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IT WAS a long but fruitful day for Essex cueman Jake Keen.
Fourteen hours after being “dragged” out of bed at 5.30am by practice partner Andrew Scott, a tired Keen was clutching a winner’s trophy at Woking Snooker Centre.
The 20-year-old school handyman from Frinton-on-Sea marked his debut on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Gold Tour with a sluggish start but ended the day unbeaten.
Keen dropped just two frames, to Scott and James Budd (Stoke SC, Gosport), in the group stages before beating Daniel Knox and Sonnie O’Sullivan both 2-0 in the knockout.
“It was hard work,” he said, reflecting on the final prior to rushing off to get the last train home.
“I had to slug it out a bit but it’s what you expect. I’m quite happy to win it at the end.
“(Andrew) dragged me out of bed this morning but I’m glad he did.”
Keen, who described O’Sullivan as “not bad”, is based at the YMCA Red Triangle Club in Walton-on-the-Naze.
In the semi-finals, O’Sullivan (Liberal Club, High Wycombe) had accounted for Scott (West London) 2-1 Keen dispatched Daniel Knox (Woking SC) 2-0.
The third leg of eight is at Jesters Snooker Hall Swindon on Sunday, December 8.
BREAKS
Jake Keen: 65.
Sonnie O’Sullivan: 42.
James Budd: 41.
GOLD RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Jake Keen (YMCA Red Triangle Club, Walton-on-the-Naze); 2nd, Andrew Scott (West London); 3rd, Reece Palmer (Woking SC); 4th, James Budd (Stoke SC, Gosport); 5th, Cameron Holt (Liberal Club, High Wycombe).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Sonnie O’Sullivan (Liberal Club, High Wycombe); 2nd, Daniel Knox (Woking SC); 3rd, Mark Lloyd (Stoke SC, Gosport); 4th, Ollie Clark (Chandler’s Ford SC); 5th, Connor McLean (Hailsham Memorial Institute, East Sussex); 6th, Sam Storey (Crucible, Newbury).
SEMI-FINALS (£5, 15 points): Keen beat Knox 2-0, O’Sullivan beat Scott 2-1.
FINAL (£30/£15, 25/18 points): Keen beat O’Sullivan 2-0.
Jasmine secures first tour title
WOKING starlet Jasmine Bolsover has struck another blow for girl power in the mainly male-dominated world of snooker.
The 13-year-old is the first female player to win a Cuestars South of England Under-21 Silver Tour leg.
Bolsover, the only girl in a 16-strong field, claimed her first winner’s trophy on home tables at Woking Snooker Centre.
A hard-fought 2-1 victory over Nathan Farmer (Stoke SC, Gosport) in the final ended a ten-hour day for the player ranked 14th on the World Ladies Billiards & Snooker Association circuit
She ran away with the first frame but Farmer, who also lost in last month’s first leg final in Salisbury, levelled and was leading on the colours in the decider.
However, Bolsover cut a tricky pink into the yellow pocket with the rest and sent the cue-ball in and out of baulk to land perfectly on the black that was on its spot.
“It was a really good result,” she said. “I’m really pleased.”
The teenager, who attends St John the Baptist School in Woking, added: “I’ve always played well against boys because I’m quite competitive against them.”
Proud dad Gavin was there to watch the final. He had promised to turn up when his daughter reached the semi-finals for the first time.
Having played on the WLBSA circuit, Bolsover said she was “kind of used to” long events but admitted: “At the end of the day, it’s still quite tiring.”
She now shares the rankings lead with event-one winner Callum Browne (Player’s, Westbury).
Jamie Wilson (Copnor SC, Portsmouth), who turns ten next week, posted a personal best 39 break in a 2-1 group-stage defeat by Joe Kitchen (Stoke SC, Gosport).
The third leg of eight is at Jesters Snooker Hall Swindon on Sunday, December 8.
BREAKS
Jamie Wilson: 39.
Mickey Joyce: 36, 30.
SILVER RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Jasmine Bolsover (Woking SC); 2nd, Nathan Farmer (Stoke SC, Gosport); 3rd, Matt Gillon (Stoke SC, Gosport); 4th, Dan Sykes (Chandler’s Ford SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Callum Browne (Player’s, Westbury); 2nd, Austen Petty (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Joe Kitchen (Stoke SC, Gosport); 4th, Jamie Wilson (Copnor SC, Portsmouth).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Mickey Joyce (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, Daniel Booker (Stoke SC, Gosport); 3rd, Bradley Leishman (Stoke SC, Gosport); 4th, Thomas Holton (Woking SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Canberk Benning (Jesters, Swindon); 2nd, Bradley Cowdroy (Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth); 3rd, Cameron Gillon (Stoke SC, Gosport); 4th, Daniel Compton (Copnor SC, Portsmouth).
