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A FORDINGBRIDGE teenage described his shock first tournament win on the Cuestars circuit as “surreal”.
Anthony Rice admitted “I was punching above my weight” during the event at Jesters Snooker Hall, Swindon.
The 17-year-old edged EASB Premier Junior Tour player Mark Lloyd, 15, 3-2 to claim the second leg of eight on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Gold Tour.
“I was punching above my weight for most of the day but that just seemed to raise my game,” said Rice, a member of Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club and Salisbury Snooker Club who made the semi-finals on his debut last month.
“I made a couple of 40 (breaks) and was consistent with the 30s so I knew I was cueing well.
“I was delighted to reach the semi-finals, and winning (the final) just feels surreal.”
After collecting his £40 prize money, Rice paid tribute to his 11-year-old Chandler’s Ford clubmate Mickey Joyce whom he beat 3-1 in the last-eight.
“He was playing the best snooker I have ever seen from someone of his age,” he said. “It was one hell of a fight.”
James Budd (Stoke SC, Gosport), who was beaten 3-0 by Rice in the last-four, said: “He deserved to win it that day. He outplayed me.”
Lloyd accounted for leg-one winner Bradley Chappell (Greenbaize, Bournemouth) 3-0 in the second semi.
Rice and Chappell are joint rankings leaders.
The third leg of eight is at Greenbaize Snooker Club, Bournemouth, on Sunday, December 7.
BREAKS
Bradley Cowdroy: 48.
GOLD RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, James Budd (Stoke SC, Gosport); 2nd, Bradley Chappell (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 3rd, Joshua Lee (Jesters, Swindon); 4th, Nathan Farmer (Stoke SC, Gosport).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Anthony Rice (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Callum Browne (Player’s, Westbury); 3rd, Jonny Mutch (Cambridge SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Mark Lloyd (Stoke SC, Gosport); 2nd, Mickey Joyce (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Mark Wells (Greenbaize, Bournemouth).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Bradley Cowdroy (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 2nd, Jamie Wilson (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 3rd, Austen Petty (Chandler’s Ford SC).
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Budd beat Wilson 3-1, Rice beat Joyce 3-1, Lloyd beat Browne 3-0, Chappell beat Cowdroy 3-1.
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Rice beat Budd 3-0, Lloyd beat Chappell 3-0.
FINAL (£40/£25 25/18 points): Rice beat Lloyd 3-2.
Dream start for Callum
CALLUM McDonald “definitely” didn’t expect his debut season on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Silver Tour to start like this.
The 15-year-old from Bishopdown, who won promotion for finishing fourth on the Bronze Tour in 2013/14, is joint top of the rankings after sweeping to victory in the second leg at Jesters Snooker Hall, Swindon.
A beaten semi-finalist in the opening tournament at his practice base, Salisbury Snooker Club, last month, McDonald avenged a 2-0 group-stage defeat by Reece King by seeing off the Cuestars debutant from Poole 2-1 in the final.
“I played really well all day,” he said. “This season has been brilliant so far.”
McDonald accounted for leg-one winner Jasmine Bolsover (Woking SC) 2-1 in the semi-finals. The pair are tied on points.
Olly Gibbs, who won the 2014 Cuestars Bronze Championship play-off, continued his good form at the higher level by adding a semi-final to his quarter-final last month.
A fortnight shy of his 11th birthday, Gibbs (Stoke SC, Gosport) went out 2-0 to King.
The third leg of eight is at Greenbaize Snooker Club, Bournemouth, on Sunday, December 7.
BREAKS
Thomas Holton: 31.
SILVER RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Reece King (Poole); 2nd, Callum McDonald (Salisbury SC); 3rd, Canberk Benning (Jesters, Swindon); 4th, Thomas Holton (Woking SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Olly Gibbs (Stoke SC, Gosport); 2nd, Nat Kidner (Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth); 3rd, Kaine Petty (Salisbury SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Jasmine Bolsover (Woking SC); 2nd, Matt Gillon (Stoke SC, Gosport); 3rd, Joe Kitchen (Stoke SC, Gosport); 4th, Lewis Parnham (SWSA, Gloucester).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Lee Fitzpatrick (Totton Recreation Club); 2nd, Drew Hampshire (147 SC, Swindon); 3rd, Ally Pollard (Salisbury SC); 4th, Abhay Chopra (Chandler’s Ford SC).
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): King beat Hampshire 2-1. Gibbs beat Gillon 2-1, Bolsover beat Kidner 2-0, McDonald beat Fitzpatrick 2-0.
