Samuel’s new best compiled with a battered cue
Samuel Laxton didn’t know whether to laugh or cry during the Wednesday Junior Snooker League at Waterlooville Sports Bar.
The 14-year-old’s tip flew off his cue towards the end of his fourth straight defeat.
He picked up a battered old Riley club cue with a broken butt for his fifth and final frame against Jake Sharp – and compiled a new high break of 46.
Laxton has a five-point lead over Owen Jenkins at the top of Division One.
Jenkins warmed up for Sunday’s southern region qualifier for the English under-14 Championship at Chandlers Ford Snooker Club with an undefeated run in the Monday Junior Snooker League.
The 11-year-old moved up to third in Division One.
Jamie Wilson leads the table by one point from Tyler ‘magic’ Mack.
Jamie Allen, in only his second week, won the fourth group which included newcomers Corben Hill and Dylan Howes.
And two-time champion Rhys Pearce was back to winning ways in the Junior
Pool League.
Eight out of nine victories earned Pearce maximum points and he closed to within one point of Division One leader Harrison Heath.
Keira Jackson climbed to fourth in the top flight, while Jake Daffin heads Division Two.
Elsewhere, Wilson progressed to the last 16 of the national under-21 circuit for the first time in his debut season.
The 16-year-old from Havant lost 3-2 on a re-spotted black in the decider to English under-21 champion Mark Lloyd at The Crucible Sports & Social Club in Newbury.
Wilson had beaten the eventual tournament winner, Wakefield's Joe Fenton, 3-1 in the group stages of the third leg of the EPSB under-21 premier development tour the previous day.
He then dispatched Bradley Cowdroy, from Bournemouth, 3-0 in the last 32.
Lloyd lost 3-0 to Fenton in the semi-finals.
World Snooker coach Tim Dunkley runs snooker sessions for under-19s from 4.30-6.30pm every Monday and Wednesday and junior pool sessions from 4.30-6.30pm every Thursday.