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Bolsover beat Cowdroy 2-0, Booker beat Browne 2-1, Joyce beat Petty 2-1, Farmer beat Benning 2-1.
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Bolsover beat Booker 2-1, Farmer beat Joyce 2-0.
FINAL (25/18 points): Bolsover beat Farmer 2-1.
James collects first silverware after early defeat
SURREY potter Edward James admitted he didn’t expect to win his first regional snooker tournament after losing his first match of the day.
But the 12-year-old swept all before him to clinch the second leg of the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Bronze Tour on home tables at Woking Snooker Centre.
James, who had never progressed past the semi-finals in his eight previous outings, defeated Luke Beebe, 12, whom he had lost to in his first group stage match, 2-0 to claim the trophy.
“There was a lot of pressure but I played really well,” he said. “It was close. (Luke’s) a really good player.
“When I lost my first frame to Luke, I didn’t think I had a chance.”
First-time finalist Beebe (Chandler’s Ford SC) is now ranked joint second with beaten semi-finalist Callum McDonald (Salisbury SC).
James knocked out first-leg winner and rankings leader Ollie Gibbs (Stoke SC, Gosport) in the quarter-finals from 1-0 down.
Ally Pollard qualified for the knockout for the first time via a re-spotted black during a three-way play-off in his round-robin group.
The 16-year-old from Salisbury SC then lost 2-1 to clubmate Kaine Petty in the quarter-finals.
Petty’s second successive last-four exit came at the hands of Beebe.
The third leg of eight is at Jesters Snooker Hall Swindon on Sunday, December 8.
BREAKS
Luke Beebe: 31.
Edward James: 26, 24, 22.
Callum McDonald: 25.
BRONZE RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Luke Beebe (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, Edward James (Woking SC); 3rd, Keegan Reed (Salisbury SC); 4th, Sam Warren (Chandler’s Ford SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Kaine Petty (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Nat Kidner (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 3rd, Ben Hatch (Southampton); 4th, Adam Cowdroy (Greenbaize, Bournemouth).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Callum McDonald (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Ally Pollard (Salisbury SC); 3rd, Harry Cook (Woking SC); 4th, Ryan Compton (Copnor SC, Portsmouth).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Ollie Gibbs (Stoke SC, Gosport); 2nd, Jordan Lee (Woking SC); 3rd, Bradley Wrench (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 4th, Ben Tillison (Copnor SC, Portsmouth).
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Beebe beat Lee 2-0, Petty beat Pollard 2-1, McDonald beat Kidner 2-1, James beat Gibbs 2-1.
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Beebe beat Petty 2-0, James beat McDonald 2-1.
FINAL (25/18 points): James beat Beebe 2-0.
75 break helps Lloyd clinch Plate trophy
GOSPORT teenager Mark Lloyd smacked in a 75 break en route to claiming the Plate trophy at Woking Snooker Centre.
“It only wins one frame,” he shrugged, still disappointed after missing out on qualification from the Gold Tour group stages.
It came three days after his 14th birthday in the quarter-finals against his Stoke clubmate Matt Gillon.
In the final, Lloyd accounted for Ben Tillison (Copnor SC, Portsmouth) who collected his first Cuestars trophy.
BREAKS
Mark Lloyd: 75.
PLATE RESULTS (ONE-FRAME MATCHES)
LAST-16: Jamie Wilson (Copnor SC, Portsmouth) beat Daniel Compton (Copnor SC, Portsmouth), James Budd (Stoke SC, Gosport) beat Ben Hatch (Southampton), Mark Lloyd (Stoke SC, Gosport) beat Adam Cowdroy (Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth), Matt Gillon (Stoke SC, Gosport) beat Bradley Leishman (Stoke SC, Gosport), Joe Kitchen (Stoke SC, Gosport) beat Sam Warren (Chandler’s Ford SC), Ryan Compton (Copnor SC, Portsmouth) beat Cameron Gillon (Stoke SC, Gosport), Thomas Holton (Woking SC) beat Dan Sykes (Chandler’s Ford SC), Ben Tillison (Copnor SC, Portsmouth) beat Keegan Reed (Salisbury SC).
QUARTER-FINALS: Wilson beat Budd, Lloyd beat M Gillon, Kitchen beat R Compton, Tillison beat Holton.
SEMI-FINALS: Lloyd beat Wilson, Tillison beat Kitchen.
