Cuestars
EASTLEIGH A have taken an
early lead in the Cuestars Section Team Challenge with victory at Winchester
Snooker Centre.
Runners-up
last season, the lads from The Academy beat Trowbridge A 4-1 in the final in the
first of eight tournaments across the South.
Daniel
Bentley (capt), Lee Roling, Liam Burnet and Robert Henley beat home side
Winchester Dreamers - Tom King, Dan Appleton, Sam Oakley and Rob Sawyer - 4-2 in
the semis.
Henley,
14, had won a play-off against Lee Bell to make his A team debut in place of Ben
Tanner who was on holiday.
Cliff
Goodchild, who manages the team with Colin Henley, said “Robert’s been
training with Ken Jones. He’s come along leaps and bounds.”
The
Eastleigh B side of Matthew Geer, James Thomas, Bell and Bradley Hatch lost to
defending champions Swindon Jesters A in the second round.
earlier news
Eastleigh
Cuestars
Leading
Liam Burnet, 13, by seven points going into the last competition of eight at the
Academy, the 15-year-old beat his title-rival 2-0 in the semi-final.
At
the last South of England Cuestars under-15 tournament in Basingstoke, Tanner
lost in the final to James Bolton from Salisbury.
James
Thomas, also from the Eastleigh club, lost in the under-12’s Plate final.
Eastleigh’s
Academy runs Saturday morning junior sessions from 9-11pm using a two-frame
aggregate-score round-robin format plus an extra hour’s coaching by
invitation.
They
also host a handicap tournament for adults and juniors every other Sunday
starting on June 22 at 10.30am.
Swindon Masters
DREW
Farminer headed home after a first-round exit at the Swindon Masters certain
that he had blown his chance of clinching the South of England Cuestars Senior
title – until he received a phone call at 8.30pm.
Leading
the rankings going into the 15th and final event of the season, the 24-year-old
from Shirley Warren lost 3-0 to Ken Meyon.
“I
didn’t really get going,” he said. “It was too early in the morning for
me. I need to scrape through my first match, really.”
Farminer
left the club expecting second-placed Phillip Wildman, from Reading, to win the
tournament and steal the title.
“I
couldn’t sit there and watch,” he explained. “It was doing my head in. I
thought it was all over.”
Travelling
companion Adam Nash also lost 3-0 in the first round, to Marc Harman
(Wimbledon).
While
competing in the Sunday night handicap at Chandler’s Ford SC, Farminer
received a call from tournament director Paul Rose at Jesters SC informing him
that Wildman, who had chalked up a 125 earlier in the day, had lost 3-2 in the
quarter-finals to Portsmouth’s Dennis Hushley.
Farminer
said: “I owe him a drink!”
A
first Cuestars title since he joined the circuit, aged 17, completed a
remarkable season for the captain of treble-winning Winchester League side
Bishopstoke Institute. The 26-member club lifted the Premier title, the team KO
cup and the Ken Caldwell Cup.
Cuestars
Under-21 Premier Series
Hedge End teenager DANIEL WOODS
chalked up a personal best 90 break in the South of England Cuestars Under-21
Premier Series at Riley’s SC, Bracknell.
In
a fifth-frame decider in the group stages against 2007 champion Ryan Mears,
Woods beat his previous high of 63 and missed a thin cut on the final blue for a
century chance.
“I
didn’t play the brown hard enough to bring it back for the blue,” said the
17-year-old.
Woods
beat champion Dan Hildyard (Fair Oak) 3-1, James Sumner (Boscombe) 3-1 but lost
3-0 to bottom-placed Liam Tinne (Salisbury).
Hildyard,
who wrapped up the title in the last event at Trowbridge in April, struggled
through the groups with tip problems.
The
17-year-old was forced to use his spare cue when his tip flew off in the first
match.
Two
wins and two defeats took Hildyard to a semi-final clash with Woods and, with
his favourite cue re-tipped at the club, he won 3-0.
