SOMERS Town snooker ace John Donovan has one hand firmly on the Cuestars Under-21s Silver Tour title after pocketing his fourth successive winner’s trophy on Sunday.

The 16-year-old, who practises at Cousins Snooker Club in Holloway, showed his mettle as he survived a scare in the semi-finals before eventually grinding out a vital victory at the Greenbaize snooker club in Bournemouth.

John (pictured) looked to be heading home early before final-four opponent William Forster missed a match-winning pink to allow the Camden cueist back to the table to win the final-frame decider.

Relieved by the let-off, he then beat nine-year-old prodigy William Thompson 2-0 in the final.

The victory leaves John 52 points clear at the top of the Under-21s Silver Tour rankings with two events left.

John said: “I put in the work over Christmas and I’m starting to get the results.

“In the semi-final my opponent was clearing up in the deciding frame and I thought my winning streak was up until he missed a pressure pink.

“I was so relieved when I saw the match ball over the pocket.

“I am really pleased with how the last four tournaments have gone. I hope to do just as well when I step up to the Gold Tour next season.”

John, who started playing at Gone2Pot, a children’s snooker club based at the Hurricane Room in King’s Cross, travelled to Bournemouth full of confidence having beaten first-time finalist Asten Sahota 2-1 in the fifth leg of this season’s Cuestars Tour at Fareham snooker club in March.

Despite going a frame down, breaks of 47 and 32 ended the resistance of his 10-year-old opponent from Southampton as John won the closely fought final 2-1.