Tweet
GLOUCESTER teenager Ben Fortey was described as a “great champion” by runner-up Alexander Ursenbacher after winning the sixth leg of the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Gold Tour.
Playing on home tables at the South West Snooker Academy, Gloucester, Fortey pipped the Swiss ace 2-1 on the final black.
The 16-year-old, who also won the corresponding event a year ago, had lost to Ursenbacher 3-1 in the group stages.
Fortey is at the Academy on a scholarship while Ursenbacher, who smacked in a 101 clearance in the deciding frame of his semi-final against Ben Tanner (Eastleigh), is practising there ahead of the European Under-21 Championship in Serbia later this month.
The finalists both qualified from the group of death. This meant that Welsh international Callum Lloyd, the 2012 Gold Champion, failed to reach the knockout.
Rankings leader Thomas Lancastle (Eastville SC, Bristol) maintained his 31-point lead with two legs left. But second-placed Oliver Parsons (Jesters, Swindon) did fire a shot across Lancastle’s bow.
Parsons beat his title-rival 2-1 in the group stages but both made quarter-final exits.
The venue for the seventh of the eight legs on Sunday, April 7, has been switched to Jesters Snooker Hall, Swindon.
BREAKS
Alex Ursenbacher: 101
Ben Fortey: 82
Callum Lloyd: 64
Sonnie O’Sullivan: 59
Thomas Lancastle: 53
GOLD RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Ben Tanner (Eastleigh); 2nd, Sonnie O’Sullivan (Liberal Club, High Wycombe); 3rd, Sam Storey (Crucible, Newbury); 4th, Ryan Gavin (Liberal Club, High Wycombe).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Alexander Ursenbacher (Basel SC, Switzerland); 2nd, Ben Fortey (SWSA, Gloucester); 3rd, Callum Lloyd (Rileys, Newport, Wales); 4th, Troy Bodman (Jesters, Swindon).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Rikki Moore (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 2nd, Liam Burnet (Eastleigh); 3rd, Stuart Scott (Romford SC); 4th, Lee Bell (Woolston Social Club).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D 1st, Oliver Parsons (Jesters, Swindon); 2nd, Thomas Lancastle (Eastville SC, Bristol); 3rd, Josh Lee (Jesters, Swindon).
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Tanner beat Lancastle 2-1, Ursenbacher beat Burnet 2-0, Fortey beat Moore 2-0, O’Sullivan beat Parsons 2-0.
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Ursenbacher beat Tanner 2-1, Fortey beat O’Sullivan 2-1.
FINAL (25/18 points): Fortey beat Ursenbacher 2-1.
Olly’s eventful weekend
THREE years and five months ago a ten-year-old lad from Gosport made his Cuestars South of England Under-21 Bronze Tour debut at Salisbury Snooker Club.
Fast forward 27 tournaments and a beaming Olly Clark was spotted leaving the South West Snooker Academy, Gloucester, on Sunday night clutching a first winner’s trophy.
Clark’s hard work finally paid dividends in the sixth leg of this season’s Silver Tour.
“I could not think of a better place to win my first Cuestars (tournament) than on the pro-tables at Gloucester,” declared the 14-year-old from Gosport.
However, the teenager, who is based at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club, was forced to battle hard for his coveted silverware.
His long day opened with a 2-0 defeat by Mark Lloyd (Stoke SC, Gosport), who has regained top spot in the rankings by one point from Daniel Knox (Woking).
After accounting for Bradley Cowdroy (Greenbaize, Bournemouth) 2-0, Clark won a black-ball game to see off Anthony Church (also from the Greenbaize) 2-0.
In the one-frame knockout, he beat James Budd (Stoke SC, Gosport) on the black and Daniel Carr (Hailsham Memorial Institute, East Sussex) on the black, from 40 points behind, to reach his first every Cuestars final.
But there was to be no drama in the final against Stewart Ball (Greenbaize, Bournemouth).
Clark compiled breaks of 25 and 29 in quick succession and Ball conceded on the colours.
“I knew that with it being one frame, I had to take any chance that I got,” said the delighted champion, who arrived home at midnight.
