Local snooker player Paul Oatley played the match of his life when he met former World Champion, Ken Doherty.
The pair met to play a frame at a snooker exhibition held at the John Fretwell Sporting Complex in Mansfield, near Nottingham.
Doherty broke off and early signs showed that it was going to be a tense affair with both players producing good safety shots.
Oatley takes an early lead
The first chance to score fell to Paul who took an early lead. Doherty came back and seemed to be taking control of the frame until he missed an unexpected red, giving Paul another opportunity at the table.
Sadly, this was short-lived as Doherty made a frame-winning break before making an error on the yellow.
This allowed Paul to clear the table and finish the frame with a final score of 71-49.
Played snooker since he was six-years-old
Paul, 41, who lives in East Cowes said,
“This was a wonderful experience for me having played snooker since I was six-years-old.
“Playing on a professional table against an ex-world champion in front of a large crowd was a dream come true and an experience I will never forget.”
Highest break of the evening
Also present at the exhibition was snooker legend, John Parrott, also an ex-world champion and both he and Ken Doherty presented Paul with a trophy for highest break of the evening.
Seeking business sponsors
Paul, who practices regularly at the Arreton Social Club, is competing on the English Amateur Tour this season and is currently seeking sponsorship from local businesses.
If anyone is interested in sponsoring Paul on the forthcoming tour, please contact him at [email protected]
News shared by Caroline Ash, in her own words. Ed
