Townsend wins a remarkable tournament in Newbury
WAYNE Townsend prevailed in final frame deciders in all five of his matches during the third leg of the Cuestars Championship Tour.
The 42-year-old from Northolt, west London, extended his lead at the top of the rankings following his second tournament win of the season at The Crucible Sports & Social, Newbury.
Townsend, who pocketed £250 in prize money, recorded two of the day’s total of six century breaks.
He wrapped up his 3-2 last-four success over former professional Jamie Wilson (Havant) with a 101 clearance and added a 110 in his 3-2 final victory against Labeeb Ahmed (Chessington).
Ahmed received £100. Semi-finalists Wilson and Oliver Sykes (Chandler’s Ford) collected £50 each.
A total of 30 breaks of 50 or more were recorded by the high-quality field during a long day that ended at 10.15pm. Ryan Mears (Aldershot) took the honours with a 117 in his first match against Londoner Brandon McCreadie.
Home player Ollie Douglas (Thatcham) beat Peter O’Malley (Shepherd’s Bush) 2-1 in the final of the Plate, a competition for players who lose their first match in the main event.
The turnout of 40 for the event sponsored by Reading-based PL Auto Services was the highest of the season and came on the back of a 48-strong field for the Under-21 competitions at Chandlers Ford SC last Sunday and the massive record entry of 47 for last month’s Seniors Tour leg at Woking SC, which was the highest in the 12-year history of the over-40s competition.
Frames Sports Bar, Coulsdon, hosts the fourth leg of nine on Sunday, December 11.
RESULTS (BREAKS)
PRELIMS: Neil Herd 1-3 Jake Fowler, Mary Talbot-Deegan 2-3 Mickey Joyce, Brandon McCreadie (52) 2-3 (117) Ryan Mears, Matt Ford (71) 3-0 Ollie Douglas, Bradley Cowdroy 3-1 Jack Dady, Terry Burke 0-3 (114, 57) Oliver Sykes, Will Forster (54, 53) 3-0 Dan Hall, Dhar Lilly (56) 3-1 Ronnie Blake.
LAST-32: Jake Fowler 1-3 Mickey Joyce, Ryan Mears (74) 3-0 Matt Ford, Bradley Cowdroy 1-3 (73) Oliver Sykes, Will Forster 0-3 Dhar Lilly, James Hawes 0-3 Labeeb Ahmed, Marcos Dayao (100, 77) 3-0 Pete O’Malley, Andrew Seymour 2-3 Jamie Malone, Pat Patel 1-3 George Apperley, Will Harrison 1-3 O’Shay Scott, Ray Grall 3-1 Peter Chin, Mason Wilson 3-2 Ronnie Sullivan, Jamie Wilson 3-0 Adam Stacey, James Budd 1-3 (53) John Donovan, Dale Prout 1-3 (69) Billy Castle, Wayne Townsend 3-2 Connor Benzey, Andrew Darken 0-3 (64) Mark Lloyd.
LAST-16: Mickey Joyce 1-3 Ryan Mears, Oliver Sykes (104) 3-1 Dhar Lilly, Labeeb Ahmed 3-1 (68) Marcos Dayao, Jamie Malone 3-0 George Apperley, O’Shay Scott (57) 3-0 Ray Grall, Mason Wilson 0-3 (89) Jamie Wilson, John Donovan 0-3 (60) Billy Castle, Wayne Townsend (51) 3-2 (51) Mark Lloyd.
QUARTER-FINALS (£25): Ryan Mears 0-3 (81) Oliver Sykes, Labeeb Ahmed (54) 3-0 Jamie Malone, O’Shay Scott 1-3 (78) Jamie Wilson, Billy Castle 2-3 Wayne Townsend.
SEMI-FINALS (£50): Labeeb Ahmed (60, 50) 3-1 Oliver Sykes, Wayne Townsend (101) 3-2 Jamie Wilson.
FINAL (£250/£100): Wayne Townsend (110, 67) 3-2 Labeeb Ahmed.
PLATE RESULTS (BREAKS)
PRELIMS: Neil Herd 0-2 Ronnie Blake, Aristos Pampouris 2-1 Dale Prout, Andrew Darken 2-1 Adam Stacey, Ronnie Sullivan 0-2 Pete O’Malley.
QUARTER-FINALS: Ronnie Blake 2-0 Aristos Pampouris, Andrew Darken 0-2 Pete O’Malley, Ollie Douglas 2-0 Pat Patel, Brandon McCreadie 0-2 James Budd.
SEMI-FINALS: Pete O’Malley 2-0 Ronnie Blake, Ollie Douglas 2-1 James Budd.
FINAL (£35/£15): Ollie Douglas 2-1 Peter O’Malley.
Picture: Wayne Townsend (left) and Labeeb Ahmed