Richards strikes Gold
CARDIFF’S Chris Richards struck gold at the Cuestars South of England finals days at Jesters Snooker Hall, Swindon.
The 21-year-old declared his victory in the Under-21 Gold Championship final as “my best result of the season”.
Richards, who is based at Roath Labour Club, shaded the highly-rated Billy Castle 3-1 to secure the title.
“He was the favourite,” insisted the Welshman. “I had to give it all I’ve got. I took the first frame on the pink so that gave me a bit of confidence for the rest of the game.”
Castle, from Cue T’s in Marchwood, near Southampton, countered with a 44 break. Then, trailing 2-1, the 18-year-old England international missed a tricky pink to level.
He said: “I was a bit close to the cushion and digging down on the cue-ball. I don’t like those shots and I rattled it. He potted a good long pink and the black.”
A delighted Richards, who finished runner-up in the rankings, said: “It’s got to be my best result of the season.
“I didn’t expect to get to the final. I knew I had the potential to get there. Whether I got there or not was a different story, but I did. I came up against the best player in the tournament and I got a good victory. It’s the best I’ve played for a while.”
Castle added: “I’m a bit disappointed but I’ll get over it. That’s the problem sometimes, you go in as favourite and then you lose. But he deserved it; he played better than me. He potted more balls than me.”
As well as his Championship trophy, Richards collected a John Parris cue and case voucher.
BREAKS
Billy Castle: 70.
Jordan Winbourne: 54, 50.
UNDER-21 GOLD RESULTS
LAST-16: Billy Castle (Cue T’s, Marchwood) beat Danny Tallentire (Player’s, Westbury) 3-0, Jordan Winbourne (Chandler’s Ford SC) beat Bradley Chappell (Greenbaize, Bournemouth) 3-2, Ben Tanner (The Academy, Eastleigh) beat Liam Burnet (The Academy, Eastleigh) 3-1, Lee Carlton (Liberal Club, High Wycombe) beat Lee Bell (The Academy, Eastleigh) 3-0, Chris Richards (Roath Labour Club, Cardiff) beat Lee Warner (Stoke SC, Gosport) 3-0. Byes: Daniel Woods (Chandler’s Ford SC), James Facey (Roath Labour Club, Cardiff), Bouwe Bosma (Chandler’s Ford SC).
QUARTER-FINALS: Castle beat Woods 3-2, Winbourne beat Tanner 3-0, Facey beat Carlton 3-2, Richards beat Bosma 3-1.
SEMI-FINALS: Richards beat Facey 3-0, Castle beat Winbourne 3-1.
FINAL: Richards beat Castle 3-1.
Picture by Kevin Smithers (thesnookerforum.com): Ryan Day and Chris Richards.