Hildyard,
who has reached the final in all six of the tournaments he has played in, took
his Cuestars winnings this season to £450 after agreeing to share the £140
final pot with series runner-up Mears (Aldershot).
Cuestars
Under-21 Open
STEPPING down from the
Cuestars Premier Series, Lee Roling made a winning first appearance of the
season in the handicapped Under-21 Open at Bracknell.
Roling,
17, from Chandler’s Ford, dented the title-hopes of ranking leader Liam
O’Shea (Swindon) with a 3-1 victory in the last four and beat Jake White
(Trowbridge) 3-2 in the final.
The
last event is in Basingstoke on June 1.
earlier news
There were no team orders
at Salisbury as Shirley’s Drew Farminer edged a step closer to the South of
England Cuestars Open title.
The
24-year-old heads to the final event of the 15-tournament series, the Swindon
Masters on 25 May, in pole position after beating his title-rival Phil Wildman
3-1 in the second round.
But
there was no quarter given in the last eight by travelling companion Adam Nash.
Farminer,
who went down 3-2 after losing a black-ball game when 2-1 up, said: “I
wouldn’t have expected anything else.”
A
3-0 first-round victory over Mike Finn (Eastleigh) set up the clash with Wildman
(Reading).
“I
knew I couldn’t lose to Phil,” added Farminer. “He needs to win the next
tournament and needs me to go out in the first or second round.
“I
played really solid and didn’t give him a chance.”
Nash
(Bitterne) lost to Mark Green (Salisbury) 3-1 in the semi-finals.
Billy
Castle (Marchwood) posted breaks of 41, 50, 59, 61, 48, 50, 69 and 47 before
losing 3-1 in the second semi to Liam Tinne (Salisbury).
The
15-year-old beat Alan Childs (Salisbury) 3-0, Sam Jefferson (Swindon) 3-0 and
Sam Giles (Salisbury) 3-2.
earlier events
EASTLEIGH B lifted the
Plate trophy on home soil in the eighth and final event of the South of England
Cuestars team series.
After
a first round exit to rankings winners Swindon Jesters A at The Academy, the
lads beat Trowbridge B in the Plate final.
Lee
Bell fought back from 20 points behind to win the decider on the black.
The
A side of Adam Goodchild, Matt Geer, Liam Burnet and Ben Tanner clinched the
runners-up spot.
They
beat Trowbridge B 4-0 and Jesters B 4-3. Tanner, 15, fired in a 39 to beat
Derrick Volante in the decider.
Trailing
3-0 in the final to Jesters A, the Eastleigh side levelled but Burnet, 13, lost
to Liam O’Shea despite leading by 38 points.
Junior organiser Cliff Goodchild said: “I’m very pleased for the lads. Hopefully next season they can build on it and challenge again.”
OLLIE
Tydeman returned to the scene of his first South of England Cuestars Open
tournament victory and reached the final again.
But
the 18-year-old was forced to concede the match at Jesters SC in Swindon
without a ball being potted to catch the only lift available back to his home in
Chandler’s Ford.
Tydeman,
who plays for Sarisbury Social A in the Southampton Premier Division, pocketed
£50 after wins over Fred Pearce 3-1, Connor Probets (Swindon) 3-1, David
Carroll (Trowbridge) 3-2 and Chris Evans 3-2.
With
no big breaks during the day, Tydeman relied on safety play.
He
won a first competition at the same venue in February.
Rankings
leader Drew Farminer maintained a four-point advantage over Phillip Wildman
(Reading) as both title-rivals made quarter-final exits.
Poole Cuestars
Rankings leader Drew
Farminer reckons he has one hand on the South of England Cuestars Open trophy
after reaching the final of event 12 at the Ambassador SC in Poole.
The
23-year-old delivery driver from Shirley was forced to wait four hours after
beating Ron Ellis (London) 3-0 in the semis.
