Riley leads Silver rankings after Coulsdon success

WILTSHIRE potter Riley Ellis has taken over top spot on the Cuestars Under-21 Silver Tour after collecting his second winner’s trophy of the season in London.

The 14-year-old from Clyffe Pypard overcame first-time finalist Richard Hillgrove (Southend) 2-0 in the fourth leg at Frames Sports Bar, Coulsdon.

Ellis, who also won the second leg at Waterlooville Sports Bar, has a slender one-point advantage over Louie Leighton (Basildon).

Reflecting on a weekend beset by car and train problems, the tired teenager said: “It’s been long.”

But Ellis battled hard all day, no more so than in his 2-1 semi-final victory over Will Forster (Gosport).

He won the first frame on the black, lost the next on a re-spotted black after needing snookers and stepped up a gear to cruise through the decider.

Leighton dropped to second after finishing bottom of his four-man round-robin group, in the event sponsored by Frames Sports Bar and Mr Gold, thanks to defeats by Harry Wilson (Havant) and Will Forster (Gosport).

Keegan Reed (Salisbury) was denied a first appearance in a final. A 2-1 defeat by Hillgrove was his sixth semi-final exit.

Ellis – the 2016/17 Bronze Tour rankings champion, who is sponsored by the 147 Snooker Club in Swindon and Save On Tyres – leads Leighton by one point at the top of the rankings.

Leg-three winner Shane Kearns (Swindon), who was beaten 2-1 by Ellis in the last-eight, is third. Hillgrove moves up to fourth.

Chandlers Ford Snooker Club hosts the fifth leg of ten on Sunday, January 6.

For more information about the event sponsors, visit www.framessportsbar.co.uk and contact Mr Gold via [email protected] or ring 07930 355677.

BREAKS

Richard Hillgrove: 37, 31.
Will Forster: 31.
Zak Truscott: 30.

SILVER RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Will Forster (Mayfair, Gosport); 2nd, Harry Wilson (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 3rd, Dean Russell (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 4th, Louie Leighton (Basildon SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Keegan Reed (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Shane Kearns (Jesters SC, Swindon); 3rd, Oliver Cooper (Frames, Coulsdon); 4th, Callum White (Waterlooville Sports Bar).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Richard Hillgrove (Basildon SC); 2nd, Mason Wilson (Academy, Basingstoke); 3rd, Zak Truscott (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 4th, O’Shay Scott (Chandlers Ford SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Riley Ellis (147 SC, Swindon); 2nd, Kaine Petty (Salisbury SC); 3rd, Nat Kidner (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 4th, Samuel Laxton (Waterlooville Sports Bar).

QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Forster 2-0 M Wilson, Ellis 2-1 Kearns, Reed 2-1 Petty, Hillgrove 2-0 H Wilson.

SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Ellis 2-1 Forster, Hillgrove 2-1 Reed.

FINAL (25/18 points): Ellis 2-0 Hillgrove.

Picture by Tim Dunkley. From left: Richard Hillgrove, Frames owner Tony Thompson, Riley Ellis

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Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)