European U21 Championship

JORDAN Winbourne was knocked out in the last-64 of the European Under-21 Championship at the Dolmen Resort Hotel in Malta.

The 19-year-old from Hedge End went down 3-1 to Germany’s Simon Lichtenberg, 17, in the first knockout round.

In the group stages, Winbourne beat Yana Shut (Belarus) 3-0, Michal Kotiuk (Poland) 3-0 and Darragh Cusack (Ireland) 3-1 but lost 3-2 to Simon Lindblom (Sweden) and 3-2 to Kobe Vanoppen (Belgium).

Darryl Hill, an 18-year-old from the Isle of Man, won the final and secured a two-year tour card for the professional circuit.

Winbourne won the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Gold Tour rankings title and championship play-off in the 2009/10 season. The former England international is the only player to have completed the double on one of the three junior tours.

He began his career at the now-closed Castle Club in Southampton before moving to Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club where he won the Eastleigh & District Under-13 and Under-18 Leagues.

Report by Tim Dunkley.