King on cue for Q School
BOURNEMOUTH teenager Reece King warmed up for the most important event of his snooker career with a first tournament win on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Silver Tour.
The 17-year-old (pictured) defeated Drew Hampshire (Swindon), who also lost the previous final in Fareham, 2-1 in the eighth and last leg at Salisbury Snooker Club.
A runner-up twice in his debut season, King took the lead before sharing two black-ball frames with his opponent.
“It’s nice to get a win,” he said. “In the first frame, I was potting well. In the second, Drew was an absolute machine.
“I thought Drew had it, to be honest. Fair play to him. I hope he does well next season.”
King, who works as a dryliner and is based at Greenbaize Snooker Club, has paid £600 of his own money to enter World Snooker’s Q School where the four semi-finalists from each of the two tournaments earn two-year pro-tour cards.
“I’m buzzing for it,” he said. “I can’t wait. It’s a lot of money but I’ll give it a go.”
Joining King on May 14 at Meadowside Leisure Centre, Burton upon Trent, are Ben Tanner, Adam Bobat, Nick Jennings, Brad Chappell, Billy Castle, Ben Harrison and Mike Finn.
As expected, Matt Gillon (Gosport) was crowned Silver Tour rankings winner. The 17-year-old went out 2-1 to Hampshire in the last-four but had only needed to finish no lower than fourth in his six-man group.
Joe Kitchen (Gosport) secured second spot by one point from King.
Group B contained four of the top-five ranked players – and Ally Pollard (Alderholt), who had never before qualified for the knockout.
But the 18-year-old had not read the script. Advised by nine-year-old Connor Shaw to “believe in yourself”, Pollard won three of his four matches to make the quarter-finals where he lost 2-0 to King.
The top-16 ranked players will be invited to Finals Day on May 17 at Jesters Snooker Hall, Swindon, for the championship play-off. Special guest Joe Perry will present the trophies and play exhibition frames against all the winners.
<b>BREAKS
Lee Fitzpatrick: 43.
Matt Gillon: 38.
Ally Pollard: 32.
Reece King: 30.
<b>SILVER RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Reece King (Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth); 2nd, Matt Gillon (Stoke SC, Gosport); 3rd, Nat Kidner (Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth); 4th, Lee Fitzpatrick (Totton Rec); 5th, Lewis Parnham (SWSA, Gloucester); 6th, Kaine Petty (Salisbury SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Drew Hampshire (147 SC, Swindon); 2nd, Ally Pollard (Salisbury SC); 3rd, Joe Kitchen (Stoke SC, Gosport); 4th, Jasmine Bolsover (Woking SC); 5th, Callum McDonald (Salisbury SC).
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): King 2 Pollard 0, Hampshire 2 Gillon 1.
FINAL (25/18 points): King 2 Hampshire 1.
Report and picture by Tim Dunkley.