CONNOR Benzey is in pole position to earn promotion to the national under-21 snooker circuit, writes Tim Dunkley.

Notoriously slow at the start of a new season, the 16-year-old from Eastleigh hit the ground running in the first leg of the EASB Regional Junior Tour South.

The prolific century breaker, known as The Machine, fired in a 108 in the first frame of a 2-1 victory over Havant teenager Jamie Wilson in the final at Waterlooville Sports Bar.

Earlier, in the group stages, Benzey recorded breaks of 73, 71 and 45 as he overcame Riley Ellis (north Wilts) 2-0, Marcos Dayao (London) 2-0 and Wilson 2-1.

In fact, the only frames he dropped all day were against the 14-year-old England international.

Benzey, who has put in long hours on the practice table over the summer, beat Aristos Pampouris (London) 2-0 in the last-eight and his Chandlers Ford clubmate Ryan Hughes 2-0 in the semi-finals.

Subject to official confirmation, the top two in the rankings at the end of the six-leg circuit will earn automatic promotion to the Premier Junior Tour, which is restricted to the best 32 under-21s in the country.

Hughes (Chandler’s Ford) also won his group and beat Jack Haley (Harlow) 2-1 in the first knockout round.

Steven Hughes (no relation), and also from Chandler’s Ford, topped his group and lost 2-1 to Wilson in the quarter-finals.

Riccardo Drayton (Chandler’s Ford) won two of his four matches and finished third in his group.

Nine-year-old O’Shay Scott (Eastleigh) made a group-stage exit on his debut.

Cuestars

NEIL Carroll was the only one of the region’s players to qualify for the knockout in the first leg of the Cuestars Seniors (40+) Tour.

The Rownhams cueman won four of his five group-stage matches, only losing to Chandlers Ford clubmate Phil Morgan, in the event at Top Spot Snooker Club, Havant.

Carroll, who also competes on the World Seniors Tour, then lost 2-0 to Surrey’s Jon Charlton, the eventual tournament winner, in the last-eight.

Paul Lawrence (Midanbury) and Wayne Muddiman (Fair Oak), who recorded an 84 break, made group-stage exits.

News in brief

TWELVE-year-old Oliver Sykes made a 106 break in a 4-4 challenge match with World Seniors Tour player John Hunter.

Ken Everett has closed the gap to long-time leader Jamie Risk to just £26 with two competitions to play in the £3,000 Roll-Up.

Connor Benzey will be the number-one seed in Tuesday’s Singles League play-off.

Riley Ellis won the Open Series final in the fourth week despite playing with a broken bone in his right wrist.

Eight-year-old Caden Read won the top group in the Eastleigh & District Under-13 League for the first time and equalled his highest break of 14.