Double delight for pro-am champ Wilson
GARY WILSON (off minus 42) came through a field of 17 to complete a prize double in Whitley Bay Snooker Centre’s latest one-day handicapped pro-am competition.
The Wallsend potter claimed the overall first prize as well as the award for the top break of the day.
Having to concede at least 42points-a-frame start to a scratch player and a lot more in some other cases, Wilson started his campaign with a 3-1 win over Sweden visitor Max Nettleton (off 77) - which included the highest break of the day of 106.
He then progressed into the semis after taking out Fenham’s Daniel Lozinsky 3-1 with further breaks of 99 and 76.
Benton’s Stuart Findley (off 91) then just lost out 3-2 to Wilson, who won on a re-spotted black in the deciding frame.
Wilson’s opponent in the final was his Wallsend Supa Snooker scratch teammate Billy Hunter.
Hunter’s route to the final included 3-1 successes against Morpeth’s Gerry McNally (received 28) and North Shields’ Craig Sexton (off 21).
Hunter’s best effort of the day came in the last four against Gateshead’s minus-14 player Brandon Hall, whom he went on to beat 3-0.
With both players competing well with decent breaks and good safety, it came as no surprise the final went to a deciding frame.
Wilson eventually won it to pocket the £80 first prize.
Due to time restrictions the usual best-of-three frame final of the Plate event had to be reduced to a one-frame sudden-death shootout, Nettleton defeating Gerry McNally. ■■TONIGHT, King St SC plays host to this season’s long-awaited final of the Northumberland CIU Five-Man Team Championship between former winners High Howdon SC and Seaton Terrace SC (7.30).