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A BERKSHIRE-based hotshot on the UK’s 9-ball pool circuit who returned to snooker after realising how much he missed the game has made a victorious debut on a regional tour.
Matt Ford, who lives in Martins Heron, Bracknell, claimed the fourth leg of the Cuestars South of England Championship Tour after just two years back on 12-foot tables.
He defeated Ian Rose (Crucible, Newbury) 2-1 in a closely-contested final at Woking Snooker Centre.
Earlier, the 38-year-old missed a black off its spot to beat rankings leader Jon Carlton (Selsey RBL) 3-0 in the last-four but finally prevailed 3-2 on the black.
“I played good snooker throughout the tournament,” he said. “But fair play to Jon for making a spirited fightback.”
Between the ages of 18 and 22, Ford played snooker full-time and narrowly missed out on turning professional in 1998. After ten years on the 9-ball pool circuit, he was asked to join a new snooker team at Sunninghill Comrades Club, Ascot, which competes in the Byfleet & District Billiards & Snooker League.
“I took 10 years out of playing snooker from 2000-2010 and was concentrating on American 9-ball pool, where I was one of the top players in the UK,” he said.
“But I was asked to play in a newly-formed snooker team when I moved to the area from Richmond, Surrey, and I realised how much I missed the game.”
Ford also struts his stuff at The Crucible Sports & Social Club, Newbury, where he is ranked number one.
“The enthusiasm of the players at that club and the fact that four or five of them play in the Cuestars events made me decide to enter as it was fairly local - and I really enjoyed it,” he explained.
“This was my first Cuestars event and I want to say how impressed I was with how well the tournament was run. Everything ran smoothly and John (Hunter) did a great job as tournament director.
“I will definitely be entering more Cuestars events and hope to play in the remaining three scheduled for this season.”
Meanwhile, Jonjo Sharkey (Crucible, Newbury), who won the fourth leg in Swindon last month, climbed to second in the rankings after reaching the last-four where he was knocked out 3-1 by clubmate Rose.
Ollie Douglas (Crucible, Newbury) compiled the top break of the day (117) and the only century but it was not enough to see him through to the knockout.
The fifth leg of seven is at Salisbury Snooker Club on Sunday, March 16.
BREAKS
Ollie Douglas: 117.
Paul Bunyard: 78, 67, 62, 57, 55.
Ian Rose: 74, 59.
Matthew Ford: 68, 61, 59, 55.
Jon Charlton: 57.
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP POSITIONS
GROUP A: 1st, Jonjo Sharkey (Crucible, Newbury); 2nd, Craig Marsh (Crucible, Newbury); 3rd, Ollie Douglas (Crucible, Newbury); 4th, George Heatley (Woking SC); 5th, Trevor Thorn (Basingstoke Conservative Club).
GROUP B: 1st, Paul Bunyard (Woking SC); 2nd, Jon Charlton (Selsey RBL); 3rd, James Cullen (Woking SC); 4th, Sonnie O’Sullivan (Liberal Club, High Wycombe); 5th, Daniel Knox (Woking SC).
GROUP C: 1st, Neil Clayton (Woking SC); 2nd, Ian Rose (Crucible, Newbury); 3rd, Dominic Holmes (Sovereign SC, Farnborough); 4th, James Budd (Stoke SC, Gosport).
GROUP D: 1st, Matt Ford (Sunninghill Comrades Club, Ascot); 2nd, Neil Herd (Player’s, Westbury); 3rd, Martin Wallace (Colours, Reading); 4th, Sam Storey (Crucible, Newbury).
KNOCKOUT RESULTS
QUARTER-FINALS (£10, 12 points): Sharkey beat Herd 3-1, Rose beat Bunyard 3-1, Charlton beat Clayton 3-2, Ford beat Marsh 3-2.
SEMI-FINALS (£20, 15 points): Rose beat Sharkey 3-1, Ford beat Charlton 3-2.
