Mr Consistent claims Bronze runners-up spot

WOKING’S ‘Mr Consistent’ snatched the runners-up spot on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Bronze Tour in the last match of the eight-month tour.

Edward James (pictured left) beat first-time finalist Lee Fitzpatrick (Totton Recreation Club) 2-0 to take maximum points in the eighth leg at Salisbury Snooker Club.

After former rankings leader Ollie Gibbs (Stoke SC, Gosport) failed to progress from the group stages, James needed to win the final to secure second place behind champion Luke Beebe (Chandler’s Ford SC).

First up was Beebe in the quarter-finals. James rose to the occasion and prevailed 2-0. He then defeated first-time semi-finalist Liam Ashman, son of Westbury coach Duncan Ashman, by the same scoreline.

The 12-year-old, who had lost to Fitzpatrick in the round-robin matches, took the lead in the final thanks to a 20 break and doubled the pink into a middle pocket for a 2-0 win.

“I didn’t think I could win against Lee after losing to him in the group stages,” said James. “There was a lot of pressure.”

Since a group-stage exit in the first leg in Salisbury last October, James has proved to be ‘Mr Consistent’. He made one last-eight exit, was a losing semi-finalist four times and won two legs.

After two seasons in the lower tier, James will now spend the summer practising at Woking Snooker Centre in preparation for his debut in October on the Silver Tour.

“It’s a bit daunting,” admitted the Royal Grammar School pupil. “They’re better players and older players.”

The top-16 ranked players now head to Jesters Snooker Hall, Swindon, on Sunday, May 25, for the championship play-off.

BREAKS

Adam Cowdroy: 22.
Edward James: 20.

BRONZE RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, David O’Callaghan (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 2nd, Steven Hughes (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Ben Tillison (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 4th, Harry Wilson (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 5th, Connor Shaw (Greenbaize, Bournemouth).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Luke Beebe (Chandler’s Ford SC); 2nd, Connor Benzey (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Ally Pollard (Salisbury SC); 4th, Abhay Chopra (Chandler’s Ford SC); 5th, Nat Kidner (Greenbaize, Bournemouth).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP C: 1st, Lee Fitzpatrick (Totton Recreation Club); 2nd, Edward James (Woking SC); 3rd, Ollie Gibbs (Stoke SC, Gosport); 4th, Callum McDonald (Salisbury SC); 5th, Keegan Reed (Salisbury SC).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP D: 1st, Kaine Petty (Salisbury SC); 2nd, Liam Ashman (Player’s, Westbury); 3rd, Adam Cowdroy (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 4th, Lewis Wilson (Copnor SC, Portsmouth).

QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Ashman beat O’Callaghan 2-1, James beat Beebe 2-0, Fitzpatrick beat Benzey 2-0, Petty beat Hughes 2-0.

SEMI-FINALS (15 points): James beat Ashman 2-0, Fitzpatrick beat Petty 2-0.

FINAL (25/18 points): James beat Fitzpatrick 2-0.

Report and pcture by Tim Dunkley.