He
then lost 2-1 on a re-spotted black to fourth-placed Neil Craycraft (Swindon)
and pocketed £40.
With
second-placed Phillip Wildman (Reading) a first-round casualty, Farminer takes a
15-point lead into the last three competitions.
The
overall winner collects £500 and a trophy.
Craycraft
also ended the hopes of three more of the region’s cuemen.
He
beat Arron McIntyre (Hiltingbury) 3-0, Adam Nash (Bitterne) 3-0 and Mark McLean
(North Baddesley) 3-1 in the semis.
earlier news
Cuestars
Masters in Bournemouth
DREW FARMINER extended his
lead in the Cuestars Senior rankings with a semi-final finish in the Masters at
Bournemouth’s Greenbaize SC.
And
despite being told that his handicap will be cut to +14, Farminer (Shirley)
reckons that with four events left he has the beating of title-rival Phillip
Wildman (Reading) who lost in the last 16.
“He’s
off scratch and he’s not really a scratch player,” said Farminer. “I fancy
my chances.”
The
23-year-old beat Adam Nash (Bitterne) 3-0, Mike Finn (Eastleigh) 3-1 but
“couldn’t get going” in a 3-0 semi-final defeat by Neil Craycraft
(Swindon).
Nash
lost 2-1 in the Plate final to Vernon Li (Aldershot).
Cuestars team event in Chandler's Ford
BILLY CASTLE heads to Leeds
today for the most important weekend of his career on the back of a first ever
South of England Cuestars Open victory.
Reluctant
to play in a handicap event but needing match practice before today’s last 16
stage of the EASB national under-16 championship, the Marchwood teenager made a
last-minute decision to enter the competition at Chandler’s Ford SC.
Castle,
receiving a 21-point start, beat Michael Hodge from Newport, Wales, 3-0 in the
final to pocket £100.
In
the earlier rounds, he beat Simon Woods (Reading), Ben Tanner (Boyatt Wood),
Andy Rogers (Cardiff) and Marc Russell (Woolston) with breaks of 75, 56 and 59.
A
3-0 quarter-final exit to Russell was enough to take Drew Farminer (Shirley)
back to top spot in the rankings after ten of the 15 events.
On
his debut in a senior event, 14-year-old Jordan Sainsbury (C/Ford) beat Arron
McIntyre (Hiltingbury) 3-2, Liam Burnett (Eastleigh) 3-0 and Ollie Tydeman
(C/Ford) 3-1. He picked up £20 after a 3-0 semi-final defeat by Hodge.
Joining
Castle in a bid for national glory in Leeds are his cousin Shane, Adam Bobat (Fareham)
and Jordan Winbourne (Hedge End) who all compete in the last 16 of the under-14s
tomorrow.
But
the lads from The Academy had to survive a first-round scare against their B
side.
Adam
Goodchild got the required snooker against ten-year-old James Thomas and fluked
the pink. Liam Burnett wrapped up a 4-2 victory against Ashley Broughton.
Ben
Tanner won a tie-break to see off Boscombe A 4-3 in the semis. Dan Bentley was
undefeated in his singles matches.
The
B side, which included Matthew Geer and Robert Henley, lost to Trowbridge B in
the Plate final.
CHANDLER’S Ford’s Ollie
Tydeman thanked coach Derek Clark after winning a first ever Cuestars Open
tournament.
Tydeman,
18, beat Phil Wildman 3-2 in the final at Jesters, Swindon, to pocket £100.
Tydeman
added that Stubbington-based Clark had not forced any changes on him.
Tydeman
beat Neil Craycraft (Swindon) 3-1, Mark Harman (Wimbledon) 3-0, Stephen Smart
(Trowbridge) 3-1 and Lewis Miles (Swindon) 3-1.
Rankings
leader Adam Nash (Southampton) lost 3-0 in the last-16 to Craig Hollick
(Swindon) and dropped to third.
