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BACK-to-back tournament wins have given Berkshire cueman Matt Ford a healthy lead on a regional over-40s snooker circuit.
Ford, from Martins Heron, Bracknell, followed his success on the Cuestars South of England Seniors Tour in Woking last month with victory in Marchwood.
The 41-year-old defeated Mike Talmondt 2-0 in the final of the fourth leg at Cue T’s Social & Snooker Lounge.
After taking the first frame by a distance, Ford compiled a 48 break in the next and his title rival from Portsmouth conceded with four reds left.
“I’ve been in (all) four finals now and managed to win two,” said Ford. “Mike’s a tough opponent so I’m always glad to beat him.
“I had a black to go into the pack for a big one but managed to miss that and Mike didn’t punish me. I got lucky.”
And he added: “It’s a very nice club. The tables are in good condition.”
Ford dropped only one frame out of 13 in the Dransfields-sponsored event. And that was against Stephen Hills (Northfleet) in the last-eight. But he nearly lost another to Chris Stocker, a fellow member of Sunninghill Comrades Club in Ascot, in the first frame of their semi-final when he needed a snooker.
Elsewhere, David Stewart (Odiham) cleared the table for a personal best 55 break in his 2-1 defeat by Dan Hammond in the group stages.
Hammond (Winchester) went on to make his first appearance in a semi-final where he was knocked out 2-0 by ex-professional Talmondt.
It wasn’t until the 18th round-robin match that the first break of 40 or more was recorded by any of the 17 runners. The grinding matchplay was ended when Ford made a 47 in his first frame against Steve Ashton (Salisbury) – and followed that with the day’s highest of 66 in the next.
Ford leads Talmondt by 16 points. Quarter-finalist Martin Wallace (Wokingham) climbed one place to third. The absent John Hunter (Andover) dropped to fourth and Stocker is fifth.
The fifth leg of seven is at Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon, on Sunday, January 29. The top-20 ranked players at the end of the series - which is sponsored by Leeds-based Dransfields, the UK’s largest independent supplier of gaming and amusement machines to pubs and clubs - will play off for £500 prize money in Newbury on April 23.
CUE T’S SOCIAL & SNOOKER LOUNGE
New owner Trevor Hambly bought Cue T’s 20 months ago and has obviously put a lot of time and money into bringing the tables up to scratch, which was much appreciated by all the Seniors Tour players.
The friendly club has nine snooker tables, including a Rileys silver leg, separated from a large bar area by a glass partition.
Situated in the heart of Marchwood village next to a free car park, it boasts two pool tables, two dartboards and an all-day breakfast to die for.
BREAKS
Matt Ford: 66, 65, 51, 48, 47.
David Stewart: 55.
Mike Talmondt: 46, 41.
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP POSITIONS
GROUP A: 1st, Chris Stocker (Sunninghill Comrades Club, Ascot); 2nd, Paul Lawrence (Park Gate RBL); 3rd, Dave Pullman (Sunninghill Comrades Club, Ascot); 4th, Alan Thomas (Jesters, Swindon); 5th, Jon Walker (Potting Shed, Aldbourne).
GROUP B: 1st, Matt Ford (Sunninghill Comrades Club, Ascot); 2nd, Martin Wallace (Crowthorne RBL); 3rd, Neil Carroll (Chandler’s Ford SC); 4th, Steve Ashton (Salisbury SC).
GROUP C: 1st, Dan Hammond (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, Stephen Hills (Traders, Northfleet); 3rd, David Stewart (Chandler’s Ford SC); 4th, Peter Chin (Jesters, Swindon).
GROUP D: 1st, Mike Talmondt (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 2nd, Paul Shears (Devizes Literary & Scientific Inst); 3rd, Mark Tillison (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 4th, Nick Miles (Ashlett Club, Fawley).
KNOCKOUT RESULTS
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Stocker 2 Shears 0, Ford 2 Hills 1, Hammond 2 Wallace 1, Talmondt 2 Lawrence 0.
SEMI-FINALS (£20, 15 points): Ford 2 Stocker 0, Talmondt 2 Hammond 0.