“Missing the next event will prevent me from keeping fourth position, which is a shame. But now my sights are on the English Under-14 Championship in May. If I can keep this form and confidence up, I think I can really go for it in Leeds.”
The previous day, Clark had played one frame of snooker for £40. And lost. It came in the deciding frame of the Plate final on the last day of his home club’s Open Series.
Clark had to settle for £120. If he had beaten David Stewart (Odiham), he would have pocketed £160.
Quite a weekend!
Knox dropped to second because he failed to qualify for the knockout and Lloyd made the quarter-finals where he lost to clubmate Nathan Farmer.
Reaching the semi-finals edged third-placed Carr closer. Only 12 points separate the top three.
The venue for the seventh of the eight legs on Sunday, April 7, has been switched to Jesters Snooker Hall, Swindon.
SILVER RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, James Budd (Stoke SC, Gosport); 2nd, Nathan Farmer (Stoke SC, Gosport); 3rd, Callum Browne (Player’s, Westbury); 4th, (Lewis Parnham (SWSA, Gloucester).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Daniel Carr (Hailsham Memorial Institute, East Sussex); 2nd, Connor McLean (Hailsham Memorial Institute, East Sussex); 3rd, Dan Knox (Woking SC); 4th, Paul Ives (Liberal Club, High Wycombe); 5th, Karl Eggar (Stoke SC, Gosport).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Stewart Ball (Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth); 2nd, Daniel Hall (Jesters, Swindon); 3rd, Mike Trigg (Chandler’s Ford SC); 4th, Cameron Holt (Liberal Club, High Wycombe).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Mark Lloyd (Stoke SC, Gosport); 2nd, Olly Clark (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Bradley Cowdroy (Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth); 4th, Anthony Church (Greenbaize, Bournemouth).
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Clark beat Budd 1-0, Carr beat Hall 1-0, Ball beat McLean 1-0, Farmer beat Lloyd 1-0.
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Clark beat Carr 1-0, Ball beat Farmer 1-0.
FINAL (25/18 points): Clark beat Ball 1-0.
Gloucester glee for Gosport’s Gillon
GOSPORT’S Matt Gillon reckons the belief of his family and coaches helped him secure a first winner’s trophy on the Cuestars junior snooker circuit.
Playing in only his third event, Gillon triumphed on the professional tables at the South West Snooker Academy, Gloucester.
The 15-year-old, based at Stoke Snooker Club, defeated rankings leader Conor Flanagan (Jesters, Swindon) 1-0 to claim the sixth leg of the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Bronze Tour.
“My aim was to win one of my first five events,” said Gillon. “I was so under pressure during all my games but I just had to grin and bear it.
“The final went well. I played some very nice shots. It was an even final to be fair. I’m very proud of myself overall.”
Paying tribute to the support of his dad, Bill; mum, Lisa; brother, Cameron; and Dave Norman and Mat Richards, from his home club, Gillon said: “They all believed in me.
“I couldn’t have done it without the great exercises our coaches give us. Doing the line-up (practice routine) everyday has most improved my gameplay.”
Gillon, who actually lost to Flanagan in the group stages, defeated Kaine Petty (Salisbury SC) and nine-year-old Mickey Joyce (Chandler’s Ford SC) in the knockout.
Joyce lost to Thomas Holton (on the final black, of course). He beat Ally Pollard (Salisbury SC) to qualify for the knockout and accounted for Canberk Benning (147 SC, Swindon) from 30 points behind in the quarter-finals.
Nine-year-old Jamie Wilson (Copnor SC, Portsmouth) lost to Flanagan in the last-eight. Wilson led throughout until Flanagan cleared the colours for victory.
Joe Kitchen (Stoke SC, Gosport) failed to escape the group of death, which contained both finalists, but picked up a trophy for reaching the Plate final.
Petty, who went out in the quarter-finals for the third time this season, said: “It was great to play on the tables in Gloucester.”
The venue for the seventh of the eight legs on Sunday, April 7, has been switched to Jesters Snooker Hall, Swindon.
