John & Wayne heading for Woking showdown
IT WON’T actually be Colt 45s at high noon but cues will certainly be drawn at 10.30am in Woking next month as the John and Wayne epic reaches its conclusion.
Only three points now separate the top two on the Cuestars South of England Seniors (40+) Snooker Tour with one leg to play.
Defending champion John Hunter closed the gap on Wayne Muddiman by defeating the rankings leader 2-0 in the final of the sixth event at The Crucible Sports & Social Club, Newbury.
That makes it one apiece this season as Muddiman (Chandlers Ford Central Club) had beaten Hunter (Salisbury SC) for the money in the opening leg at Chandler’s Ford SC.
“It’s now set up nicely for the final event,” said Hunter.
For the first time this season, the pair were drawn together in the same round-robin group.
Muddiman won 2-0. He then accounted for fourth-placed Trevor Thorn (Basingstoke Conservative Club) and denied Neil Carroll (Chandler’s Ford SC) a first ever appearance in a final, both with 2-0 scorelines, to reach his third final of the 2013/14 campaign.
Meanwhile, Hunter dispatched Chris Stocker (Sunninghill Comrades Club, Ascot) and subjected third-placed Martin Wallace (Colours, Reading) to a third semi-final defeat this season, also without dropping a frame.
The seventh and final leg is at Woking Snooker Centre on Sunday, April 27.
BREAKS
John Hunter: 62, 51.
Neil Herd: 67, 46.
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP POSITIONS
GROUP A: 1st, Martin Wallace (Colours, Reading); 2nd, Neil Carroll (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Nick Miles (Ashlett Club, Fawley); 4th, David Volante (Jesters, Swindon).
GROUP B: 1st, Chris Stocker (Sunninghill Comrades Club, Ascot); 2nd, Trevor Thorn (Basingstoke Conservative Club); 3rd, Richard Arnold (Salisbury SC); 4th, Ray Mears (Sovereign SC, Farnborough).
GROUP C: 1st, Wayne Muddiman (Chandlers Ford Central); 2nd, John Hunter (Salisbury SC); 3rd, Stephen Hills (Traders Club, Northfleet); 4th, Steve Ashton (Salisbury SC).
GROUP D: 1st, Neil Herd (Player’s, Westbury); 2nd, Steve Tonks (Ashlett Club, Fawley); 3rd, Alan Thomas (Jesters, Swindon).
KNOCKOUT RESULTS
QUARTER-FINALS (£5): Wallace beat Tonks 2-1, Hunter beat Stocker 2-0, Muddiman beat Thorn 2-0, Carroll beat Herd 2-0.
SEMI-FINALS (£15): Hunter beat Wallace 2-0, Muddiman beat Carroll 2-0.
FINAL (£70/£30): Hunter beat Muddiman 2-0.
Picture by Tim Dunkley: Wayne Muddiman (left) and John Hunter.