Mark Lloyd secures third national title - then wins Waterlooville Pro-Am

Mark Lloyd has landed his third national title.
Mark Lloyd, left, with and EASB secretary Clive Brown   Picture: Tim DunkleyMark Lloyd, left, with and EASB secretary Clive Brown   Picture: Tim Dunkley
Mark Lloyd, left, with and EASB secretary Clive Brown Picture: Tim Dunkley

And the 19-year-old from Gosport followed that success by pocketing £400 prize money for winning the latest Pro-Am at Waterlooville Sports Bar.

Lloyd edged Callum Beresford 8-7 in the final of the English Under-21 Championship at the Star Snooker Academy, Sheffield.

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He demonstrated grit and determination in the Steel City to battle back from 7-5 down to force a 15th-frame decider.

Cuestars director John Hunter, who runs the amateur circuits on which Lloyd has been a regular for more than a decade, made the trip north.

He said: ‘Mark showed again how good he is in national finals.

‘He fights for every point and every frame to find a way to win.’

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Lloyd fired in a 110 break in the third frame and took a 4-3 lead into the interval.

But the teenager admitted it was nip-and-tuck all the way.

‘The match was like a game of tennis,’ he said.

‘I won a frame then Callum won a frame.

‘Callum pulled off an unbelievable clearance of 43 to lead 7-5.

‘I then just composed myself in my chair, knowing that I was still in it.’

Lloyd, who landed the national under-16 championship in 2015 and added the under-18 title the following year, won the next two frames.

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And he accepted the handshake in the decider when his 18-year-old opponent, from Mexborough, near Doncaster, went in off the final pink.

A week later, Lloyd cleared the table with a 90 break to wrap up a 4-1 victory over home player Jamie Wilson in the final of the Pro-Am.

Earlier, Lloyd beat Peter Devlin 4-2, Steven Hughes 4-0 and Labeeb Ahmed 4-1.

He said: ‘I was consistent throughout the day.

‘I didn’t buzz by any means but managed to get the win.’

Wilson recorded three fine wins en route to the final.

The 15-year-old, from Havant, who collected £200, overcame Bradley Cowdroy 4-1, Ryan Mears 4-2 and Connor Benzey 4-1.

Reflecting on the final, Wilson said: ‘He (Lloyd) played very well.

‘Overall, it was a good day and I was very pleased with it.’

- TIM DUNKLEY

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