Snooker: Potting starlet in Supa form

Aug 22 2007 by Evening Chronicle

IN THE final of Saturday’s Stanley Supa Snooker 16s and under ranking event, Walkergate’s Paul McHugh registered his third win of the current series after outscoring Wallsend’s Danny Fodden 3-0 in the final.

Conceding a massive 42 points a frame start, McHugh’s good tactical and safety play gave him the chance to pull back the deficit and clinch the close-fought opener 73-57.

After firing in what earned him the top break of the day award, a well-compiled 54 to pinch the next 80-72, McHugh went on to make it a clean sweep after racking up a small but frame-winning 72-54 score and a match-winning run of 26.

While McHugh was booking his place in the final with a comfortable 3-1 victory over Consett’s top seed Ryan Bruce, Fodden was having to go all the way to the decider before scraping past Battle Hill’s Liam Webster 3-2.

Handicapped 14 points a frame in the following day’s Open Pro-Am, McHugh played well and looked to be on to a possible winning double after beating Gateshead’s promising Michael Astley 3-1 in the semis to reach his second decider in as many days.

Unfortunately for McHugh, in the other half of the draw Consett’s on-form Jordan Watson was rewarded with his place in the final after whitewashing dad Johnny 3-0 with runs of 33 and 36 and the top run of the day, a 67.

Receiving 14 points’ start and still producing the form he had in the semis, the 14-year-old Consett player opened his account by taking the tactical first set 69-39 with a small run of 27.

After rattling off a 36 to clinch the second 67-19, the delighted young Watson then took the third 70-21 with further runs of 25-27 to claim the winner’s £100 prize.