BREAKS
Conor Flanagan: 27
Matt Gillon: 25
BRONZE RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Kaine Petty (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Jamie Wilson (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Ben Hatch (Eastleigh); 4th, Nat Kidner (Greenbaize, Bournemouth).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Canberk Benning (147 SC, Swindon); 2nd, Karan Chadda (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Callum McDonald (Salisbury SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st; Thomas Holton (Woking SC); 2nd, Mickey Joyce (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Ally Pollard (Salisbury SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Conor Flanagan (Jesters, Swindon); 2nd, Matt Gillon (Stoke SC, Gosport); 3rd, Joe Kitchen (Stoke SC, Gosport).
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Gillon beat Petty 1-0, Joyce beat Benning 1-0, Holton beat Chadda 1-0, Flanagan beat Wilson 1-0.
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Gillon beat Joyce 1-0, Flanagan beat Holton 1-0.
FINAL (25/18 points): Gillon beat Flanagan 1-0.
Third Plate trophy for Bodman
TROY Bodman collected his third Plate trophy of the season at Gloucester.
Bodman (Jesters, Swindon) had been drawn in the same Gold Tour round-robin group as the two finalists and a Welsh international. Not surprisingly, he did not qualify for the quarter-finals.
He defeated Gosport’s Joe Kitchen in the consolation final.
PLATE RESULTS (ONE-FRAME MATCHES)
LAST-16: Joe Kitchen (Stoke SC, Gosport) beat Nat Kidner (Greenbaize, Bournemouth), Josh Lee (Jesters, Swindon) beat Ryan Gavin (Liberal Club, High Wycombe), Paul Ives (Liberal Club, High Wycombe) beat Bradley Cowdroy (Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth), Anthony Church (Greenbaize, Bournemouth) beat Cameron Holt (Liberal Club, High Wycombe), Troy Bodman (Jesters, Swindon) beat Lewis Parnham (SWSA, Gloucester).
QUARTER-FINALS: Kitchen beat Ally Pollard (Salisbury SC), Callum McDonald (Salisbury SC) beat Ben Hatch (Eastleigh), Lee beat Ives, Bodman beat Church.
SEMI-FINALS: Kitchen beat McDonald, Bodman beat Lee.
FINAL: Bodman beat Kitchen.
Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)
Playing on home tables at the South West Snooker Academy, Gloucester, Fortey pipped the Swiss ace 2-1 on the final black.
The 16-year-old, who also won the corresponding event a year ago, had lost to Ursenbacher 3-1 in the group stages.
Fortey is at the Academy on a scholarship while Ursenbacher, who smacked in a 101 clearance in the deciding frame of his semi-final against Ben Tanner (Eastleigh), is practising there ahead of the European Under-21 Championship in Serbia later this month.
The finalists both qualified from the group of death. This meant that Welsh international Callum Lloyd, the 2012 Gold Champion, failed to reach the knockout.
Rankings leader Thomas Lancastle (Eastville SC, Bristol) maintained his 31-point lead with two legs left. But second-placed Oliver Parsons (Jesters, Swindon) did fire a shot across Lancastle’s bow.
Parsons beat his title-rival 2-1 in the group stages but both made quarter-final exits.
The venue for the seventh of the eight legs on Sunday, April 7, has been switched to Jesters Snooker Hall, Swindon.
BREAKS
Alex Ursenbacher: 101
Ben Fortey: 82
Callum Lloyd: 64
Sonnie O’Sullivan: 59
Thomas Lancastle: 53
GOLD RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Ben Tanner (Eastleigh); 2nd, Sonnie O’Sullivan (Liberal Club, High Wycombe); 3rd, Sam Storey (Crucible, Newbury); 4th, Ryan Gavin (Liberal Club, High Wycombe).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Alexander Ursenbacher (Basel SC, Switzerland); 2nd, Ben Fortey (SWSA, Gloucester); 3rd, Callum Lloyd (Rileys, Newport, Wales); 4th, Troy Bodman (Jesters, Swindon).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Rikki Moore (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 2nd, Liam Burnet (Eastleigh); 3rd, Stuart Scott (Romford SC); 4th, Lee Bell (Woolston Social Club).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D 1st, Oliver Parsons (Jesters, Swindon); 2nd, Thomas Lancastle (Eastville SC, Bristol); 3rd, Josh Lee (Jesters, Swindon).
