Gola takes Silver lead with two to play

DONNIE Gola rose from his sick bed to take pole position on the Cuestars Under-21 Silver Tour.

Back-to-back tournament wins have taken the 16-year-old from Kings Cross ahead of Mason Wilson with two events remaining.

Gola, who triumphed last month in Woking, beat Daniel Walter (Portsmouth) 2-1 from 1-0 down in the final of the eighth leg on a professional standard Star table at Fareham Snooker Club

“It was a tough game, especially the third frame,” he said.

And Gola revealed that he hadn’t played at all in the week leading up to the tournament.

“I was ill,” he said. “I was bed-bound at home. I couldn’t practise.”

Ben Scammell (Amesbury) made the last-four in a fine run on his Silver debut, eventually losing in a third-frame decider to 19-year-old Walter.

Tyler Beer (Eastleigh) recorded his highest break of 46 in his group-stage victory over Willian Hurley (Rayleigh).

Gola is seven points ahead of beaten semi-finalist Wilson (Basingstoke). Hurley, who recorded the day’s highest break of 48, is 12 points further back. Walter is fourth.

The event was sponsored by Fareham SC (farehamsnooker.co.uk) and snookerdad Ian Walter.

Chandlers Ford Snooker Club hosts the ninth leg of ten on Sunday, April 7.

BREAKS

William Hurley: 48.
Tyler Beer: 46(PB).
Donnie Gola: 45, 43.
Christopher Woodward: 37.

SILVER RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Ellise Scott (Chandlers Ford SC); 2nd, Mason Wilson (Academy, Basingstoke); 3rd, Christopher Woodward (Chandlers Ford SC); 4th, Gus Walker (Castle SC, Brighton).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Donnie Gola (Mildmay Club); 2nd, Lennon Savage (Salisbury SC); 3rd, Ben Scammell (Salisbury SC); 4th, Tom McEvoy (Salisbury SC); 5th, Caden Read (Chandlers Ford SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Dylan Beer (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Daniel Walter (Copnor SC); 3rd, Tyler Beer (Salisbury SC); 4th, William Hurley (Lanes Sports Bar, Rayleigh); 5th, Isaac Wong (Southampton).

QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Scammell 2-1 Scott, Walter 2-0 Savage, Gola 2-1 T Beer, Wilson 2-0 D Beer.

SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Walter 2-1 Scammell, Gola 2-1 Wilson.

FINAL (25/18 points): Gola 2-1 Walter.

Picture: Event sponsor Ian Walter (left) and Donnie Gola