Lloyd claims third win in Havant
ENGLAND Under-18 snooker champion Mark Lloyd used his vast experience of competing nationally and internationally to extend his lead on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Gold Tour.
The 17-year-old from Gosport collected his third winner’s trophy of the season after beating Bradley Cowdroy 2-0 in the final of the sixth leg at Top Spot Snooker Club, Havant.
Lloyd took the first frame with breaks of 35, 32 and 35 and left Cowdroy needing snookers on the colours in the second.
Hard matchplay coupled with fine break building carried the teenager through the event sponsored by Trevor Sanders Snooker & Pool Table Services.
Lloyd, who extracts every ounce from every safety shot in an attempt to create a scoring opportunity, said: “Brad played well all day and I just had to try to find something.
“When you play in the bigger events, you’ve got to sharpen up otherwise you’re going to get punished.
“You have to dig deep when you can because you get players who can actually play.”
Lloyd leads 13-year-old Mickey Joyce (Basingstoke) by 29 points. Beaten semi-finalist Callum Browne climbed one place to third.
Jordan Winbourne (Hedge End), who completed the Gold Tour rankings and championship double in 2009/10, made his first appearance on the junior circuit for more than five years.
But a week before his 21st birthday, there were no happy returns as he went down 2-1 in the last-eight despite his opponent, Connor Benzey (Eastleigh), going in-off the final black in the first frame.
Benzey topped his group by beating Lloyd 2-0 but lost 2-1 from 1-0 up when the pair met again in the semi-finals.
Paying tribute to the 14-year-old, Lloyd said: “Connor literally had me on the ropes. Credit goes to him most of all today.”
Anthony Rice (Fordingbridge) recorded the day’s highest break of 74 in his first group-stage match against Arron Smith (Chichester).
There was play-off drama in the group stages. Oliver Sykes (Chandler’s Ford) won a three-way tiebreak against Browne (Trowbridge) and Mike Trigg (East Wellow) to take the second qualifying spot in his group. Browne then beat Jamie Wilson (Havant) in a tiebreak for the second of the two best third places.
For more information about Trevor Sanders Snooker & Pool Table Services, visit www.sanderspooltables.co.uk/.
The seventh leg of ten is at Fareham Snooker Club on Sunday, February 26.
BREAKS
Anthony Rice: 74, 52.
Mark Lloyd: 58, 55.
Connor Benzey: 50, 46.
Bradley Cowdroy: 54.
Jamie Wilson: 50.
Oliver Sykes: 49.
GOLD RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Bradley Cowdroy (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 2nd, Oliver Sykes (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Callum Browne (Player’s, Westbury); 4th, Mike Trigg (Chandler’s Ford SC); 5th, Olly Gibbs (Chandler’s Ford SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Mickey Joyce (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, Jordan Winbourne (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Steven Hughes (Chandler’s Ford SC); 4th, Anthony Rice (Salisbury SC); 5th, Arron Smith (Selsey RBL, Chichester).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Connor Benzey (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, Mark Lloyd (Stoke SC, Gosport); 3rd, Jamie Wilson (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 4th, Cameron Holt (Liberal Club, High Wycombe).
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Browne 2 Joyce 0, Cowdroy 2 Hughes 1, Benzey 2 Winbourne 1, Lloyd 2 Sykes 0.
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Cowdroy 2 Browne 0, Lloyd 2 Benzey 1.
FINAL (£70/£35, 25/18 points): Lloyd 2 Cowdroy 0.
REFEREE: Steve Toms.
SCORER: Will Forster.
Picture by Tim Dunkley
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Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)