Plummer closer to first title in final year

BACK-to-back tournament wins has extended Evan Plummer’s lead at the top of the Cuestars Under-21 Gold Tour rankings.

The 20-year-old from Coulsdon collected his second successive winner’s trophy in south London.

Plummer pocketed £100 in prize money after beating Ronnie Sullivan (Chipstead) 3-0 in the final of the sixth leg on home tables at Frames Sports Bar, Coulsdon.

“It wasn’t the best game in the world,” he said. “It was quite scrappy. That’s how it goes sometimes.”

Reflecting on the day, he added: “It’s match practice on top-quality tables against good opponents.”

The left-hander now has a 36-point advantage over John Donovan (Camden Town) with four events remaining in his final season on the junior circuit.

Londoner Lee Whaley, making his first start of the season, recorded the day’s highest break of 89 in the round-robin group stage of the event sponsored by Frames Sports Bar.

Plummer said: “I played Lee in the groups and he flew against me. He was brilliant. His cue-ball control and touch was really impressive.”

Simon Bubb (Ealing Common) made the last-four for the first time this season. Will Forster (Wickham), the other losing semi-finalist, moved up to third place in the rankings.

Woking Snooker Centre hosts the seventh leg of ten on Sunday, February 18.

For more information about the event sponsor, go to framessportsbar.com.

BREAKS

Lee Whaley: 89.
Evan Plummer: 83, 42.
Will Forster: 52.
Ronnie Sullivan: 50.

GOLD RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP: 1st, Evan Plummer (Frames, Coulsdon); 2nd, Lee Whaley (Hurricane Room, Kings Cross); 3rd, Elliott Johnson (Hurricane Room, Kings Cross); 4th, Riley Ellis (Chandlers Ford SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Ronnie Sullivan (Chipstead); 2nd, William Thomson (Chandlers Ford SC); 3rd, Zain Jeraj (London Snooker, Tooting); 4th, Ryan Spratt (Chandlers Ford SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Simon Bubb (Gunnersbury Triangle Club); 2nd, Will Forster (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 3rd, Asten Sahota (Chandlers Ford SC); 4th, Jacob Boyle (Mackintosh Sports Club, Cardiff).

QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Plummer 2-0 Sahota, Forster 2-1 Thomson, Sullivan 2-0 Johnson, Bubb 2-1 Whaley.

SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Plummer 2-0 Forster, Sullivan 2-0 Bubb.

FINAL (£100/£25, 25/18 points): Plummer 3-0 Sullivan.

Pictured, from left: Evan Plummer, Frames Sports Bar owner and competition sponsor Tony Thompson, Ronnie Sullivan.