Last-minute decision earns Lloyd £90

AN ELEVENTH-hour decision to travel to South London for an under-16 tournament paid dividends for Gosport’s national finalist Mark Lloyd.

The 15-year-old (pictured) pocketed £80 for winning the 16-man scratch event at Frames Sports Bar, Coulsdon, and a bonus £10 for the day’s highest break of 56.

Lloyd, who was still debating whether to make the trip the previous night, defeated former England junior international Adam Stacey 2-0 in the final.

“I really struggled,” said Lloyd. “I didn’t play well so I’m just happy that I got the win.

“It’s a pretty good tournament. I think there should be more of these but stretch the age to under-18s to open the competition to more people.”

Three players who compete on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Gold Tour made the semi-finals. Lloyd beat Jonny Mutch (Cambridge) 2-1 while Stacey dispatched 11-year-old Mickey Joyce (Basingstoke) 2-0.

Charlie Pringle (Chandler’s Ford), currently sixth on the Bronze Tour, was beaten 2-1 in the quarter-finals by Londoner Stacey, 14, who reached the last-four of the 2013 English Under-14 Championship.

Lloyd is looking forward to the final of the English Under-16 Championship in May.

Report and picture by Tim Dunkley.