Thanks, bro

WORDS of advice from his older brother helped Oliver Sykes win his first tournament on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Silver Tour.

The ten-year-old from Chandler’s Ford (pictured) climbed to within one point of top spot after accounting for David Rice, 21, 2-0 in the final at Fareham Snooker Club.

Sykes took the first frame on the black and accepted his opponent’s concession in the second with one red left on the table and just enough points available to win.

He did most of the damage with a 28 break that included an outrageous pink from its spot into the yellow pocket followed by a plant.

“I’m pretty happy,” said the young star, who had lost 2-0 to Rice in the group stages.

But he admitted: “I wanted to carry on because I was playing really well and I wanted to pot some more balls,”

Sykes – who had beaten two of his Chandler’s Ford clubmates in the earlier rounds, Connor Benzey (Eastleigh) 2-1 and Olly Gibbs (Gosport) 2-0 – revealed that his 17-year-old sibling Dan, who made it a family double by winning the Gold final, had dispensed some words of wisdom before the trip along the M27.

“I said today I want to try to get my highest break (which currently stands at 52),” he explained. “But Daniel said ‘I wouldn’t worry about getting your highest break, I’d worry about trying to win’.”

Rice (Fordingbridge), who turns out for Super League leaders Churchills A, had beaten Charlie Pringle (Chandler’s Ford) 2-1 from 1-0 down in the last-four.

Bristol’s Aidan Murphy, 11, compiled his highest competitive break of 55 in a 2-1 defeat by Benzey in his final group-stage match. It proved to be the highest break of the day across all three categories.

Just six points separate the top six which sets up an interesting last two events.

Rankings leader Steven Hughes (Chandler’s Ford) crashed out in the group stages but remains top – by one point from Sykes and Murphy. Benzey and Rice are three points further back and two ahead of Gibbs.

The seventh leg of eight is at Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon, on Sunday, April 10.

BREAKS

Aidan Murphy: 55.
Olly Gibbs: 41.
James Beaven: 36, 35.
Steven Hughes: 36.
David Rice: 30.

SILVER RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Olly Gibbs (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, Charlie Pringle (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Harry Jones (Frames, Coulsdon); 4th, Adam Cowdroy (Greenbaize, Bournemouth).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Connor Benzey (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, Aidan Murphy (Bristol Conservative Club); 3rd, Kaine Petty (Salisbury SC); 4th, Keegan Reed (Salisbury SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, David Rice (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Oliver Sykes (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Ally Pollard (Salisbury SC); 4th, Steven Hughes (Chandler’s Ford SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, David O’Callaghan (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 2nd, Drew Hampshire (147 SC, Swindon); 3rd, James Beaven (Frames Sports Bar, Coulsdon); 4th, Nat Kidner (Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth).

QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Gibbs 2 Hampshire 1, Sykes 2 Benzey 1, Rice 2 Murphy 1, Pringle 2 O’Callaghan 0.

SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Sykes 2 Gibbs 0, Rice 2 Pringle 1.

FINAL (25/18 points): Sykes 2 Rice 0.

Oliver Sykes picture by Tim Dunkley.