COMPARISONS with wonderkid Shane Castle were inevitable after World Snooker coach David Mumford’s latest protégé recorded a 56 break five weeks after his ninth birthday.

Jamie Wilson, who is based at Chandler’s Ford SC, wrapped up a 4-1 victory over his dad, Steve, with his half-century in a practice match at Copnor SC, near their home in Portsmouth.

Castle made a 55 in a practice match in February, 2007, just after his ninth birthday, and was coached and mentored by Mumford for more than five years.

But Mumford declared: “I want Jamie to be the first Jamie Wilson; I don’t want him to be the second Shane Castle.”

And the 44-year-old from Chandler’s Ford added: “Jamie’s put an awful lot of work into his technique, his cue action and his pre-shot routine.

“A lot of kids want instant results and sometimes it doesn’t happen that way. Having been down this road before, I know what is needed. There are certain stages of progress you have to go through. “Sometimes in those stages, you can get to question player and coach whether it’s working or whether it’s going to be worthwhile. “But it’s days like today that make me understand that what we believe in as coaches is absolutely fundamental: get the basics right and then success will follow - if you have the ability. “And Jamie’s got the ability.”

Full story in Tim Dunkley's weekly snooker spotlight in  today's Daily Echo