Drew
Farminer (Shirley) lost 3-1 to Wildman (Reading) in the semis and remained
second with seven of the 15 events to play.
DOUG Chalk stepped in as
first reserve for the Cuestars skills day in Salisbury and played a frame
against Masters finalist Stephen Lee.
Kevin
Impett, winner of a competition to meet the world number 13, was forced to pull
out.
Chalk,
15, from Chandler’s Ford, was well-beaten but did manage to clear the last
three colours.
Pontin’s
under-12 champion Shane Castle was voted best player.
Craig
Wilson, who was not one of the lucky few selected, has been promised a frame
when Lee visits Chandler’s Ford SC on 16 April.
Cuestars
team event
EASTLEIGH A repeated their
Trowbridge success in the Cuestars team event final and again saw off
Chandler’s Ford A, this time in their local rivals’ own backyard.
Dan
Bentley, Adam Goodchild, 16, Liam Burnett, 13, and Ben Tanner knocked out the
home side 4-2 in the semis.
Skipper
Bentley, 18, rattled in a 52 in the final against Gosport A, and won the decider
after the match was deadlocked at 3-3.
Delighted
junior organiser Cliff Goodchild said: “It’s nice to see the lads win and
play well.”
Tanner,
14, chalked up a personal best break of 54 at the Academy the previous day.
Cuestars
Under-21 Handicap at Bournemouth
By
Tim Dunkley
Competing
in only his second event at the higher age group, Shefford, 15, beat Liam Tinne
(Salisbury) 3-2 in the final after leading 2-0.
The King Edward VI schoolboy, who plays for Bishopstoke Institute in the Southampton League Division 1, also saw off Scott Carpenter (Bournemouth) 3-1, Andrew Feeley (Winchester) 3-1 and Andrew Dyer (Trowbridge) 3-0.
Cuestars
Under-21 Premier at Bournemouth
By
Tim Dunkley
THREE members of the
Hildyard family from Fair Oak were dancing with delight this week at opposite
ends of the country.
Dan,
17, took his South of England Cuestars season’s winnings to £210 with a third
straight final appearance in the Under-21 Premier at Bournemouth’s Greenbaize
SC.
Unbeaten
in the group stages with breaks of 62, 81 and 78, the rankings leader beat Lee
Carlton (High Wycombe) 3-2 in the semis and split the £140 final pot with local
lad Daniel Webb, who beat Daniel Woods (Hedge End) 3-0 in the other semi.
Dan’s
brother Jason, 15, continued his about-turn in form with a 55 break and victory
over Jamie Southall (Winchester).
While
EASB referee dad Steve Hildyard was on duty in one seaside resort, proud mum
Teresa was watching Jason’s twin Kerry at the Blackpool Winter Gardens.
Wyvern
schoolgirl Kerry and ballroom dancing partner Michael Stevens took first prize
in the Champions of Tomorrow under-35 beginners.
earlier news Cuestars Swindon Open
SOUTHAMPTON
businessman ADAM NASH has taken over top spot in the South of England Cuestars
senior rankings.
Despite
a handicap cut before the start of the Swindon Open, the City Transport star had
enough left in the tank to reach the semis.
Nash,
28, beat travelling companion Drew Farminer (Shirley) 3-2 on the final black but
lost 3-2 to Welshman Michael Hodge.
Mark
McLean (North Baddesley) was beaten 3-2 in the quarter-finals by Dion Baker
(Portsmouth).
And
going out at the same stage on his Cuestars debut, Marc Russell (Woolston) lost
3-0 to Hodge.
Farminer,
23, dashed back to Chandler’s Ford for the Sunday-night handicap and reached
the final.
He
scored a 61 against Nigel Spiers (Romsey) in the first round and split the £135
final pot with Carlo Cavagnetto
“It
was a long old day,” he said.