FINAL (£70/£30, 25/18 points): Ford beat Rose 2-1.
Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)
Matt Ford, who lives in Martins Heron, Bracknell, claimed the fourth leg of the Cuestars South of England Championship Tour after just two years back on 12-foot tables.
He defeated Ian Rose (Crucible, Newbury) 2-1 in a closely-contested final at Woking Snooker Centre.
Earlier, the 38-year-old missed a black off its spot to beat rankings leader Jon Carlton (Selsey RBL) 3-0 in the last-four but finally prevailed 3-2 on the black.
“I played good snooker throughout the tournament,” he said. “But fair play to Jon for making a spirited fightback.”
Between the ages of 18 and 22, Ford played snooker full-time and narrowly missed out on turning professional in 1998. After ten years on the 9-ball pool circuit, he was asked to join a new snooker team at Sunninghill Comrades Club, Ascot, which competes in the Byfleet & District Billiards & Snooker League.
“I took 10 years out of playing snooker from 2000-2010 and was concentrating on American 9-ball pool, where I was one of the top players in the UK,” he said.
“But I was asked to play in a newly-formed snooker team when I moved to the area from Richmond, Surrey, and I realised how much I missed the game.”
Ford also struts his stuff at The Crucible Sports & Social Club, Newbury, where he is ranked number one.
“The enthusiasm of the players at that club and the fact that four or five of them play in the Cuestars events made me decide to enter as it was fairly local - and I really enjoyed it,” he explained.
“This was my first Cuestars event and I want to say how impressed I was with how well the tournament was run. Everything ran smoothly and John (Hunter) did a great job as tournament director.
“I will definitely be entering more Cuestars events and hope to play in the remaining three scheduled for this season.”
Meanwhile, Jonjo Sharkey (Crucible, Newbury), who won the fourth leg in Swindon last month, climbed to second in the rankings after reaching the last-four where he was knocked out 3-1 by clubmate Rose.
Ollie Douglas (Crucible, Newbury) compiled the top break of the day (117) and the only century but it was not enough to see him through to the knockout.
The fifth leg of seven is at Salisbury Snooker Club on Sunday, March 16.
BREAKS
Ollie Douglas: 117.
Paul Bunyard: 78, 67, 62, 57, 55.
Ian Rose: 74, 59.
Matthew Ford: 68, 61, 59, 55.
Jon Charlton: 57.
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP POSITIONS
GROUP A: 1st, Jonjo Sharkey (Crucible, Newbury); 2nd, Craig Marsh (Crucible, Newbury); 3rd, Ollie Douglas (Crucible, Newbury); 4th, George Heatley (Woking SC); 5th, Trevor Thorn (Basingstoke Conservative Club).
GROUP B: 1st, Paul Bunyard (Woking SC); 2nd, Jon Charlton (Selsey RBL); 3rd, James Cullen (Woking SC); 4th, Sonnie O’Sullivan (Liberal Club, High Wycombe); 5th, Daniel Knox (Woking SC).
GROUP C: 1st, Neil Clayton (Woking SC); 2nd, Ian Rose (Crucible, Newbury); 3rd, Dominic Holmes (Sovereign SC, Farnborough); 4th, James Budd (Stoke SC, Gosport).
GROUP D: 1st, Matt Ford (Sunninghill Comrades Club, Ascot); 2nd, Neil Herd (Player’s, Westbury); 3rd, Martin Wallace (Colours, Reading); 4th, Sam Storey (Crucible, Newbury).
KNOCKOUT RESULTS
QUARTER-FINALS (£10, 12 points): Sharkey beat Herd 3-1, Rose beat Bunyard 3-1, Charlton beat Clayton 3-2, Ford beat Marsh 3-2.
SEMI-FINALS (£20, 15 points): Rose beat Sharkey 3-1, Ford beat Charlton 3-2.
FINAL (£70/£30, 25/18 points): Ford beat Rose 2-1.
Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)