Ryan’s new cue decision vindicated

A BRAVE decision to use a two-day old cue paid dividends for a Chandler’s Ford teenager on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Bronze Tour.

Ryan Hughes (pictured) won the seventh leg at Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon, to take a five-point lead over title rival Ben Tillison into the final event on home tables next month.

The 14-year-old defeated first-time finalist Chloe White 2-0 to claim his third winner’s trophy of the season.

“Chloe played pretty well in the final,” said Hughes, who bought a brand-new John Parris cue on the Friday.

“On Saturday I played quite well with it so I thought I’d use it on Sunday as well.”

And he revealed his tactics for the eighth and final leg at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club on Sunday, May 1: “I just need to make sure I win my games.”

Hughes finished second in his group of six after losing to White, beat clubmate Oli Line 2-0 in the last-eight and accounted for Tillison (Portsmouth) 2-0 in a must-win semi-final.

The following day, he managed a draw on his Super League debut for Chandlers Ford Central Club B against Ashlett Club C.</p><p style=”text-align: center;”><img width=”247″ height=”368″ alt=”” src=”/userfiles/image/Ryan%20Hughes%20and%20Chloe%20White%20JH%20(428×640).jpg” /></p><p style=”text-align: center;”><b>PICTURE BY JOHN HUNTER: Winner Ryan Hughes and first-time finalist Chloe White</b></p><p>Third-placed White (Portsmouth) admitted it was “hard” having to beat her brother Callum in the last-eight and home player Shane Kearns in the semi-finals but she was delighted to make her first Bronze Tour final and will continue to strive for a winner’s trophy.

She said: “Playing Ryan in the final was one step to much as he played the better snooker and deserved to win the game. But it was a shame as I did beat him on the black in the qualifying stages earlier in the day.

“Sheer hard work and practice has nearly got me to where I want to be.”

The eighth and final leg is at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club on Sunday, May 1.

BREAKS

Ryan Hughes: 29.

BRONZE RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Ben Tillison (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 2nd, Riley Ellis (Jesters, Swindon); 3rd, Oli Line (Chandler’s Ford SC); 4th, Callum White (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 5th, Kyle Carter (Jesters, Swindon); 6th, Connor Shaw (Greenbaize, Bournemouth).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Chloe White (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 2nd, Ryan Hughes (Chandler’s Ford SC); 3rd, Shane Kearns (Jesters, Swindon); 4th, Rio Smith (Copnor SC, Portsmouth); 5th, Arnie Petty (Salisbury SC); 6th, Harry Joyce (Chandler’s Ford SC).

QUARTER-FINALS (12 points): Tillison 2 Smith 1, Hughes 2 Line 0, Kearns 2 Ellis 1, Chloe White 2 Callum White 0.

SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Hughes 2 Tillison 0, Chloe White 2 Kearns 1.

FINAL (25/18 points): Hughes 2 Chloe White 0.

Report and picture by Tim Dunkley

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