Top shot in pivotal seventh frame swings it Shorto’s way

The island’s top-eight players met for the second running of the Masters at the Gremlin Club on Saturday, and again the cream rose to the top in another hugely successful event.

Despite the random draw, the staple four players of the Island team progressed to the semis, and it was Shorto who improved progressively throughout the day to beat Desperques 5-3.

A year ago, Desperques produced arguably his best ever performance on a snooker table, and Shorto must have feared a repeat when his arch rival took the opener 86-1 with the help of a 45 break.

But it was different this time around.

For sure, Desperques wasn’t at his best and probably should not have even made it to the final, but Shorto was solid and ready to pounce at every opportunity.

After getting back on terms, Shorto’s fine 69 saw him take the lead for the first time, and he headed into the interval 3-1 up by combining the necessary requirements at this level of good safety and potting.

The resumption saw in a swing in momentum, though, with Desperques’ 34 reducing the deficit despite his opponent’s 38.

Shorto was struggling to get the same fluency, and missed a golden opportunity to re-establish a two-frame lead in the sixth.

A steal was on the cards with Shorto on the final blue, but he fluffed his lines to allow Desperques to get back on level terms.

It could have been a turning point of the final, but Shorto retook the lead with a clinical 49 clearance that started with a sublime full-length red down the rail.

An early 30-plus break in the eighth stamped Shorto’s authority further, and all it took was three scoring visits to seal the title.

‘I’m really chuffed to win it,’ said the victor.

‘It’s the top-eight players from last season and an open draw and so every match you play is a really tough one.

‘I was really pleased with how solidly I played in the final.

‘Martyn wasn’t at his best but is still so tough to beat.

‘It’s a long day and there is quite a gap between playing the semi and final which doesn’t help.

‘Seventh frame at 3-3 was the biggest by a mile for me. Martyn had the momentum at this point and a decent lead again onto the last three reds. He only really left me one shot which was a full length red down the rail which if I missed would have no doubt cost me the frame. I potted it and cleared up with 49 to win it.

‘Last frame I got in first and was always 30-odd ahead and in control, right the way through until clearing to the blue to win at the end,’ added Shorto.

Prior to the final, Shorto made three 50-plus breaks, including a 77 to beat Glenn Le Prevost 4-2 in the semis, while Desperques somehow won the last two frames to beat John Skillett 4-3.

‘If you had told me I would be winning it during the first couple of frames of my first round match with Ady Holley I would have laughed at you,’ Shorto said.

‘It was a real struggle for both of us and if H had been a little bit more on his game I would have been out, I think. I did manage a 62 in the last to win, though.

‘The semi-final was completely different.

‘I played my best snooker of the day against Glenn, which I needed to.

‘It was a high-quality match.’