Masterclass
BILLY Castle thrilled the watching, wide-eyed youngsters with a century break en route to winning the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Gold Tour fifth leg at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club.
The 20-year-old, who is based at Cue T’s Snooker Lounge in Marchwood, wrapped up his 3-1 semi-final victory over Lee Bell with a wonderful 100.
Earlier, he missed a doubled red into the middle on 99 with 142 on in the group stages against Ben Tanner (Eastleigh).
And in a lightning-fast final against Rikki Moore (Bournemouth), he compiled breaks of 70, 49 and missed a doubled red on 92 in the third frame.
Speaking after his 3-0 victory, Castle said: “I try my best. I like people watching me. I play even better. There’s no better feeling than people watching you when you’re playing well.
“I scored heavy today. I think I had ten breaks over 50. So it’s not bad going.”
Silver Tour player Cameron Gillon declared: “It was the best snooker I’ve ever seen. Also the first century I’ve seen made in person.”
Castle – who has competed on the Cuestars circuit for many years, played for England and reached the quarter-finals of the IBSF World Championship in Bulgaria last year – had this advice for those hoping to follow in his footsteps: “Just make sure you keep enjoying it and work hard. Everything else will come.”
In a remarkable display of dominating break-building, Castle dropped only one of his 17 frames – against Bell (Woolston Social Club) in the last-four.
Runaway rankings leader Thomas Lancastle failed to make the final for the first time this season.
The 16-year-old, who hails from Eastville SC, finished fourth in his group.
Oliver Parsons’ 3-2 defeat by Moore, winner in Swindon last month, was the third semi-final exit this season for the Jesters teenager.
The sixth of the eight legs is at the South West Snooker Academy, Gloucester, on Sunday, March 3.
BREAKS
Billy Castle: 100, 99, 92, 88, 82, 70, 64, 50, 50, 50, 49.
Rikki Moore: 78.
Sonnie O’Sullivan: 41.
GOLD RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Billy Castle (Cue T’s, Marchwood); 2nd, Oliver Parsons (Jesters, Swindon); 3rd, Sonnie O’Sullivan (Liberal Club, High Wycombe); 4th, Stuart Scott (Romford SC); 5th, Josh Lee (Jesters, Swindon); 6th, Ben Tanner (Eastleigh).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Rikki Moore (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 2nd, Lee Bell (Woolston Social Club); 3rd, Troy Bodman (Jesters, Swindon); 4th, Thomas Lancastle (Eastville SC, Bristol); 5th, Sam Storey (Crucible, Newbury).
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Castle beat Bell 3-1, Moore beat Parsons 3-2.
FINAL (25/18 points): Castle beat Moore 3-0.
Fourth time lucky
FINALLY. That was teenager Dan Knox’s reaction after claiming his first winner’s trophy on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Silver Tour.
Appearing in his fourth final, the three-time runner-up from Ascot overcame Nathan Farmer (Stoke SC, Gosport) 2-1 to emerge triumphant from the fifth leg at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club.
“I was sure it was going to come eventually,” declared a beaming Knox, who is based at Woking Snooker Centre.
However, the 16-year-old was forced to scrap for every inch of ground in his quest for silverware.
After ending home player Mike Trigg’s bid for a first semi-final spot, Knox took on Mark Lloyd (Stoke SC, Gosport).
Trailing 1-0, he cleared the last four colours to level and pipped Lloyd on the final black in the decider, which appeared not to amuse the former rankings leader.
“I thought I was out so many times in that match,” admitted Knox.
And, again, he lost the first frame in the final. But as the clock struck 9pm, Farmer was chasing snookers with two reds left in the decider.
Knox, now two points clear at the top from Lloyd, said: “I was feeling confident right from the beginning of the frame.
“In the first frame he was potting everything but in the second he started missing. I thought I could probably put a bit of pressure on him. He got a bit agitated and I just tried to hold it together.
“There were a few times when I thought if I pot this and a colour then he’ll need snookers. Then I missed it. But eventually I got it.”
The sixth of the eight legs is at the South West Snooker Academy, Gloucester, on Sunday, March 3.
BREAKS
James Budd: 46.
Dan Knox: 32.
Cameron Gillon: 31.
