Hubba Bubba Kid II

BRISTOL ten-year-old Aidan Murphy admitted it was “hard work” breaking the back of his opponent in their second successive final clash on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Bronze Tour.

The Hubba Bubba Kid, who chews bubblegum during his matches, fought back from 1-0 down to see off Steven Hughes 2-1 in the third leg at the Greenbaize Snooker Club in Bournemouth.

Murphy (pictured) left the Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club teenager chasing snookers on the colours in the second frame and cleared the colours in the decider after Hughes wobbled the green.

In Swindon last month, Murphy beat Hughes 2-0 in the final but lost to the 13-year-old in the group stages in Bournemouth.

Despite insisting that competing on the junior tour is “pretty hard”, Murphy, who is based at Bristol Conservative Club, is now the overall rankings leader.

Five days before his ninth birthday, Oliver Sykes (Chandler’s Ford SC) won all four group matches to qualify for the knockout for the first time in his debut season.

Chloe White (pictured below), from Copnor SC, Portsmouth, the only girl among the 47-strong field for the three tournaments, won her group on her Cuestars debut before going out to Murphy in the last-eight.

Her brother Callum went one step further, losing to Hughes in the semis after surviving a three-way play-off in his group.

The fourth leg of eight is at Woking Snooker Centre on Sunday, January 4.

BREAKS

Aidan Murphy: 22, 20.
David Rice: 22.
Oliver Sykes: 21.

BRONZE RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Oliver Sykes (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, Keegan Reed (Salisbury SC); 3rd, Ozzy Rea (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 4th, Albert Warren (Salisbury SC); 5th, Harry Wilson (Copnor SC, Portsmouth).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Steven Hughes (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, Aidan Murphy (Bristol Conservative Club); 3rd, Ben Hatch (Eastleigh); 4th, Oli Line (Chandler’s Ford SC); 5th, Lewis Wilson (Copnor SC, Portsmouth).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Chloe White (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 2nd, Adam Cowdroy (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 3rd, David O’Callaghan (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 4th, Charlie Pringle (Chandler’s Ford SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, David Rice (Fordingbridge); 2nd, Callum White (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 3rd, Connor Benzey (Chandler’s Ford SC); 4th, Connor Shaw (Greenbaize, Bournemouth).

QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Callum White beat Sykes 1-0, Murphy beat Chloe White 1-0, Hughes beat Cowdroy 1-0, Rice beat Reed 1-0.

SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Murphy beat Rice 1-0, Hughes beat Callum White 1-0.

FINAL (25/18 points): Murphy beat Hughes 2-1.

Report and picture by Tim Dunkley.