Ten-year-old ends four-year wait for first winner’s trophy

WILLIAM Thomson has been waiting nearly four years for this moment.

The ten-year-old from Eastleigh claimed his first Cuestars winner’s trophy in the fourth leg at Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon.

Thomson, a battle-hardened veteran of the under-21 circuit, made his debut in January, 2019, at the tender age of six. This was his 27th junior ranking event.

He beat his Chandlers Ford clubmate Asten Sahota 2-1 in the final of the Silver Tour event.

Thomson made a 39 break early in the third-frame decider. His 11-year-old opponent chipped away at the lead but rattled a do-or-die blue down the side cushion about a foot from the pocket. This left Thomson an easy blue and pink to win.

He also had a tough battle against Cuestars debutant Ivan Au Yeung (Exeter) in the semi-finals.

Au Yeung led in the decider. Thomson clawed back the deficit, escaped an in-off on the pink by the width of a jaw and rolled the black in along the top cushion.

Earlier, Ayan Roy (London) recorded his highest Cuestars break of 28 in the round-robin group stage.

Sahota (Southampton) jointly leads the rankings with Samuel Laxton (Portsmouth) after beating his title rival 2-0 in the last four. Harry Wyatt (Ferndown), sidelined with a broken bone in his wrist, is third. Thomson moves up to fourth.

Thomson joined the Eastleigh & District Under-13 League at Chandlers Ford SC two months before his fifth birthday. He made a 32 break in the Christmas Cup at the age of six – three days before his Cuestars debut.

His first half-century came at the age of eight. His highest competitive break now is 72.

And he’s also a dab hand at the three-ball game. In April this year, he became the youngest winner of the 100-year-old English Under-16 Billiards Championship.

The event was sponsored by Don Rogers Sports (www.donrogerssports.co.uk), Clean-Cut (www.clean-cut.co.uk) and Jesters Snooker Club (www.jesterssnooker.co.uk).

The fifth legs of ten on Sunday, January 8, are split between two clubs. Top Spot Snooker Club, Havant, hosts the Bronze Tour while Silver and Gold will be at Waterlooville Sports Bar.

BREAKS

William Thomson: 39.
Samuel Laxton: 39.
Ayan Roy: 28.

SILVER RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Samuel Laxton (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 2nd, Ivan Au Yeung (Allstars Sports Bar, Exeter); 3rd, Zain Jeraj (London Snooker, Tooting); 4th, Dylan Beer (Chandlers Ford SC); 5th, Caden Read (Chandlers Ford SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, William Thomson (Chandlers Ford SC); 2nd, Asten Sahota (Chandlers Ford SC); 3rd, Mason Wilson (Crucible, Newbury); 4th, Daniel Walter (Mayfair, Gosport); 5th, Ayan Roy (Frames, Coulsdon); 6th, Ryan Spratt (Chandlers Ford SC).

SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Thomson 2-1 Au Yeung, Sahota 2-0 Laxton.

FINAL (25/18 points): Thomson 2-1 Sahota.

Picture, from left: William Thomson, Jesters owner Brad Baker, Asten Sahota.