SILVER RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Mark Lloyd (Stoke SC, Gosport); 2nd, James Budd (Stoke SC, Gosport); 3rd, Daniel Carr (Hailsham Memorial Institute, East Sussex); 4th, Connor McLean (Hailsham Memorial Institute, East Sussex); 5th, Paul Ives (Liberal Club, High Wycombe).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Mike Trigg (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, Daniel Hall (Jesters, Swindon); 3rd, Cameron Gillon (Stoke SC, Gosport); 4th, Grant Black (Stoke SC, Gosport).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Stewart Ball (Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth); 2nd, Dan Knox (Woking SC); 3rd, Karl Eggar (Stoke SC, Gosport); 4th, Jasmine Bolsover (Woking SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Nathan Farmer (Stoke SC, Gosport); 2nd, Cameron Holt (Liberal Club, High Wycombe); 3rd, Olly Clark (Chandler’s Ford SC); 4th, Bradley Cowdroy (Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth).
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Lloyd beat Holt 2-0, Knox beat Trigg 2-0, Ball beat Hall 2-0, Farmer beat Budd 2-1.
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Farmer beat Ball 2-0, Knox beat Lloyd 2-1.
FINAL (25/18 points): Knox beat Farmer 2-1.
I owe it all to Rosie
SIX months’ hard work paid off for Swindon teenager Conor Flanagan in the fifth leg of the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Bronze Tour.
Flanagan insisted his coach Paul Rose deserved the credit following a 1-0 victory over Thomas Holton (Woking SC) in the final at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club.
The new rankings leader beat his highest match break not once but twice during the day’s action and repeated his feat at Woking in November by ending the day without losing a frame.
Reflecting on his victory over Holton, the 15-year-old from Jesters Snooker Hall said: “My potting really took toll and I played really well in the final. I was really chuffed.”
Turning to his coach, Flanagan added: “(Paul’s) done me good. My game’s come on so much in the last six months.
“It’s my third trophy, my third final, I’m top of the leader board.
“I owe it all to him.”
Flanagan upped his personal best break to 28 and then 31 in the round-robin group stages.
He them accounted for Mickey Joyce (Chandler’s Ford SC), winner of the previous two tournaments, in the quarter-finals and first-time semi-finalist Callum McDonald (Salisbury SC).
The sixth of the eight legs is at the South West Snooker Academy, Gloucester, on Sunday, March 3.
BREAKS
Conor Flanagan: 31, 28, 21, 21, 20.
BRONZE RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Kaine Petty (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Callum McDonald (Salisbury SC); 3rd, Liam Day (Chandler’s Ford SC); 4th, Jordan Lee (Woking SC); 5th, Allistair Pollard (Salisbury SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Canberk Benning (147 SC, Swindon); 2nd, Mickey Joyce (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Matt Gillon (Stoke SC, Gosport); 4th, Karan Chadda (Chandler’s Ford SC); 5th, Edward James (Woking SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st; Conor Flanagan (Jesters, Swindon); 2nd, Luke Beebe (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Joe Kitchen (Stoke SC, Gosport); 4th, Ben Tillison (Copnor SC, Portsmouth).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Jamie Wilson (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, Thomas Holton (Woking SC); 3rd, Daniel Compton (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 4th, Bradley Lane (Copnor SC, Portsmouth).
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Holton beat Petty 1-0, Benning beat Beebe 1-0, Flanagan beat Joyce 1-0, McDonald beat Wilson 1-0.
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Holton beat Benning 1-0, Flanagan beat McDonald 1-0.
FINAL (25/18 points): Flanagan beat Holton 1-0.
Troy claims Plate trophy
SWINDON’S Troy Bodman knocked in a 30 break in his Plate final victory over Connor McLean (Hailsham Memorial Institute, East Sussex).
PLATE RESULTS (ONE-FRAME MATCHES)
LAST-16: Daniel Carr (Hailsham Memorial Institute, East Sussex) beat Josh Lee (Jesters, Swindon), Connor McLean (Hailsham Memorial Institute, East Sussex) beat Thomas Lancastle (Eastville SC, Bristol), Olly Clark (Chandler’s Ford SC) beat Bradley Cowdroy (Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth), Liam Day (Chandler’s Ford SC) beat Karan Chadda (Chandler’s Ford SC), Allistair Pollard (Salisbury SC) beat Karl Eggar (Stoke SC, Gosport), Troy Bodman (Jesters, Swindon) beat Grant Black (Stoke SC, Gosport).
QUARTER-FINALS: Carr beat Matt Gillon (Stoke SC, Gosport), McLean beat Cameron Gillon (Stoke SC, Gosport), Day beat Clark, Bodman beat Pollard.
SEMI-FINALS: McLean beat Carr, Bodman beat Day.
FINAL: Bodman beat McLean.
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Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)