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Seniors Tour Success for Stephens
Lee Stephens came back from two down with three to play as he ousted Steve Crowley 4-3 in the final to win the 2023/24 English Seniors Snooker Tour Event Three.
The latest stop on this season’s five-event campaign took place at the Woking Snooker Centre.
Reigning national seniors champion Stephens made a strong start to the tournament as he hit breaks of 74, 87 and 72 during a 4-0 victory against Dennis Tristram. He then made it through to the last eight on finals day following a 4-0 win over Matthew Ford (breaks of 61, 67).
The former World Snooker Federation Championship runner-up relinquished his first frame of the weekend as Event Two finalist Neil Craycraft compiled a run of 97 in the opener of their quarter-final. However, Stephens chalked up two half-centuries in a four-frame winning streak to progress to the last four. The 41-year-old then stopped James Height 4-0 (71, 51), meaning he had dropped only one frame en route to the title match.
Advancing through the other side of the draw was Crowley who notched up several impressive victories in Woking.
The 48-year-old pipped former English seniors number one David Brown 4-3 in the last 16, squeezed past former English Amateur Snooker Championship runner-up Wayne Townsend 4-3 in the last eight, and defeated former World Seniors Champion Peter Lines 4-2 in the semi-finals.
Earlier in the competition, ex-professional Lines completed a maximum 147 break in the final frame of his 4-1 victory against Adam Longley in the last 16. Four other century breaks were made during the tournament.
Stephens claimed the first frame of the final with the help of a 62 break, but Crowley took the next three to go one away from glory. Chester cueman Stephens, though, was not to be denied the title as he shifted momentum and counter-attacked with the final three frames to secure the Event Three title.
Event Four of this season’s English Seniors Snooker Tour is set for the Elite Snooker Club in Preston on the weekend of December 9th & 10th. Entries for this event close on Friday 1st December at 12:00. Enter here.