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): King beat Gibbs 2-0, McDonald beat Bolsover 2-1.
FINAL (25/18 points): McDonald beat King 2-1.
First win for Hubba Bubba kid
BRISTOL’s demon potter Aidan Murphy reckons sporting a tartan waistcoat in honour of his visiting relations was the key to success on a regional snooker circuit.
The ten-year-old’s Scottish grandparents had never seen him play before but travelled south for the second leg of the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Bronze Tour.
And they were in the audience as bubblegum fanatic Murphy, dubbed the Hubba Bubba Kid, blew away Steven Hughes (Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club) 2-0 in the final at Jesters Snooker Hall, Swindon.
Murphy is based at Bristol Conservative Club and plays snooker and pool in the local league as well as pool for his county. He made his Cuestars debut in Salisbury last month and was knocked out in the quarter-finals by the eventual tournament winner David O’Callaghan.
Dad Derek said: “Aidan has been playing since he was knee high and wants nothing more than to be a professional when he grows up.
“He was chuffed to bits to have won a Cuestars trophy. Let’s hope it’s one of many.”
Hughes, who lost in the Bronze Tour final for the second successive time this season, is one point behind joint ranking leaders Murphy and O’Callaghan.
The 13-year-old from Chandler’s Ford had seen off clubmate Connor Benzey 2-1 in the semi-finals, as he did in Salisbury last month.
Jesters lad Shane Kearns enjoyed a successful Cuestars debut, eventually losing 2-1 to Murphy in the last-four.
The third leg of eight is at Greenbaize Snooker Club, Bournemouth, on Sunday, December 7.
BREAKS
Aidan Murphy: 27, 24, 24, 21.
BRONZE RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, David O’Callaghan (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 2nd, Charlie Pringle (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Bowen Zhu (Chandler’s Ford SC); 4th, Victor Balgariev (Jesters, Swindon); 5th, Ryan Hughes (Chandler’s Ford SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Aidan Murphy (Bristol Conservative Club); 2nd, Steven Hughes (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Keegan Reed (Salisbury SC); 4th, Dan Smith (Woking SC); 5th, Oliver Sykes (Chandler’s Ford SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Adam Cowdroy (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 2nd, Harry Cook (Woking SC); 3rd, Harry Wilson (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 4th, Liam Ashman (Player’s, Westbury); 5th, Lewis Wilson (Copnor SC, Portsmouth).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Connor Benzey (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, Shane Kearns (Jesters, Swindon); 3rd, Stefan Djakovic (Jesters, Swindon); 4th, Albert Warren (Salisbury SC); 5th, Connor Shaw (Greenbaize, Bournemouth).
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Kearns beat O’Callaghan 2-1, Murphy beat Cook 2-0, S Hughes beat Cowdroy 2-1, Benzey beat Pringle 2-0.
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Murphy beat Kearns 2-1, S Hughes beat Benzey 2-1.
FINAL (25/18 points): Murphy beat S Hughes 2-0.
Joe secures Plate with 31 break
SILVER Tour player Joe Kitchen compiled a 31 break in winning the Plate final against Jonny Mutch.
The 14-year-old from Gosport had finished third in his round-robin group while Mutch, who travels down from Cambridge, had failed to qualify from his Gold Tour group that included the eventual tournament winner Anthony Rice.
PLATE RESULTS (ONE-FRAME MATCHES)
PRELIMS: Abhay Copra (Chandler’s Ford SC) beat Austen Petty (Chandler’s Ford SC), Joshua Lee (Jesters, Swindon) beat Kaine Petty (Salisbury SC), Liam Ashman (Player’s, Westbury) beat Stefan Djakovic (Jesters, Swindon).
LAST-16: Chopra beat Lee, Ashman beat Ally Pollard (Salisbury SC), Keegan Reed (Salisbury SC) beat Victor Balgariev (Jesters, Swindon), Jonny Mutch (Cambridge SC) beat Bowen Zhu (Chandler’s Ford SC), Lewis Parnham (SWSA, Gloucester) beat Oliver Sykes (Chandler’s Ford SC), Ryan Hughes (Chandler’s Ford SC) beat Albert Warren (Salisbury SC). Byes: Joe Kitchen and Nathan Farmer (both Stoke SC, Gosport).
QUARTER-FINALS: Chopra beat Ashman, Kitchen beat Farmer, Mutch beat Reed, Parnham beat R Hughes.
SEMI-FINALS: Kitchen beat Chopra, Mutch beat Parnham.
