibbs 1.

FINAL (25/18 points): Gillon 2 Hampshire 1.

Report and picture by Tim Dunkley.