Wilson survives scare to land under-13 title

TEN-year-old Cuestars Gold Tour starlet Jamie Wilson survived a scare in the group stages to be crowned the 11th Cavagnetto Cup champion at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club.

The Pompey potter (pictured) defeated Connor Benzey 2-0 in the final of the annual under-13 tournament.

But hot-favourite Wilson, who recorded a 71 break in a Portsmouth league match last month and has reached the last-16 of the English Under-14 Championship twice, finished second in his round-robin group after a shock defeat.

He was beaten by eight-year-old Oliver Sykes, who did have the benefit of a ten-point handicap start and made his Bronze Tour debut last Sunday in Salisbury.

“Oliver played pretty well,” admitted Wilson. “He was potting a few nice balls.”

Reflecting on the final, the exciting young talent, who is targeting a first century before his 12th birthday in November next year, said: “Connor didn’t really get his arm going and I was potting everything.”

Wilson accounted for Eastleigh & District Under-13 Premier league leader Abhay Chopra 2-0 in the last-four while Benzey, conceding a ten-point handicap start, ended Sykes’ fine run with a 2-1 victory on the final pink from 1-0 down in the second semi.

Ryan Hughes accounted for his practice partner and good friend Harvey Banger in the Plate final.

KNOCKOUT RESULTS

Semi-finals: Connor Benzey 2 Oliver Sykes 1, Jamie Wilson 2 Abhay Chopra 0.

Final: J Wilson 2 Benzey 0 (48-20, 41-19).

PLATE

Quarter-finals: Lewis Wilson 1 Blake Mitchell 0, Ryan Hughes 1 Harry Wilson 0.

Semi-finals: Hughes 1 Bowen Zhu 0, Harvey Banger 1 L Wilson 0.

Final: Hughes 1 Banger 0.

Breaks: J Wilson: 37, 30, 27.

Report and picture by Tim Dunkley.