Sahota closes the gap on Laxton

ASTEN Sahota took a sizeable chunk out of Samuel Laxton’s lead by winning his second tournament of the season.

The 11-year-old from Southampton is now within five points of top spot on the Cuestars Under-21 Silver Tour with four events remaining.

Sahota, who missed the trip to Waterlooville earlier this month, made up some of the lost ground with victory in the sixth leg at Frames Sports Bar, Coulsdon.

Laxton (Portsmouth) was knocked out in the last-eight by Mason Wilson (Basingstoke).

In his third successive final, Sahota beat his Chandlers Ford clubmate Ryan Spratt 2-0.

Reflecting on the day and paying tribute to his opponent, the budding star with the technique envied by many said: “In the group stage, I was struggling a little bit. I think I played well in the final.

“Ryan played very well in his first final so, hopefully, this will be a breakthrough for him.

Sahota, who beat another clubmate William Thomson in the last-four, reckons the midweek practice session he had with his mentor, Oliver Sykes, helped sharpen him up for this tournament.

The much-improved Spratt enjoyed fine wins over Harry Wyatt (Ferndown) and Wilson to reach his first final. The hard-working 13-year-old from Botley started playing competitive snooker only 15 months ago.

Tom McEvoy (Warminster) qualified for the knockout for the first time since earning promotion from the Bronze Tour at the end of last season.

For more information about Frames Sports Bar, go to www.facebook.com/FramesSportsBarCoulsdon/.

Woking Snooker Centre hosts the seventh leg of ten on Sunday, February 19.

BREAKS

Mason Wilson: 47.
Samuel Laxton: 41, 34.
Ryan Spratt: 38, 34.
Asten Sahota: 30.

SILVER RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Samuel Laxton (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 2nd, William Thomson (Chandlers Ford SC); 3rd, Tom McEvoy (Salisbury SC); 4th, Dylan Beer (Chandlers Ford SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Asten Sahota (Chandlers Ford SC); 2nd, Harry Wyatt (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 3rd, Jack Mullen (Frames, Coulsdon); 4th, Ayan Roy (Frames, Coulsdon).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Zain Jeraj (London Snooker, Tooting); 2nd, Ryan Spratt (Chandlers Ford SC); 3rd, Mason Wilson (Crucible, Newbury); 4th, Caden Read (Chandlers Ford SC).

QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Wilson 2-0 Laxton, Spratt 2-1 Wyatt, Sahota 2-1 McEvoy, Thomson 2-0 Jeraj.

SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Spratt 2-0 Wilson, Sahota 2-0 Thomson.

FINAL (25/18 points): Sahota 2-0 Spratt.