AUSTEN Petty has boosted his chances of claiming his first Eastleigh & District Under-18 Premier League title.

With six weeks to play at Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club, the 15-year-old from Boyatt, twice an Under-13 champion, has opened up a four-point lead, writes TIM DUNKLEY.

Petty, who posted a personal best 62 break the previous week, added two runs of 31. He followed that up with a 52 en route to winning the Open Series week-20 final.

Defending champion Mickey Joyce (Basingstoke) leads the Under-13 Premier.

Luke Beebe (Eastleigh) is second in both leagues. Joyce, Beebe and Jamie Wilson (Portsmouth) miss today’s action because of the English Under-14 Championship southern qualifier in Swindon.

Tomorrow, Dan Sykes (Chandler’s Ford) and Olly Clark (Gosport) head to Swindon for the Under-16 national qualifier.

WEEK-TEN GROUP WINNERS U13: Mickey Joyce, Billy Naismith, Luke Oliver, Harvey Dennis, Lewis Wilson. Breaks: Joyce 21.

U18: Austen Petty, Mickey Joyce, Jamie Wilson, Toby Oliver.

Breaks: Petty 31 & 31. ONLY three players are certain of making the last-eight play-off in the Chandler’s Ford Snooker Club Tuesday Singles League.

The next nine will all be battling for the other five spots in Tuesday’s final round of matches.

On February 4, the top eight play a straight knockout for a share of the prize fund which currently stands at £258. A new league starts on February 11.