Cuestars
Gosport
An hour before the Cuestars
Open kicked off at Gosport, Danny Gallant was urged to enter a first tournament
for two years - and pocketed the £100 first prize.
The
24-year-old, who plays for Southampton Premier League outfit Eastleigh Railway
Institute, beat Reading’s Phil Wildman 3-1 in the final at the Mayfair SC.
“I
only played because our football game was cancelled,” explained Gallant, who
received a call from Adam Nash at 9.30am and then beat his travelling companion
3-0 in the second round.
“It
was nice just to see some old friends from Cuestars,” he added.
Cuestars Salisbury
CUESTARS Salisbury Open
finalist Drew Farminer has been told by doctors to lose a few stones.
The
23-year-old delivery driver from Shirley admitted he struggled to bend down
during a 3-1 defeat by David Carroll (Trowbridge).
“I
had really bad stomach pains all day,” he explained. “I could hardly stand
up and I managed to get to the final. It’s crazy.
“On
the way up, I was in agony and it was getting worse all day.”
In
the last-eight, Farminer, captain of Winchester Premier League title-contenders
Bishopstoke Institute, knocked in a 50 in a fifth-frame decider to beat Stephen
Smart (Trowbridge) and saw off Phillip Wildman (Reading) 3-2 in the semis.
Farminer,
who pocketed £60, added. “By the final, I almost couldn’t bend down it was
getting that painful.
“I
went to the doctors and they said it’s suspected kidney stones.”
in earlier reports
Fluke, or no fluke... it's still a win
IN only his second
tournament as captain, Daniel Woods led the new-look Chandler’s Ford A side to
victory in the Cuestars Team Event at Q-World in Southampton.
But
the 17-year-old from Hedge End had the youngest member of the foursome to thank
after a fluked black clinched victory in the final.
Woods,
Lee Roling and Eastleigh brothers Toby and Glenn Shefford saw off Trowbridge B
4-2, Winchester 4-2 and the home side 5-1 to set up a clash with title-rivals
Swindon Jesters A.
The
lads secured a 4-2 victory in the third event of the eight-competition series
across the South, after 13-year-old Toby missed a long black but fluked it into
the middle.
Jordan
has two days to remember - Cuestars U15
CUESTARS under-12 champion
Jordan Winbourne stepped up an age group and won the under-15 event in Eastleigh
at his first attempt.
The
day after qualifying for the EASB national under-14 knockout stage, along with
local lads Shane Castle and Adam Bobat, Winbourne continued his good form with a
string of high breaks at the Academy.
He
chalked up a 55, one less than his highest, in the early rounds and added a 40
in a 2-1 semi-final victory over Ryan Burdett (Salisbury).
In
the final against Liam Burnett (Eastleigh), Winbourne made a 33 and a 25
clearance to win the third-frame decider on the black and pick up a first South
of England Cuestars trophy of the season.
Proud
dad Chris said: “Jordan entered the under-15s for the first time, although he
is still eligible for the under-12s, and did great.
“All
his games were off scratch or he had to give starts – in fact, there were only
two entries that were on a lower handicap than Jordan.”
Club-mates
share the spoils - Cuestars U21 Premier
CHANDLER’S Ford
club-mates Dan Hildyard and Billy Castle took advantage of home territory in the
Cuestars Under-21 Premier Series event-two.
Although
Hildyard (Fair Oak) beat Castle (Marchwood) 3-0 in the final, the pair agreed to
split the £140 prize pot.
Hildyard,
17, saw off James Sumner 3-1 in the last four.
Castle
beat Jason Hildyard (Fair Oak) 3-0, Sumner (Boscombe) 3-0 and local lad Lee
Roling 3-1 in the group stages with breaks of 41, 48, 42, 30, 30 and 75.
In
the semis, the 15-year-old added a 49 and left a stunned Ryan Mears (Aldershot)
rooted to his chair after clinching the 3-0 victory with a 38 clearance when
trailing by 37.
