MATCHPLAY of the highest order helped a Hampshire teenager continue his amazing run of appearing in every final this season on a regional snooker circuit.

A sixth on the trot gave Steven Hughes the rankings lead on the Cuestars South of England Under-21 Bronze Tour.

The 13-year-old took advantage of home tables at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club to pick up his second winner’s trophy.

His intelligent tactical game overcame the phenomenal potting and safety play of Harry Jones, son of former professional Bradley Jones, in the final.

An excellent snooker escape, played at the correct pace, was the key to taking the first frame.

But, trailing by 20 points in the next, Hughes revealed he was thinking: “How am I going to pull this back?”

He dug deep, closed the gap, potted the blue and – with the merest glimpse of a smile – landed perfectly on the match-ball pink into the middle.

Hughes praised the potting ability of South London opponent and added: “His safety play is excellent. It’s always the baulk cushion.”

The Toynbee School student had beaten Jones in the group stages and didn’t lose a frame throughout the tournament.

He takes a 20-point lead into the remaining tournaments in Fareham and Salisbury. The eventual champion will play professional Joe Perry on finals day.

“It’s been a great day,” said Hughes.

Connor Benzey climbed to joint third after losing 2-1 in the last-four to 12-year-old Jones.

The final frame drew applause from the spectators. Jones led with a 26 break. Benzey immediately replied with a 29 only for his opponent to clear with a 22 to win on the black.

The 13-year-old from Eastleigh had lost his first two group-stage matches but won the next two and survived a three-way black-ball play-off for the second qualifying spot.

Ryan Hughes (no relation) qualified for the quarter-finals for the first time but lost 2-0 to Steven Hughes.

Charlie Pringle went down 2-0 at the same stage to Ben Crump (Gosport) and remains joint sixth.

Lee Fitzpatrick (Totton) was beaten 2-0 in the Silver semi-finals by Matt Gillon (Gosport).

David Rice (Fordingbridge) won his second successive Plate final.

GOLD RESULTS Group A: 1st, Brad Chappell (Poole); 2nd, Bradley Cowdroy (Bournemouth); 3rd, Anthony Rice (Fordingbridge); 4th, Sam Storey (Newbury); 5th, Callum Browne (Westbury); 6th, Nathan Farmer (Gosport).

Group B: 1st, Ronnie Blake (Carshalton); 2nd, James Budd (Fareham); 3rd, Austen Petty (Boyatt Wood); 4th, Anthony Church (Bournemouth); 5th, Mark Wells (Bournemouth).

Semis (15 pts): Budd 3 Chappell 0, Blake 3 Cowdroy 2.

Final (£40/£15 25/18 pts): Blake 3 Budd 1.

SILVER RESULTS Group A: 1st, Reece King (Bournemouth); 2nd, Jasmine Bolsover (Woking); 3rd, Abhay Chopra (Bitterne Manor).

Group B: 1st, Joe Kitchen (Gosport); 2nd, Drew Hampshire (Swindon); 3rd, Ally Pollard (Alderholt).

Group C: 1st, Matt Gillon (Gosport); 2nd, Kaine Petty (Fordingbridge); 3rd, Callum McDonald (Salisbury).

Group D: 1st, Lee Fitzpatrick (Totton); 2nd, Olly Gibbs (Gosport); 3rd, Nat Kidner (Bournemouth).

Quarter-finals (12 pts): Gibbs 2 King 0, Kitchen 2 Petty 0, Gillon 2 Hampshire 0, Fitzpatrick 2 Bolsover 1.

Semi-finals (15 pts): Gibbs 2 Kitchen 1, Gillon 2 Fitzpatrick 0.

Final (25/18 pts): Gibbs 2 Gillon 1.

BRONZE RESULTS Group A: 1st, Steven Hughes (Chandler’s Ford); 2nd, Harry Jones (Coulsdon); 3rd, Ben Hatch (Eastleigh); 4th, Oliver Sykes (C/Ford); 5th, Harvey Banger (C/Ford).

Group B: 1st, Ben Crump (Gosport); 2nd, Connor Benzey (Eastleigh); 3rd, Luke McCormick (Gosport); 4th, David Rice (Fordingbridge); 5th, Connor Shaw (Bournemouth).

Group C: 1st, Harry Cook (Woking); 2nd, Charlie Pringle (C/Ford); 3rd, Bowen Zhu (C/Ford); 4th, Albert Warren (Ludwell); 5th, David O’Callaghan (Bournemouth).

Group D: 1st, Keegan Reed (Salisbury); 2nd, Ryan Hughes (C/Ford); 3rd, Adam Cowdroy (Bournemouth); 4th, Liam Ashman (Westbury).

Quarter-finals (12 pts): S Hughes 2 R Hughes 0, Crump 2 Pringle 0, Benzey 2 Cook 0, Jones 2 Reed 1.

Semi-finals (15 pts): S Hughes 2 Crump 0, Jones 2 Benzey 1.

Final (25/18 pts): S Hughes 2 Jones 0.

PLATE RESULTS Prelims: Anthony Rice 1 Connor Shaw 0, Luke McCormick 1 Anthony Church 0, Albert Warren 1 Adam Cowdroy 0, Oliver Sykes 1 David O’Callaghan 0, Ben Hatch 1 Nat Kidner 0, David Rice 1 Harvey Banger 0, Bowen Zhu 1 Nathan Farmer 0.

Quarter-finals: McCormick 1 A Rice 0, Warren 1 Sykes 0, Hatch 1 Ally Pollard 0, D Rice 1 Zhu 0.

Semi-finals: Warren 1 McCormick 0, D Rice 1 Hatch 0.

Final: D Rice 1 Warren 0.