Late birthday present for Lloyd

ENGLISH Under-16 snooker champion Mark Lloyd dropped just two frames out of 19 to win the second leg of the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Gold Tour.

It was a late birthday present for the Gosport teenager who turned 16 the day before the trip to Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon.

Lloyd took over top spot in the rankings after accounting for Fareham’s James Budd 3-0 in the final.

Earlier, he won all four group-stage matches by 2-0 scorelines, beat Anthony Rice (Fordingbridge) 3-0 in the last-eight and missed out on a century in a 3-2 semi-final victory over Brad Chappell (Poole).

“It would’ve been nice to get the century but I was more focused on getting on with the next frame,” said Lloyd, who broke down on 80 with the six colours left.

And he added: “It was a good day. I felt that I didn’t cue too badly.”

But Lloyd’s break was not the highest of the day. Rice eclipsed that with an 81.

The third leg of eight is at Frames Sports Bar, Coulsdon, on Sunday, December 13.

BREAKS

Anthony Rice: 81 (new Cuestars highest break).
Mark Lloyd: 80 (new Cuestars highest break), 50, 47.
Brad Chappell: 65, 48, 46.
Mickey Joyce: 49, 43.

GOLD RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Brad Chappell (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 2nd, James Budd (Fareham SC); 3rd, Jamie Wilson (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 4th, Jonny Mutch (Cambridge SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Mark Lloyd (Stoke SC, Gosport); 2nd, Reece King (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 3rd, Callum McDonald (Salisbury SC); 4th, Mickey Joyce (Chandler’s Ford SC); 5th, Callum Browne (Player’s, Westbury).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Josh Lee (Jesters, Swindon); 2nd, Anthony Rice (Salisbury SC); 3rd, Dan Sykes (Chandler’s Ford SC); 4th, Mike Trigg (Chandler’s Ford SC).

QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Chappell 3 McDonald 1, Lloyd 3 Rice 0, Budd 3 Lee 1, Wilson 3 King 1.

SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Budd 3 Wilson 1, Lloyd 3 Chappell 2.

FINAL (£45/£20 25/18 points): Lloyd 3 Budd 0.

Picture: Mark Lloyd (left) and James Budd

Report by Tim Dunkley.