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Tanner beat Lancastle 2-1, Ursenbacher beat Burnet 2-0, Fortey beat Moore 2-0, O’Sullivan beat Parsons 2-0.
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Ursenbacher beat Tanner 2-1, Fortey beat O’Sullivan 2-1.
FINAL (25/18 points): Fortey beat Ursenbacher 2-1.
Olly’s eventful weekend
THREE years and five months ago a ten-year-old lad from Gosport made his Cuestars South of England Under-21 Bronze Tour debut at Salisbury Snooker Club.
Fast forward 27 tournaments and a beaming Olly Clark was spotted leaving the South West Snooker Academy, Gloucester, on Sunday night clutching a first winner’s trophy.
Clark’s hard work finally paid dividends in the sixth leg of this season’s Silver Tour.
“I could not think of a better place to win my first Cuestars (tournament) than on the pro-tables at Gloucester,” declared the 14-year-old from Gosport.
However, the teenager, who is based at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club, was forced to battle hard for his coveted silverware.
His long day opened with a 2-0 defeat by Mark Lloyd (Stoke SC, Gosport), who has regained top spot in the rankings by one point from Daniel Knox (Woking).
After accounting for Bradley Cowdroy (Greenbaize, Bournemouth) 2-0, Clark won a black-ball game to see off Anthony Church (also from the Greenbaize) 2-0.
In the one-frame knockout, he beat James Budd (Stoke SC, Gosport) on the black and Daniel Carr (Hailsham Memorial Institute, East Sussex) on the black, from 40 points behind, to reach his first every Cuestars final.
But there was to be no drama in the final against Stewart Ball (Greenbaize, Bournemouth).
Clark compiled breaks of 25 and 29 in quick succession and Ball conceded on the colours.
“I knew that with it being one frame, I had to take any chance that I got,” said the delighted champion, who arrived home at midnight.
“Missing the next event will prevent me from keeping fourth position, which is a shame. But now my sights are on the English Under-14 Championship in May. If I can keep this form and confidence up, I think I can really go for it in Leeds.”
The previous day, Clark had played one frame of snooker for £40. And lost. It came in the deciding frame of the Plate final on the last day of his home club’s Open Series.
Clark had to settle for £120. If he had beaten David Stewart (Odiham), he would have pocketed £160.
Quite a weekend!
Knox dropped to second because he failed to qualify for the knockout and Lloyd made the quarter-finals where he lost to clubmate Nathan Farmer.
Reaching the semi-finals edged third-placed Carr closer. Only 12 points separate the top three.
The venue for the seventh of the eight legs on Sunday, April 7, has been switched to Jesters Snooker Hall, Swindon.
SILVER RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, James Budd (Stoke SC, Gosport); 2nd, Nathan Farmer (Stoke SC, Gosport); 3rd, Callum Browne (Player’s, Westbury); 4th, (Lewis Parnham (SWSA, Gloucester).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Daniel Carr (Hailsham Memorial Institute, East Sussex); 2nd, Connor McLean (Hailsham Memorial Institute, East Sussex); 3rd, Dan Knox (Woking SC); 4th, Paul Ives (Liberal Club, High Wycombe); 5th, Karl Eggar (Stoke SC, Gosport).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Stewart Ball (Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth); 2nd, Daniel Hall (Jesters, Swindon); 3rd, Mike Trigg (Chandler’s Ford SC); 4th, Cameron Holt (Liberal Club, High Wycombe).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Mark Lloyd (Stoke SC, Gosport); 2nd, Olly Clark (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Bradley Cowdroy (Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth); 4th, Anthony Church (Greenbaize, Bournemouth).
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Clark beat Budd 1-0, Carr beat Hall 1-0, Ball beat McLean 1-0, Farmer beat Lloyd 1-0.
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Clark beat Carr 1-0, Ball beat Farmer 1-0.
FINAL (25/18 points): Clark beat Ball 1-0.
Gloucester glee for Gosport’s Gillon
GOSPORT’S Matt Gillon reckons the belief of his family and coaches helped him secure a first winner’s trophy on the Cuestars junior snooker circuit.
