Ryan in seventh heaven
HE’S just a winning machine.
A Chandler’s Ford teenager has made it a staggering seven snooker tournament wins in ten outings on a regional circuit.
Ryan Hughes followed up his success in the opening leg of the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Silver Tour in Woking last month with victory in the second at Salisbury Snooker Club. The 14-year-old defeated Evan Plummer 2-0 in the final of the Attic Life-sponsored event. “Evan didn’t play his best but I think I just played really well throughout the game,” he said.
It was Hughes’ fifth straight Cuestars tournament victory. He wrapped up last season’s Bronze title by winning the final two legs and followed that by clinching the double in the championship play-off on finals day in Swindon. But he struggled to explain where this phenomenal run of form has come from. “I don’t really know,” he said. “I always seem to play better in competitions. I don’t know what it is.”
First-time finalist Plummer recorded a personal best competitive high break of 68 in his 2-1 last-four victory over home player Keegan Reed. The 13-year-old from Coulsdon, south London, earlier topped his round-robin group and overcame Charlie Pringle (Chandler’s Ford) 2-0 in the first knockout round.
David O’Callaghan (Bournemouth), a semi-final casualty for the second leg running, and Pringle are joint second in the rankings, 20 points adrift of Hughes. Harry Jones (Coulsdon) is three points further back in fourth.
The third leg of ten, sponsored by Tamar Independent Financial Advisers, is at Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon, on Sunday, October 30.
BREAKS
Evan Plummer: 68(PB), 37.
Ryan Hughes: 41, 38, 31.
David O’Callaghan: 36, 33.
Charlie Pringle: 31.
Drew Hampshire: 30.
Keegan Reed: 30.
SILVER RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, David O’Callaghan (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 2nd, Nat Kidner (Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth); 3rd, Ally Pollard (Salisbury SC); 4th, Drew Hampshire (147 SC, Swindon).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Ryan Hughes (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, Charlie Pringle (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Harry Jones (Frames, Coulsdon); 4th, Kaine Petty (Salisbury SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Evan Plummer (Frames, Coulsdon); 2nd, Keegan Reed (Salisbury SC); 3rd, Bowen Zhu (Chandler’s Ford SC); 4th, Ben Tillison (Copnor SC, Portsmouth).
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): O’Callaghan 2 Jones 0, Hughes 2 Pollard 0, Plummer 2 Pringle 0, Reed 2 Kidner 1.
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Hughes 2 O’Callaghan 0, Plummer 2 Reed 1.
FINAL (25/18 points): Hughes 2 Plummer 0.
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Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)