Ollie
Tydeman (Chandler’s Ford) lost a three-way play-off to qualify.
Champ
Shane disappointed - Cuestars U12
By
Tim Dunkley
SHANE Castle dominated the
South of England Cuestars under-12 tournament at the Academy, Eastleigh.
But
Castle was disappointed to miss his regular Sunday morning session with coach
Dave Mumford.
The
dedicated youngster prefers practising to competing in handicap competitions.
Dad
Jeffery said: “There were no spare tables because of a competition going on.
We decided to go then.”
Despite
giving double-figure starts to all his opponents, Castle did not drop a frame.
He beat Thomas Hilborne (Trowbridge), Luke Kingshot, Sonny O'Sullivan (High Wycombe) and Sam Streames (Yate) all 2-0, and chalked up breaks of 38, 38 and 40.
Rack 'em up, let's have another game........
Jordan Winbourne (Botley) sets the balls up for another frame. Jordan is the new "Cuestars under 12" champion.
Poor turn-out for the latest competition...
FOUR of the region’s top
juniors had reason to thank Cuestars director John Hunter after being invited to
a scratch tournament that guaranteed £160 prize money.
No
one else turned up.
With
players in action on the EASB Regional Tour and some opting for the Cuestars
handicap competition, it was rich pickings in Swindon for Alex Dunkley, Dan
Hildyard, John Smith and Lee Roling.
Dunkley
(Bursledon) recorded breaks of 108, 67 and 59 in the Under-21 Premier Series
round-robin and agreed to split the £140 final pot with Hildyard (Fair Oak).
Roling
(Chandler’s Ford) and Smith (Otterbourne) won their entry fees back.
Dunkley,
19, said: “It was a bit disappointing to have only four for the first event,
but I’m sure it will take off.
“The
guaranteed prize money will attract more players.”
In
the under-15 tournament, Jordan Sainsbury [pictured left](Chandler’s Ford)
reached the semi-final despite giving handicap starts to all his opponents.
Daniel
Woods (Hedge End) also went out in the last-four, in the under-21 handicap.
HEDGE
END's DANIEL WOODS gained revenge over Liam Tinne at the final event of the
South of England Cuestars season.
The 16-year-old, who finished runner-up to Tinne in the under-21 rankings, beat the Salisbury lad to win the Section Championships’ Plate final at Jesters, Swindon.
Woods also pocketed £100 sponsorship after being crowned the Eastleigh Academy Cuestars Section champion.
Lee Roling (Chandler’s Ford) and Jason Hildyard (Fair Oak) made last-16 exits in the main competition after easing through the round-robin group stages.
Roling, 16, lost 2-1 to Dominic Burtenshaw (Swindon) while Hildyard, 14, was beaten by Daniel Bentley (Eastleigh). Both lads won chalk pouches.
Previous News......... Clean Sweep
CHANDLER’S Ford Snooker Club dominated the Cuestars junior Championships at Swindon - incredibly winning all four age groups.
Jordan Winbourne (Botley) won the Under-12 final, Billy Castle (Marchwood) the Under-15s, Ollie Tydeman (Chandler’s Ford) the Under-21 Open and Dan Hildyard (Fair Oak) the Under-21 Premier Series final.
Club-boss Jim Everett said: “It’s our best year as a club since Cuestars began.” Cuestars director John Hunter believes this feat has never been achieved before.
Castle, 14, who wrapped up the under-15 title two weeks ago, won a third final of the season, beating Will McMullin (Gloucester) 3-1.
Ollie Tydeman, 17, captain of the club’s B side that finished runners-up to the A side in the team series, won his first Cuestars singles tournament 3-2 on the pink.
And 16-year-old Hildyard completed a record day for the region’s potters, seeing off Under-21 champion Ryan Mears (Aldershot) 3-2.
© May 2007 by Antony Aldridge (All rights reserved)