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IT’S all “starting to come together now” for Lincoln snooker ace Steven Hallworth.
The 18-year-old reckons confidence and consistency were the key drivers to claiming his first tournament win on the EASB (English Association of Snooker & Billiards) Premier Junior Tour.
Now in his second season on the elite circuit for the country’s top-48 under-21s, Hallworth had never been past the quarter-finals before.
But it all changed in the fourth leg at Frames Sports Bar, Coulsdon, Croydon, last weekend.
A 4-3 victory on the final black against new rankings leader Oliver Lines (Leeds) took Hallworth up to second place and made the teenager £200 richer.
“It was a good weekend for me,” he said.
“I played consistently well throughout. I’ve been working on my game a lot to become more consistent, to play well through the whole tournament and try to win some titles. And it’s starting to come together now.
“Confidence has been an issue previously. But I feel a lot happier with my game and now I’m starting to play a lot better.”
Elsewhere, deposed rankings leader Luke Garland (Dudley, West Mids) failed to escape the group stages.
And 16-year-old Brandon Sargeant (Stoke) impressed by dropping just five frames in his four round-robin victories, recording eight breaks of 50 or more during the two days’ play and winning two knockout matches 4-0 before being overcome 4-0 by Hallworth in the semi-finals.
Ashley Carty (Rotherham) pocketed the £25 high-break prize for a 121 clearance, one of five centuries compiled by England’s finest young players.
There were 63 breaks of 50 or more posted during the event’s 270 frames.
Thanks to tournament director Clive ‘Statto’ Brown, we know that the average frame time was 18.9 minutes during the group stages and 17.8 minutes in the knockout phase.
And Josh Mulholland (Liverpool) took three hours and eight minutes to see off Joe O’Connor (Leicester) 4-3 in the last-16.
The fifth leg of eight is at the Northern Snooker Centre, Leeds, on March 8-9.
Tim Dunkley
EASB Media Officer South and World Snooker coach
The English Association of Snooker & Billiards is the national governing body for the amateur game in this country. For more information about competitions, rankings lists and results, see www.easb.co.uk.
The 18-year-old reckons confidence and consistency were the key drivers to claiming his first tournament win on the EASB (English Association of Snooker & Billiards) Premier Junior Tour.
Now in his second season on the elite circuit for the country’s top-48 under-21s, Hallworth had never been past the quarter-finals before.
But it all changed in the fourth leg at Frames Sports Bar, Coulsdon, Croydon, last weekend.
A 4-3 victory on the final black against new rankings leader Oliver Lines (Leeds) took Hallworth up to second place and made the teenager £200 richer.
“It was a good weekend for me,” he said.
“I played consistently well throughout. I’ve been working on my game a lot to become more consistent, to play well through the whole tournament and try to win some titles. And it’s starting to come together now.
“Confidence has been an issue previously. But I feel a lot happier with my game and now I’m starting to play a lot better.”
Elsewhere, deposed rankings leader Luke Garland (Dudley, West Mids) failed to escape the group stages.
And 16-year-old Brandon Sargeant (Stoke) impressed by dropping just five frames in his four round-robin victories, recording eight breaks of 50 or more during the two days’ play and winning two knockout matches 4-0 before being overcome 4-0 by Hallworth in the semi-finals.
Ashley Carty (Rotherham) pocketed the £25 high-break prize for a 121 clearance, one of five centuries compiled by England’s finest young players.
There were 63 breaks of 50 or more posted during the event’s 270 frames.
Thanks to tournament director Clive ‘Statto’ Brown, we know that the average frame time was 18.9 minutes during the group stages and 17.8 minutes in the knockout phase.
And Josh Mulholland (Liverpool) took three hours and eight minutes to see off Joe O’Connor (Leicester) 4-3 in the last-16.
The fifth leg of eight is at the Northern Snooker Centre, Leeds, on March 8-9.
Tim Dunkley
EASB Media Officer South and World Snooker coach
The English Association of Snooker & Billiards is the national governing body for the amateur game in this country. For more information about competitions, rankings lists and results, see www.easb.co.uk.