Playing in only his third event, Gillon triumphed on the professional tables at the South West Snooker Academy, Gloucester.
The 15-year-old, based at Stoke Snooker Club, defeated rankings leader Conor Flanagan (Jesters, Swindon) 1-0 to claim the sixth leg of the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Bronze Tour.
“My aim was to win one of my first five events,” said Gillon. “I was so under pressure during all my games but I just had to grin and bear it.
“The final went well. I played some very nice shots. It was an even final to be fair. I’m very proud of myself overall.”
Paying tribute to the support of his dad, Bill; mum, Lisa; brother, Cameron; and Dave Norman and Mat Richards, from his home club, Gillon said: “They all believed in me.
“I couldn’t have done it without the great exercises our coaches give us. Doing the line-up (practice routine) everyday has most improved my gameplay.”
Gillon, who actually lost to Flanagan in the group stages, defeated Kaine Petty (Salisbury SC) and nine-year-old Mickey Joyce (Chandler’s Ford SC) in the knockout.
Joyce lost to Thomas Holton (on the final black, of course). He beat Ally Pollard (Salisbury SC) to qualify for the knockout and accounted for Canberk Benning (147 SC, Swindon) from 30 points behind in the quarter-finals.
Nine-year-old Jamie Wilson (Copnor SC, Portsmouth) lost to Flanagan in the last-eight. Wilson led throughout until Flanagan cleared the colours for victory.
Joe Kitchen (Stoke SC, Gosport) failed to escape the group of death, which contained both finalists, but picked up a trophy for reaching the Plate final.
Petty, who went out in the quarter-finals for the third time this season, said: “It was great to play on the tables in Gloucester.”
The venue for the seventh of the eight legs on Sunday, April 7, has been switched to Jesters Snooker Hall, Swindon.
BREAKS
Conor Flanagan: 27
Matt Gillon: 25
BRONZE RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Kaine Petty (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Jamie Wilson (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Ben Hatch (Eastleigh); 4th, Nat Kidner (Greenbaize, Bournemouth).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Canberk Benning (147 SC, Swindon); 2nd, Karan Chadda (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Callum McDonald (Salisbury SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st; Thomas Holton (Woking SC); 2nd, Mickey Joyce (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Ally Pollard (Salisbury SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Conor Flanagan (Jesters, Swindon); 2nd, Matt Gillon (Stoke SC, Gosport); 3rd, Joe Kitchen (Stoke SC, Gosport).
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Gillon beat Petty 1-0, Joyce beat Benning 1-0, Holton beat Chadda 1-0, Flanagan beat Wilson 1-0.
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Gillon beat Joyce 1-0, Flanagan beat Holton 1-0.
FINAL (25/18 points): Gillon beat Flanagan 1-0.
Third Plate trophy for Bodman
TROY Bodman collected his third Plate trophy of the season at Gloucester.
Bodman (Jesters, Swindon) had been drawn in the same Gold Tour round-robin group as the two finalists and a Welsh international. Not surprisingly, he did not qualify for the quarter-finals.
He defeated Gosport’s Joe Kitchen in the consolation final.
PLATE RESULTS (ONE-FRAME MATCHES)
LAST-16: Joe Kitchen (Stoke SC, Gosport) beat Nat Kidner (Greenbaize, Bournemouth), Josh Lee (Jesters, Swindon) beat Ryan Gavin (Liberal Club, High Wycombe), Paul Ives (Liberal Club, High Wycombe) beat Bradley Cowdroy (Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth), Anthony Church (Greenbaize, Bournemouth) beat Cameron Holt (Liberal Club, High Wycombe), Troy Bodman (Jesters, Swindon) beat Lewis Parnham (SWSA, Gloucester).
QUARTER-FINALS: Kitchen beat Ally Pollard (Salisbury SC), Callum McDonald (Salisbury SC) beat Ben Hatch (Eastleigh), Lee beat Ives, Bodman beat Church.
SEMI-FINALS: Kitchen beat McDonald, Bodman beat Lee.
FINAL: Bodman beat Kitchen.
Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)
Comment