FINAL: Kitchen beat Mutch.
Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)
Anthony Rice admitted “I was punching above my weight” during the event at Jesters Snooker Hall, Swindon.
The 17-year-old edged EASB Premier Junior Tour player Mark Lloyd, 15, 3-2 to claim the second leg of eight on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Gold Tour.
“I was punching above my weight for most of the day but that just seemed to raise my game,” said Rice, a member of Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club and Salisbury Snooker Club who made the semi-finals on his debut last month.
“I made a couple of 40 (breaks) and was consistent with the 30s so I knew I was cueing well.
“I was delighted to reach the semi-finals, and winning (the final) just feels surreal.”
After collecting his £40 prize money, Rice paid tribute to his 11-year-old Chandler’s Ford clubmate Mickey Joyce whom he beat 3-1 in the last-eight.
“He was playing the best snooker I have ever seen from someone of his age,” he said. “It was one hell of a fight.”
James Budd (Stoke SC, Gosport), who was beaten 3-0 by Rice in the last-four, said: “He deserved to win it that day. He outplayed me.”
Lloyd accounted for leg-one winner Bradley Chappell (Greenbaize, Bournemouth) 3-0 in the second semi.
Rice and Chappell are joint rankings leaders.
The third leg of eight is at Greenbaize Snooker Club, Bournemouth, on Sunday, December 7.
BREAKS
Bradley Cowdroy: 48.
GOLD RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, James Budd (Stoke SC, Gosport); 2nd, Bradley Chappell (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 3rd, Joshua Lee (Jesters, Swindon); 4th, Nathan Farmer (Stoke SC, Gosport).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Anthony Rice (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Callum Browne (Player’s, Westbury); 3rd, Jonny Mutch (Cambridge SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Mark Lloyd (Stoke SC, Gosport); 2nd, Mickey Joyce (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Mark Wells (Greenbaize, Bournemouth).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Bradley Cowdroy (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 2nd, Jamie Wilson (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 3rd, Austen Petty (Chandler’s Ford SC).
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Budd beat Wilson 3-1, Rice beat Joyce 3-1, Lloyd beat Browne 3-0, Chappell beat Cowdroy 3-1.
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Rice beat Budd 3-0, Lloyd beat Chappell 3-0.
FINAL (£40/£25 25/18 points): Rice beat Lloyd 3-2.
Dream start for Callum
CALLUM McDonald “definitely” didn’t expect his debut season on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Silver Tour to start like this.
The 15-year-old from Bishopdown, who won promotion for finishing fourth on the Bronze Tour in 2013/14, is joint top of the rankings after sweeping to victory in the second leg at Jesters Snooker Hall, Swindon.
A beaten semi-finalist in the opening tournament at his practice base, Salisbury Snooker Club, last month, McDonald avenged a 2-0 group-stage defeat by Reece King by seeing off the Cuestars debutant from Poole 2-1 in the final.
“I played really well all day,” he said. “This season has been brilliant so far.”
McDonald accounted for leg-one winner Jasmine Bolsover (Woking SC) 2-1 in the semi-finals. The pair are tied on points.
Olly Gibbs, who won the 2014 Cuestars Bronze Championship play-off, continued his good form at the higher level by adding a semi-final to his quarter-final last month.
A fortnight shy of his 11th birthday, Gibbs (Stoke SC, Gosport) went out 2-0 to King.
The third leg of eight is at Greenbaize Snooker Club, Bournemouth, on Sunday, December 7.
BREAKS
Thomas Holton: 31.
SILVER RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Reece King (Poole); 2nd, Callum McDonald (Salisbury SC); 3rd, Canberk Benning (Jesters, Swindon); 4th, Thomas Holton (Woking SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Olly Gibbs (Stoke SC, Gosport); 2nd, Nat Kidner (Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth); 3rd, Kaine Petty (Salisbury SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Jasmine Bolsover (Woking SC); 2nd, Matt Gillon (Stoke SC, Gosport); 3rd, Joe Kitchen (Stoke SC, Gosport); 4th, Lewis Parnham (SWSA, Gloucester).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Lee Fitzpatrick (Totton Recreation Club); 2nd, Drew Hampshire (147 SC, Swindon); 3rd, Ally Pollard (Salisbury SC); 4th, Abhay Chopra (Chandler’s Ford SC).
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): King beat Hampshire 2-1. Gibbs beat Gillon 2-1, Bolsover beat Kidner 2-0, McDonald beat Fitzpatrick 2-0.
