Joyce defeats bogey player to win second successive Cuestars tournament

MICKEY Joyce made it back-to-back tournament wins on the Cuestars circuit with victory in the second leg of the Under-21 Gold Tour at Woking Snooker Centre.

The 18-year-old from Basingstoke collected £100 prize money after a hard-fought 3-2 success in the final over his “bogey” player Oliver Sykes.

He won the first leg of the Championship Tour at Chandlers Ford Snooker Club last month.

“I’m really happy to win them both,” said Joyce.

Reflecting on his battle against Sykes, he added: “It was nerve-racking. It wasn’t really the best of standards but I was happy to get over the line.

“Oliver’s always been my bogey player. We always have tough battles.”

Sykes (Chandler’s Ford) dropped only one frame in four group-stage matches and beat Connor Benzey (Eastleigh) 3-1 in the last-four.

O’Shay Scott (Eastleigh) knocked in a 74 break in a fine group-stage victory over Benzey AND won his round-robin group AND now leads the Gold rankings.

Joyce, who had lost to 15-year-old Sykes in the group stages, recorded the day’s highest break of 86 in his 3-1 last-four victory over 12-year-old Scott.

The previous day, Sykes made two centuries in two frames – including a personal best 133 total clearance – in the Eastleigh & District Under-19 League on home tables at Chandlers Ford SC).

The event was sponsored by Chris Gaynor, who runs snookerzone.co.uk, and his brother-in-law Alex Hoff, boss of helicopter training outfit Hoff Aviation.

Please note date change! Frames Sports Bar, Coulsdon, hosts the third leg of eight on Sunday, January 30. 

BREAKS

Mickey Joyce: 86, 47, 46, 41.
O’Shay Scott: 76, 41.
Oliver Sykes: 71, 52, 52.
Riley Ellis: 57.
Evan Plummer: 54, 52.
Connor Benzey: 53, 53.
William Harrison: 43.

GOLD RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, O’Shay Scott (Chandlers Ford SC); 2nd, Connor Benzey (Chandlers Ford SC); 3rd, William Harrison (Petworth RBL); 4th, Riley Ellis (Chandlers Ford SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Oliver Sykes (Chandlers Ford SC); 2nd, Mickey Joyce (Academy, Basingstoke); 3rd, Evan Plummer (Frames, Coulsdon); 4th, Bradley Cowdroy (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 5th, Shane Kearns (Jesters, Swindon).

SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Joyce 3-1 Scott, Sykes 3-1 Benzey.

FINAL (£100/£25, 25/18 points): Joyce 3-2 Sykes.

Picture, from left: Mickey Joyce, Chris Gaynor, Oliver Sykes.