Ashley Hugill Wins English Amateur Tour Title in Walsall

Ashley Hugill defeated Mark Joyce 4-3 in the final of the fifth and final English Amateur Tour event of the 2024/25 season at the Landywood Snooker Club in Walsall.

• Results

The 30-year-old came from 3-1 behind to defeat his fellow former professional in a dramatic title match to secure the crown on England’s flagship national amateur tour.

A total of 71 cueists embarked on the Landywood Snooker Club for the two-day event, including previous event winners Barry Pinches, Liam Highfield and Kayden Brierley.

In an early upset, event two and four champion Pinches fell at the first hurdle against reigning English Under-18 champion Daniel Boyes, while Highfield also failed to make it to the concluding day of action after losing at the last 32 stage to Billy Castle.

Hugill, a former ranking event quarter-finalist, came into the event on the back of a consistent season on the English Amateur Tour which had seen him reach the quarter-final and semi-final of the previous two events.

Back-to-back 4-2 wins over Sean McAllister and David Brown saw Hugill reach the Sunday where he then overcame Bradley Cowdroy, Hayden Staniland and Harvey Chandler to reach his first final on the tour this season.

There, he would meet Joyce, who had compiled the tournament high break of 137 in a semi-final whitewash victory over Simon Blackwell to book his final place.

Joyce continued to show his break-building prowess in the final as he opened the best-of-seven frame contest with a break of 108 and followed this with visits of 83 and 56 to move one away from victory at 3-1.

His opponent showed grit and determination, however, and was able to force a deciding frame courtesy of a contribution of 72 before Hugill got over the line in frame seven by a scoreline 73-22 to take home the title.