BOURNEMOUTH potter Bradley Cowdroy is on the verge of sealing automatic promotion to the national under-21 snooker tour – at the age of 14.

Cowdroy replaced Eastleigh's Connor Benzey at the summit of the EASB Regional Junior Tour South West rankings by defeating his rival to win the circuit's fifth event of the season at Poole's Ambassador Club.

He needs only match Benzey's performance at the final tournament of the season – this weekend at Jesters Snooker Club in Swindon – to seal top spot and promotion.

Cowdroy finished third in his six-man round robin group in Poole, before sweeping aside Chandler's Ford's Oliver Sykes 2-0 in the quarter-finals.

The left hander's semi-final was closer but Cowdroy edged Anthony Rice from Fordingbridge 2-1 to reach the showpiece, where he beat Benzey 2-0..

“I couldn’t have picked a better time in the season to come into form,” said Cowdroy, who has reached the final in each of his past seven competitions.

“I haven’t made any huge changes to my game but this season I’ve tried to implement a more determined, never-say-die attitude and it’s done wonders for my results.

“Connor was very consistent all day, as he always is, but regardless of who won the final, with results going as they did, we both have some breathing space from the chasing pack going into the last event. I’m sure we’ll have a great battle.”