White: “I wanted it so bad.”

HAVANT teenager Callum White held his nerve under enormous pressure to sink a re-spotted black and claim a first tournament win on a junior snooker circuit.

 The 16-year-old edged leg-one winner Shane Kearns 2-1 in the final of the second event on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Bronze Tour.

“I wanted it so bad,” declared White, a runner-up twice before.

After taking the first frame on the black in the Attic Life-sponsored event at Salisbury Snooker Club, he was out-gunned in the next by his opponent from Swindon. White then overhauled Kearns’ lead in the decider but the rankings leader potted the black to tie the frame and force a re-spot. Following a tense safety exchange, the left-hander made no mistake when left with a virtually straight two-foot pot into the green pocket.

“It did go right in the middle,” said White. “It was nice to win and hopefully I can get another one. “The final could have gone either way. In the second frame, he destroyed me.”

White – who is based at Copnor SC, Portsmouth, and has started a painting and decorating course at Highbury College – topped his round-robin group and defeated Riley Ellis (Wootton Bassett) 2-0 in the last-four.

Kearns had beaten Essex lad Thomas Saunders 2-1 in the second semi. Saunders, in his debut season, is fourth in the rankings. White climbed to second and Ellis dropped one place to third.

The third leg of ten, sponsored by Tamar Independent Financial Advisers, is at Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon, on Sunday, October 30.

BREAKS

Riley Ellis: 27, 21.

Shane Kearns: 25.

Will Forster: 22, 20.

Chloe White: 22.

BRONZE RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Shane Kearns (Jesters, Swindon); 2nd, Riley Ellis (Jesters, Swindon); 3rd, Will Forster (Mayfair, Gosport); 4th, Arnie Petty (Salisbury SC); 5th, Harry Joyce (Chandler’s Ford SC); 6th, Eddie Mason (Salisbury SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Callum White (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 2nd, Thomas Saunders (Stepfield SC, Witham, Essex); 3rd, Chloe White (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 4th, Oscar Livesey (Nailsea Social Club); 5th, James Woodley (Nailsea Social Club).

SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Kearns 2 Saunders 1, Callum White 2 Ellis 0.

FINAL (25/18 points): Callum White 2 Kearns 1.

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Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)