Sullivan: I need to keep on winning

CHIPSTEAD’S young green-baize star Ronnie Sullivan insists he needs “to keep winning” if he wants to claim the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Bronze Tour rankings title.

The 13-year-old extended his lead after collecting his second winner’s trophy of the season in the fourth leg on home tables at Frames Sports Bar, Coulsdon.

Sullivan avenged his defeat by Samuel Laxton in the previous final in Swindon by beating the Portsmouth lad 2-0.

A break of 24 did the damage in the first frame and a 20 clearance to the black wrapped up the second.

Sullivan, who had lost to Laxton in the group stages of the event sponsored by the host club, admitted: “I started off really bad.”

But he added: “I played better in the final than I had all day. I was potting everything. It was good.

“I just need to keep winning.”

Laxton said: “It was tough and he deserved to win.”

Sullivan and eight-year-old O’Shay Scott both recorded the competition’s highest break of 31.

A couple of weeks ago, Sullivan compiled a personal best 75 in a practice match against Cuestars Championship Tour player Ronnie Blake.

Meanwhile, the new junior leagues at Waterlooville Sports Bar provided three of the four semi-finalists.

On his 14th Cuestars outing, Harry Wilson (Havant) qualified for the knockout for the first time – and he did it by winning his group – before losing 2-0 to Sullivan.

And Laxton knocked out his clubmate Zak Truscott (Waterlooville) 2-0.

Sullivan has a 13-point lead over Laxton. Leg-two winner Riccardo Drayton (Chandler’s Ford), who finished third in his round-robin group of five which contained the top-five ranked players, is six points further back in third.

The fifth leg of ten is at Greenbaize Snooker Club, Bournemouth, on Sunday, January 7.

BREAKS

Ronnie Sullivan: 31, 24, 24, 20, 20.
O’Shay Scott: 31.
Louie Leighton: 22.

BRONZE RESULTS

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP A: 1st, Harry Wilson (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 2nd, Zak Truscott (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 3rd, Louie Leighton (Basildon); 4th, Mason Wilson (Academy, Basingstoke); 5th, Oliver Cooper (Frames, Coulsdon); 6th, Lewis Wilson (Waterlooville Sports Bar).

ROUND-ROBIN GROUP B: 1st, Samuel Laxton (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 2nd, Ronnie Sullivan (Frames, Coulsdon); 3rd, Riccardo Drayton (Chandlers Ford SC); 4th, Dean Russell (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 5th, O’Shay Scott (Chandlers Ford SC).

SEMI-FINALS (15 points): Laxton 2-0 Truscott, Sullivan 2-0 H Wilson.

FINAL (25/18 points): Sullivan 2-0 Laxton.

Picture by Tim Dunkley

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Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)