FINAL (£85/£45, 25/18 points): Ford 2 Talmondt 0.
Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)
Ford, from Martins Heron, Bracknell, followed his success on the Cuestars South of England Seniors Tour in Woking last month with victory in Marchwood.
The 41-year-old defeated Mike Talmondt 2-0 in the final of the fourth leg at Cue T’s Social & Snooker Lounge.
After taking the first frame by a distance, Ford compiled a 48 break in the next and his title rival from Portsmouth conceded with four reds left.
“I’ve been in (all) four finals now and managed to win two,” said Ford. “Mike’s a tough opponent so I’m always glad to beat him.
“I had a black to go into the pack for a big one but managed to miss that and Mike didn’t punish me. I got lucky.”
And he added: “It’s a very nice club. The tables are in good condition.”
Ford dropped only one frame out of 13 in the Dransfields-sponsored event. And that was against Stephen Hills (Northfleet) in the last-eight. But he nearly lost another to Chris Stocker, a fellow member of Sunninghill Comrades Club in Ascot, in the first frame of their semi-final when he needed a snooker.
Elsewhere, David Stewart (Odiham) cleared the table for a personal best 55 break in his 2-1 defeat by Dan Hammond in the group stages.
Hammond (Winchester) went on to make his first appearance in a semi-final where he was knocked out 2-0 by ex-professional Talmondt.
It wasn’t until the 18th round-robin match that the first break of 40 or more was recorded by any of the 17 runners. The grinding matchplay was ended when Ford made a 47 in his first frame against Steve Ashton (Salisbury) – and followed that with the day’s highest of 66 in the next.
Ford leads Talmondt by 16 points. Quarter-finalist Martin Wallace (Wokingham) climbed one place to third. The absent John Hunter (Andover) dropped to fourth and Stocker is fifth.
The fifth leg of seven is at Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon, on Sunday, January 29. The top-20 ranked players at the end of the series - which is sponsored by Leeds-based Dransfields, the UK’s largest independent supplier of gaming and amusement machines to pubs and clubs - will play off for £500 prize money in Newbury on April 23.
CUE T’S SOCIAL & SNOOKER LOUNGE
New owner Trevor Hambly bought Cue T’s 20 months ago and has obviously put a lot of time and money into bringing the tables up to scratch, which was much appreciated by all the Seniors Tour players.
The friendly club has nine snooker tables, including a Rileys silver leg, separated from a large bar area by a glass partition.
Situated in the heart of Marchwood village next to a free car park, it boasts two pool tables, two dartboards and an all-day breakfast to die for.
BREAKS
Matt Ford: 66, 65, 51, 48, 47.
David Stewart: 55.
Mike Talmondt: 46, 41.
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP POSITIONS
GROUP A: 1st, Chris Stocker (Sunninghill Comrades Club, Ascot); 2nd, Paul Lawrence (Park Gate RBL); 3rd, Dave Pullman (Sunninghill Comrades Club, Ascot); 4th, Alan Thomas (Jesters, Swindon); 5th, Jon Walker (Potting Shed, Aldbourne).
GROUP B: 1st, Matt Ford (Sunninghill Comrades Club, Ascot); 2nd, Martin Wallace (Crowthorne RBL); 3rd, Neil Carroll (Chandler’s Ford SC); 4th, Steve Ashton (Salisbury SC).
GROUP C: 1st, Dan Hammond (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, Stephen Hills (Traders, Northfleet); 3rd, David Stewart (Chandler’s Ford SC); 4th, Peter Chin (Jesters, Swindon).
GROUP D: 1st, Mike Talmondt (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 2nd, Paul Shears (Devizes Literary & Scientific Inst); 3rd, Mark Tillison (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 4th, Nick Miles (Ashlett Club, Fawley).
KNOCKOUT RESULTS
QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Stocker 2 Shears 0, Ford 2 Hills 1, Hammond 2 Wallace 1, Talmondt 2 Lawrence 0.
SEMI-FINALS (£20, 15 points): Ford 2 Stocker 0, Talmondt 2 Hammond 0.
FINAL (£85/£45, 25/18 points): Ford 2 Talmondt 0.
Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)