CHANDLER’S Ford’s talented 11-year-old Oliver Sykes has reached his first final on the feeder circuit for the national under-21 snooker tour.

The left-hander was beaten 2-0 by Bournemouth-based Bradley Cowdroy in the second leg of the EASB Regional Junior Tour - South.

Sykes qualified from his round-robin group at The Crucible Sports & Social Club, Newbury, and overcame Connor Benzey (Eastleigh) and Lewis Parnham (Gloucester) both by 2-0 scorelines in the knockout.

Paying tribute to his opponent, Cowdroy, 15, said: “Oliver played really well to get to the final and when he plays like he did this weekend he can beat anyone.

“He’s ten times better than I was at his age and, if he keeps improving like he is at the moment, he has a very bright future.”

In the group stages, Cowdroy had lost 2-1 to Benzey and needed a snooker to edge Ryan Hughes 2-1 (Chandler’s Ford).

The previous day, Sykes won the top group in the Eastleigh & District Under-19 League at Chandlers Ford SC and climbed to second place, one point behind English Under-14 Champion Olly Gibbs (Gosport).

Earlier, seven-year-old Lennon Savage compiled a personal best 15 break in his Under-13 League match against Lee Cooper - and lost the frame.

Savage took the pink into the middle off the first red and slide the black all the way along the top cushion following his second red.

Eight-year-old O’Shay Scott extended his Premier lead to five points.

Gibbs, 13, moved up to fifth place in the Open Series rankings after beating Benzey 2-0 in the week-eight final.

Rankings leader Benzey had earlier cleared the table for the series high break of 81 against Barry Doswell (Waterlooville).

EASTLEIGH & DISTRICT JUNIOR LEAGUES LEAGUE 55 WEEK 6 GROUP WINNERS U13: O’Shay Scott.

Breaks: O’Shay Scott: 25; Lennon Savage: 15(PB).

U19: Oliver Sykes, Ryan Hughes.

Breaks: Connor Benzey: 61; Steven Hughes: 44, 38, 30; Ryan Hughes: 38, 32.

OPEN SERIES 23 WEEK 8 RESULTS (17 RUNNERS) Prelims: Chloe White 2 Dan Hammond 0.

Last-16: Chloe White 2 Phil Morgan 1, Riley Ellis 3 Riccardo Drayton 1, Connor Benzey 3 Barry Doswell 1, Callum White 3 Brett Wallace 0, Steven Hughes 3 Jackie Ellis 0, Olly Gibbs 3 O’Shay Scott 0, Ryan Hughes 3 David Stewart 1, David Rice 3 Oliver Sykes 1.

Quarter-finals: Chloe White 2 R Ellis 1, Benzey 3 Callum White 0, Gibbs 3 S Hughes 2, R Hughes 2 Rice 1.

Semi-finals: Benzey 2 Chloe White 1, Gibbs 3 R Hughes 2.

Final: Gibbs 2 Benzey 0.

Plate final: Stewart 2 Wallace 1.

Breaks: Benzey: 81, 62, 43, 41, 38, 36, 31; Gibbs: 65, 64, 50, 40, 34; Hammond: 52, 46, 45; S Hughes: 50, 37, 31; Sykes: 46, 31; R Hughes: 38; Wallace: 34. Top 13 (top 12 to share £1,875 prize money): Connor Benzey (Eastleigh) -36 h/cap, 65 pts; Phil Morgan (Salisbury) -8, 54; Riley Ellis (Clyffe Pypard, North Wilts) 23, 53; Chloe White (Havant) 14, 52; Olly Gibbs (Gosport) -23, 48; Dan Hammond (Winchester) -13, 45; Callum White (Havant) 28, 43; Ryan Hughes (Chandlers Ford) -18, 42; David Stewart (Odiham) -1, 38; Oliver Sykes (Chandlers Ford) -14, 37; Barry Doswell (Waterlooville) 30, 37; Steven Hughes (Chandler’s Ford) -22, 32; Brett Wallace (Gosport) 3, 32.