Doug Archell is the first player to qualify for the grand junior final of the This Is Essex partner paper the Evening Echo's snooker competition.

The 17-year-old, who lives in Fleming Avenue, Leigh-on-Sea, breezed through the tournament's first qualifier, staged at The Cue and Rest club in Shoebury on Sunday, without losing a frame.

Doug dismissed Upesh Amin 2-0 in a best-of-three-frames first match, before brushing aside his friend Richard Haines, who had beaten Daniel Cook in his preliminary tie, 3-0, during a best-of-five-frames finale.

After booking his place in the overall final, which is being held at The Wickford Snooker Club on Sunday, May 2, Doug said he was confident of winning the competition.

"I didn't play that well and still managed to get through quite comfortably, which makes me believe I can go all the way now," he said.

"My first match was fairly relaxed and my final game against Richard was a lot easier than it could have been because he was off form.

"We practice together regularly so we knew all about each other's games, but at the end of the day I enjoyed some heavy scoring, around the 30 points mark, which helped me ease through."

Doug, who plays snooker at Southend's Pockets club every day of the week, hit the highest break of the day, with 41, and is now hoping to get a crack at TV's Big Break star John Virgo.

Whoever wins the overall final will share the bill with Virgo, plus top snookers stars Jimmy White and Ronnie O'Sullivan, at the Echo's Snooker Classic 99 exhibition match.

The one-off, best-of-nine-frames match between White and O'Sullivan is being held at Southend's Leisure and Tennis Centre on Friday, May 14, and the junior and senior winners of the Echo tournament will get the opportunity to play one frame against Virgo.

"If I win the junior Echo tournament I'm sure I can give Virgo a good stuffing as well," Doug predicted.

The Echo are still on the lookout for junior and senior snooker players to take part in their two remaining finals and it could be you who gets the chance to take on Virgo.

The final two heats are being held at The Wickford Snooker Club on April, Sunday 11 and 18 April, and at Rayleigh Lanes Snooker Club between Saturday, April 24, and Sunday, April 25.

Snookered: Daniel Cook (right) lost his semi-final against Richard Haines

(Right) Feeling blue - Upesh Amin (right), who was beaten at the last four stage by eventual champion Doug Archell

Well done - Cue and Rest manager Ian Crawshaw and Echo exhibitions assistant Shelley North congratulate junior competition winner Doug Archell

Pictures: MAXINE CLARKE

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