FINAL: Lloyd beat Tillison.
Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)
Fourteen hours after being “dragged” out of bed at 5.30am by practice partner Andrew Scott, a tired Keen was clutching a winner’s trophy at Woking Snooker Centre.
The 20-year-old school handyman from Frinton-on-Sea marked his debut on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Gold Tour with a sluggish start but ended the day unbeaten.
Keen dropped just two frames, to Scott and James Budd (Stoke SC, Gosport), in the group stages before beating Daniel Knox and Sonnie O’Sullivan both 2-0 in the knockout.
“It was hard work,” he said, reflecting on the final prior to rushing off to get the last train home.
“I had to slug it out a bit but it’s what you expect. I’m quite happy to win it at the end.
“(Andrew) dragged me out of bed this morning but I’m glad he did.”
Keen, who described O’Sullivan as “not bad”, is based at the YMCA Red Triangle Club in Walton-on-the-Naze.
In the semi-finals, O’Sullivan (Liberal Club, High Wycombe) had accounted for Scott (West London) 2-1 Keen dispatched Daniel Knox (Woking SC) 2-0.
The third leg of eight is at Jesters Snooker Hall Swindon on Sunday, December 8.
BREAKS
Jake Keen: 65.
Sonnie O’Sullivan: 42.
James Budd: 41.
GOLD RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Jake Keen (YMCA Red Triangle Club, Walton-on-the-Naze); 2nd, Andrew Scott (West London); 3rd, Reece Palmer (Woking SC); 4th, James Budd (Stoke SC, Gosport); 5th, Cameron Holt (Liberal Club, High Wycombe).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Sonnie O’Sullivan (Liberal Club, High Wycombe); 2nd, Daniel Knox (Woking SC); 3rd, Mark Lloyd (Stoke SC, Gosport); 4th, Ollie Clark (Chandler’s Ford SC); 5th, Connor McLean (Hailsham Memorial Institute, East Sussex); 6th, Sam Storey (Crucible, Newbury).
SEMI-FINALS (£5, 15 points): Keen beat Knox 2-0, O’Sullivan beat Scott 2-1.
FINAL (£30/£15, 25/18 points): Keen beat O’Sullivan 2-0.
Jasmine secures first tour title
WOKING starlet Jasmine Bolsover has struck another blow for girl power in the mainly male-dominated world of snooker.
The 13-year-old is the first female player to win a Cuestars South of England Under-21 Silver Tour leg.
Bolsover, the only girl in a 16-strong field, claimed her first winner’s trophy on home tables at Woking Snooker Centre.
A hard-fought 2-1 victory over Nathan Farmer (Stoke SC, Gosport) in the final ended a ten-hour day for the player ranked 14th on the World Ladies Billiards & Snooker Association circuit
She ran away with the first frame but Farmer, who also lost in last month’s first leg final in Salisbury, levelled and was leading on the colours in the decider.
However, Bolsover cut a tricky pink into the yellow pocket with the rest and sent the cue-ball in and out of baulk to land perfectly on the black that was on its spot.
“It was a really good result,” she said. “I’m really pleased.”
The teenager, who attends St John the Baptist School in Woking, added: “I’ve always played well against boys because I’m quite competitive against them.”
Proud dad Gavin was there to watch the final. He had promised to turn up when his daughter reached the semi-finals for the first time.
Having played on the WLBSA circuit, Bolsover said she was “kind of used to” long events but admitted: “At the end of the day, it’s still quite tiring.”
She now shares the rankings lead with event-one winner Callum Browne (Player’s, Westbury).
Jamie Wilson (Copnor SC, Portsmouth), who turns ten next week, posted a personal best 39 break in a 2-1 group-stage defeat by Joe Kitchen (Stoke SC, Gosport).
The third leg of eight is at Jesters Snooker Hall Swindon on Sunday, December 8.
BREAKS
Jamie Wilson: 39.
Mickey Joyce: 36, 30.
SILVER RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Jasmine Bolsover (Woking SC); 2nd, Nathan Farmer (Stoke SC, Gosport); 3rd, Matt Gillon (Stoke SC, Gosport); 4th, Dan Sykes (Chandler’s Ford SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Callum Browne (Player’s, Westbury); 2nd, Austen Petty (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Joe Kitchen (Stoke SC, Gosport); 4th, Jamie Wilson (Copnor SC, Portsmouth).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Mickey Joyce (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, Daniel Booker (Stoke SC, Gosport); 3rd, Bradley Leishman (Stoke SC, Gosport); 4th, Thomas Holton (Woking SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Canberk Benning (Jesters, Swindon); 2nd, Bradley Cowdroy (Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth); 3rd, Cameron Gillon (Stoke SC, Gosport); 4th, Daniel Compton (Copnor SC, Portsmouth).
