SWINDON’S Shane Kearns has set up a nail-biting finale to the Cuestars Under-21 Silver Tour.
The 17-year-old, from Swindon, collected his third winner’s trophy of the season at Salisbury Snooker Club and now leads the rankings with just one leg remaining.
Kearns overcame first-time finalist Scott O’Shay (Eastleigh) 2-1 to clinch the ninth leg and add yet more twists and turns to a thrilling campaign.
Ten-year-old Scott missed a straightforward match-ball pink in the deciding frame before Kearns fluked the pink and potted the black.
Kearns now has a two-point advantage over Riley Ellis (near Wootton Bassett), with Louie Leighton (Basildon) one point further back in third, ahead of the tenth and last leg at Chandlers Ford Snooker Club on Sunday, May 5.
Kearns believes all three contenders are still in the title race and admitted he was fortunate to beat Scott.
He said: “It’s very close and anyone can win it. Everyone’s playing well.
“There might be a few games where people might have gone on and off, like I did in the last game.
“I couldn’t pot anything and got very lucky to actually win it.”
Ellis missed a chance of going top by losing 2-1 to Scott in the last-four of the event.
Meanwhile, Bronze Tour player Katie Griffin (Swindon) was runner-up in the Plate competition to Portsmouth potter Samuel Laxton.
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