Gillon boosted by high break

MATT Gillon said a massive confidence boost the day before helped him claim a first tournament win on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Silver Tour.

The Gosport teenager made a personal best 54 break on the eve of the trip to Jesters Snooker Hall, Swindon.

After beating Reece King (Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth) 2-1 in the final, Gillon paid tribute to his opponent.

“My hardest game of the day had to be in the final against Reece,” said the 17-year-old. “He’s coming along as a class player.”

And he added: “I went into the tournament feeling confident as I knew I had played a lot of great snooker during the week.”

Gillon (Stoke SC), whose last Cuestars tournament win was at his final Bronze Tour event in Salisbury in May, 2013, climbed to second, three points behind rankings leader Callum McDonald (Salisbury SC). His clubmate Joe Kitchen is third.

In the semi-finals, King had accounted for McDonald 2-0 and Gillon beat Kitchen by the same score.

The sixth leg of eight is at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club on Sunday, March 1.

SILVER RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Matt Gillon (Stoke SC, Gosport); 2nd, Reece King (Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth); 3rd, Drew Hampshire (147 SC, Swindon); 4th, Nat Kidner (Greenbaize SC, Bournemouth); 5th, Edward James (Woking SC); 6th, Abhay Chopra (Chandler’s Ford SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Callum McDonald (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Joe Kitchen (Stoke SC, Gosport); 3rd, Olly Gibbs (Stoke SC, Gosport); 4th, Kaine Petty (Salisbury SC); 5th, Ally Pollard (Salisbury SC).

SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Gillon 2 Kitchen 0, King 2 McDonald 0.

FINAL (25/18 points): Gillon 2 King 1.

Report by Tim Dunkley: picture Reece King (left) and Matt Gillon