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Bolsover beat Cowdroy 2-0, Booker beat Browne 2-1, Joyce beat Petty 2-1, Farmer beat Benning 2-1.
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Bolsover beat Booker 2-1, Farmer beat Joyce 2-0.
FINAL (25/18 points): Bolsover beat Farmer 2-1.
James collects first silverware after early defeat
SURREY potter Edward James admitted he didn’t expect to win his first regional snooker tournament after losing his first match of the day.
But the 12-year-old swept all before him to clinch the second leg of the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Bronze Tour on home tables at Woking Snooker Centre.
James, who had never progressed past the semi-finals in his eight previous outings, defeated Luke Beebe, 12, whom he had lost to in his first group stage match, 2-0 to claim the trophy.
“There was a lot of pressure but I played really well,” he said. “It was close. (Luke’s) a really good player.
“When I lost my first frame to Luke, I didn’t think I had a chance.”
First-time finalist Beebe (Chandler’s Ford SC) is now ranked joint second with beaten semi-finalist Callum McDonald (Salisbury SC).
James knocked out first-leg winner and rankings leader Ollie Gibbs (Stoke SC, Gosport) in the quarter-finals from 1-0 down.
Ally Pollard qualified for the knockout for the first time via a re-spotted black during a three-way play-off in his round-robin group.
The 16-year-old from Salisbury SC then lost 2-1 to clubmate Kaine Petty in the quarter-finals.
Petty’s second successive last-four exit came at the hands of Beebe.
The third leg of eight is at Jesters Snooker Hall Swindon on Sunday, December 8.
BREAKS
Luke Beebe: 31.
Edward James: 26, 24, 22.
Callum McDonald: 25.
BRONZE RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Luke Beebe (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, Edward James (Woking SC); 3rd, Keegan Reed (Salisbury SC); 4th, Sam Warren (Chandler’s Ford SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Kaine Petty (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Nat Kidner (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 3rd, Ben Hatch (Southampton); 4th, Adam Cowdroy (Greenbaize, Bournemouth).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Callum McDonald (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Ally Pollard (Salisbury SC); 3rd, Harry Cook (Woking SC); 4th, Ryan Compton (Copnor SC, Portsmouth).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Ollie Gibbs (Stoke SC, Gosport); 2nd, Jordan Lee (Woking SC); 3rd, Bradley Wrench (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 4th, Ben Tillison (Copnor SC, Portsmouth).
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Beebe beat Lee 2-0, Petty beat Pollard 2-1, McDonald beat Kidner 2-1, James beat Gibbs 2-1.
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Beebe beat Petty 2-0, James beat McDonald 2-1.
FINAL (25/18 points): James beat Beebe 2-0.
75 break helps Lloyd clinch Plate trophy
GOSPORT teenager Mark Lloyd smacked in a 75 break en route to claiming the Plate trophy at Woking Snooker Centre.
“It only wins one frame,” he shrugged, still disappointed after missing out on qualification from the Gold Tour group stages.
It came three days after his 14th birthday in the quarter-finals against his Stoke clubmate Matt Gillon.
In the final, Lloyd accounted for Ben Tillison (Copnor SC, Portsmouth) who collected his first Cuestars trophy.
BREAKS
Mark Lloyd: 75.
PLATE RESULTS (ONE-FRAME MATCHES)
LAST-16: Jamie Wilson (Copnor SC, Portsmouth) beat Daniel Compton (Copnor SC, Portsmouth), James Budd (Stoke SC, Gosport) beat Ben Hatch (Southampton), Mark Lloyd (Stoke SC, Gosport) beat Adam Cowdroy (Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth), Matt Gillon (Stoke SC, Gosport) beat Bradley Leishman (Stoke SC, Gosport), Joe Kitchen (Stoke SC, Gosport) beat Sam Warren (Chandler’s Ford SC), Ryan Compton (Copnor SC, Portsmouth) beat Cameron Gillon (Stoke SC, Gosport), Thomas Holton (Woking SC) beat Dan Sykes (Chandler’s Ford SC), Ben Tillison (Copnor SC, Portsmouth) beat Keegan Reed (Salisbury SC).
QUARTER-FINALS: Wilson beat Budd, Lloyd beat M Gillon, Kitchen beat R Compton, Tillison beat Holton.
SEMI-FINALS: Lloyd beat Wilson, Tillison beat Kitchen.
FINAL: Lloyd beat Tillison.
Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)