Jesters re-crowned Team Challenge kings
FOUR Swindon teenagers have continued the dominance of Jesters Snooker Hall in the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Team Challenge.
And two of the victorious side from the last tournament more than three-and-a-half years ago again collected winner’s trophies in the revival event.
Jesters Aces proved too strong for the Greenbaize Giants in the final at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club.
Doubles pairing Conor Flanagan, 17, and Troy Bodman, 19, wrapped up a 4-2 victory, a repeat of the group-stage result.
Skipper Josh Lee – who along with Bodman and Jamie Perry, won the last (three-man) team challenge in February, 2011 – described the final as “close”.
Ollie Parsons, 17, completed the awesome foursome of Gold Tour players.
Reflecting on the day, Lee said: “It was good. There was some good snooker.”
And explaining Jesters’ record in these events, the 17-year-old added: “We’ve all been playing from such a young age. We all grew up together.
“And we’ve all played against better people as we got older.”
The Aces are now targeting the next event at their home club on March 29.
The five teams played a round-robin with the top two qualifying for the final. Each match consisted of four singles and two doubles frames. Drawn matches were settled by a one-frame tie-breaker.
Gold Tour players competed off scratch, Silver off 14 and Bronze off 28.
Only two Silver players were present: Reece King and Nat Kidner, both from Greenbaize, Bournemouth.
And the only all-Bronze side, Chandler’s Ford Bronze Boyz, have had less than a year’s experience each on the Cuestars circuit.
BREAKS
Mickey Joyce (Gold): 47, 32.
Troy Bodman (Gold): 44, 37, 32, 30.
Bradley Chappell (Gold): 44.
Ollie Parsons (Gold): 43.
Steven Hughes (Bronze): 24.
RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP: 1st, Jesters Aces; 2nd, Greenbaize Giants; 3rd, Bournemouth Babes; 4th, Chandler’s Ford Bronze Boyz; 5th, Chandler’s Ford All Stars.
FINAL: Jesters Aces beat Greenbaize Giants 4-2.
TEAMS (G=GOLD, S=SILVER, B=BRONZE)
CHANDLER’S FORD BRONZE BOYZ: Steven Hughes (B, capt), Oliver Sykes (B), Connor Benzey (B), Bowen Zhu (B).
JESTERS ACES: Josh Lee (G, capt), Conor Flanagan (G), Troy Bodman (G), Ollie Parsons (G).
BOURNEMOUTH BABES: Brad Chappell (G, capt), Adam Cowdroy (B), Reece King (S), Anthony Church (G).
GREENBAIZE GIANTS: Mark Wells (G, capt), Bradley Cowdroy (G), Nat Kidner (S), David O’Callaghan (B).
CHANDLER’S FORD ALL STARS: Austen Petty (G, capt), Jamie Wilson (G), Mickey Joyce (G), Charlie Pringle (B).
PICTURE BY TIM DUNKLEY
CHAMPIONS: Jesters Aces, from left: Ollie Parsons, Conor Flanagan, Troy Bodman, Josh Lee.
Report by Tim Dunkley.