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): King beat Gibbs 2-0, McDonald beat Bolsover 2-1.
FINAL (25/18 points): McDonald beat King 2-1.
First win for Hubba Bubba kid
BRISTOL’s demon potter Aidan Murphy reckons sporting a tartan waistcoat in honour of his visiting relations was the key to success on a regional snooker circuit.
The ten-year-old’s Scottish grandparents had never seen him play before but travelled south for the second leg of the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Bronze Tour.
And they were in the audience as bubblegum fanatic Murphy, dubbed the Hubba Bubba Kid, blew away Steven Hughes (Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club) 2-0 in the final at Jesters Snooker Hall, Swindon.
Murphy is based at Bristol Conservative Club and plays snooker and pool in the local league as well as pool for his county. He made his Cuestars debut in Salisbury last month and was knocked out in the quarter-finals by the eventual tournament winner David O’Callaghan.
Dad Derek said: “Aidan has been playing since he was knee high and wants nothing more than to be a professional when he grows up.
“He was chuffed to bits to have won a Cuestars trophy. Let’s hope it’s one of many.”
Hughes, who lost in the Bronze Tour final for the second successive time this season, is one point behind joint ranking leaders Murphy and O’Callaghan.
The 13-year-old from Chandler’s Ford had seen off clubmate Connor Benzey 2-1 in the semi-finals, as he did in Salisbury last month.
Jesters lad Shane Kearns enjoyed a successful Cuestars debut, eventually losing 2-1 to Murphy in the last-four.
The third leg of eight is at Greenbaize Snooker Club, Bournemouth, on Sunday, December 7.
BREAKS
Aidan Murphy: 27, 24, 24, 21.
BRONZE RESULTS
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, David O’Callaghan (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 2nd, Charlie Pringle (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Bowen Zhu (Chandler’s Ford SC); 4th, Victor Balgariev (Jesters, Swindon); 5th, Ryan Hughes (Chandler’s Ford SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Aidan Murphy (Bristol Conservative Club); 2nd, Steven Hughes (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Keegan Reed (Salisbury SC); 4th, Dan Smith (Woking SC); 5th, Oliver Sykes (Chandler’s Ford SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Adam Cowdroy (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 2nd, Harry Cook (Woking SC); 3rd, Harry Wilson (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 4th, Liam Ashman (Player’s, Westbury); 5th, Lewis Wilson (Copnor SC, Portsmouth).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Connor Benzey (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, Shane Kearns (Jesters, Swindon); 3rd, Stefan Djakovic (Jesters, Swindon); 4th, Albert Warren (Salisbury SC); 5th, Connor Shaw (Greenbaize, Bournemouth).
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Kearns beat O’Callaghan 2-1, Murphy beat Cook 2-0, S Hughes beat Cowdroy 2-1, Benzey beat Pringle 2-0.
SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Murphy beat Kearns 2-1, S Hughes beat Benzey 2-1.
FINAL (25/18 points): Murphy beat S Hughes 2-0.
Joe secures Plate with 31 break
SILVER Tour player Joe Kitchen compiled a 31 break in winning the Plate final against Jonny Mutch.
The 14-year-old from Gosport had finished third in his round-robin group while Mutch, who travels down from Cambridge, had failed to qualify from his Gold Tour group that included the eventual tournament winner Anthony Rice.
PLATE RESULTS (ONE-FRAME MATCHES)
PRELIMS: Abhay Copra (Chandler’s Ford SC) beat Austen Petty (Chandler’s Ford SC), Joshua Lee (Jesters, Swindon) beat Kaine Petty (Salisbury SC), Liam Ashman (Player’s, Westbury) beat Stefan Djakovic (Jesters, Swindon).
LAST-16: Chopra beat Lee, Ashman beat Ally Pollard (Salisbury SC), Keegan Reed (Salisbury SC) beat Victor Balgariev (Jesters, Swindon), Jonny Mutch (Cambridge SC) beat Bowen Zhu (Chandler’s Ford SC), Lewis Parnham (SWSA, Gloucester) beat Oliver Sykes (Chandler’s Ford SC), Ryan Hughes (Chandler’s Ford SC) beat Albert Warren (Salisbury SC). Byes: Joe Kitchen and Nathan Farmer (both Stoke SC, Gosport).
QUARTER-FINALS: Chopra beat Ashman, Kitchen beat Farmer, Mutch beat Reed, Parnham beat R Hughes.
SEMI-FINALS: Kitchen beat Chopra, Mutch beat Parnham.
FINAL: Kitchen beat Mutch.
Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)