Wallace takes Seniors title race into final event – just
READING’S Martin Wallace has given himself a mathematical chance of winning the Cuestars South of England Seniors (40+) Tour.
Wallace, based at Colours Snooker Club, defeated Salisbury’s Steve Ashton 2-1 in the final of the third leg at Jesters Snooker Hall, Swindon
But it was a must-win semi-final victory over rankings leader Colin Norton (Castle Snooker Club, Fareham) that kept alive Wallace’s hopes of overhauling the title favourite.
The 2-0 defeat was only the second match Norton had lost out of 19 on the Seniors Tour this season.
If Wallace wins the fourth and final event at the Ambassador Snooker Club, Poole, on Sunday, May 22 – and Norton fails to show – the pair will finish with equal points.
Wallace, who is also fourth on the Championship Tour, climbed to second. Ashton is eight points further back in fourth.
Wallace also beat Ashton 2-1 in the round-robin stages but finished runner-up in Group B after a 2-0 defeat by Gary Hart (Salisbury).
Norton recorded the top breaks of 73 and 66. Paul Rose, from the host club, weighed in with a cheeky 39.
In the quarter-finals, Group A winner Rose went out 2-0 to the eventual tournament winner. Rose’s club-mate David Volante, runner-up in Group A, was knocked out by the same score by Ashton. Paul Burt, who topped Group D, defeated Trevor Thorn (Basingstoke Conservative Club) 2-0 and Norton accounted for Richard Hewer (Swindon) 2-0.
Ashton’s 2-0 semi-final win ended Burt’s hopes of a first appearance in a final.
BREAKS
Colin Norton: 73, 66.
Paul Rose: 39.
RESULTS:
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Paul Rose (Jesters, Swindon); 2nd, David Volante (Jesters, Swindon); 3rd, Ron Ellis (Burgh Heath Club, Surrey); 4th, Fred Pearce (Burgh Heath Club, Surrey)
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Steve Ashton (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Martin Wallace (Colours SC, Reading); 3rd, Gary Hart (Salisbury SC); 4th, Neil Carroll (Salisbury SC).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Colin Norton (Castle Snooker Club, Fareham); 2nd, Trevor Thorn (Basingstoke Conservative Club); 3rd, Richard Arnold (Salisbury SC); 4th, Alan Thomas (Jesters, Swindon).
ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Paul Burt (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Richard Hewer (Swindon); 3rd, Danny O’Driscoll (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 4th, Alan Childs (Salisbury SC); 5th, Ray Mears (Sovereign SC, Farnborough).
QUARTER-FINALS (£10, 8 points): Wallace beat Rose 2-0, Norton beat Hewer 2-0, Ashton beat Volante 2-0, Burt beat Thorn 2-0.
SEMI-FINALS (£20, 12 points): Wallace beat Norton 2-0, Ashton beat Burt 2-0.
FINAL (£60/£30, 25/18 points): Wallace beat Ashton 2-1.