Portsmouth teen claims title triumph after night on the booze

Samuel Laxton’s acceptance speech after securing the Cuestars Under-21 Silver Tour rankings title could easily have come from the lips of new world snooker champion Luca Brecel.

The 18-year-old from Portsmouth admitted he rarely practises and that liquid refreshment had been taken the night before.

Laxton was crowned champion after title rival Asten Sahota (Southampton) was knocked out in the round-robin group stage of the 10th and final leg at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club.

And he went on to claim his second winner’s trophy of the season by beating William Thomson (Chandler’s Ford) 2-1 in the final of the Pitman Training-sponsored event.

Sahota, 11, finished the season as runner-up and 13-year-old Harry Wyatt (Ferndown) was third.

Reflecting on the competition, Laxton said: ‘They are all top players. Every time we play each other it goes down to the last couple of balls.’

Turning to the title, he added: ‘It means a lot to win the rankings.

‘I played quite well today (considering) I was out drinking last night so have had minimal hours’ sleep.’

Laxton, who earlier in the day matched his highest break of 68, is based at Waterlooville Sports Bar and made his Cuestars debut in 2017. He won the end-of-season Bronze Championship title in 2018 and the Silver Championship in 2019 and 2022.

Next up is the Cuestars Under-21 Gold, Silver and Bronze Championships with guest professional Joe Perry at Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon, on Sunday, May 21.

For more information about Pitman Training, go to www.pitman-training.com.

Results

Round-robin group A: 1st Samuel Laxton (Waterlooville Sports Bar); 2nd William Thomson (Chandlers Ford SC); 3rd Mason Wilson (Crucible, Newbury); 4th Daniel Walter (Mayfair SC, Gosport); 5th Tom McEvoy (Salisbury SC).

Round-robin group B: 1st Ryan Spratt (Chandlers Ford SC); 2nd Harry Wyatt (Greenbaize, Bournemouth); 3rd Asten Sahota (Chandlers Ford SC); 4th Caden Read (Chandlers Ford SC); 5th Ayan Roy (Frames, Coulsdon).

Semi-finals (15 points): Thomson 2-0 Spratt, Laxton 2-1 Wyatt.

Final (25/18 points): Laxton 2-1 Thomson.

Meanwhile, James Budd emerged victorious from an epic seven-hour battle with Colin Norton to retain the Gosport and Fareham Snooker League’s individual scratch singles title.

The 27-year-old fought back from 4-1 down to win 5-4 in the final at Stoke Snooker Club.

He said: ‘I’m ever so delighted to win this competition again. I did fluke quite a bit in the final but I never gave up.’

In the earlier rounds, the Gosport cueman beat Brad Scarborough 4-0, Andrew Rigby 4-1, Cliff Robbins 4-3 and last year’s runner-up Paul Foster 4-2.

Budd thanked his practice partner and former World Masters champion Dharminder Lilly for his advice, his sponsor Rikki Hatherly – from RH kitchen and bathrooms – and Century Cues for supplying him with snooker products.