Slessor right on cue for a double boost

MINUS-40 potter Elliot Slessor kicked off a great week by pocketing a double at Whitley Bay Snooker Centre.

The Wallsend cueman won both the latest handicapped pro-am competition - by beating Washington’s David LIlley 3-1 and the top break award.

Having seen off Fenham’s Daniel Lozinski (off 60) 3-1 in his opening match, Slessor moved up a gear to beat Blyth’s Ash Wilson 3-0 (off 75).

He registered runs of 59 and 60 and what proved to be the highest break of the day - a 127.

Slessor sailed into the final with another 3-0 victory, this time against Dale Allan (off 45).

Top man in the other half of the draw was minus-30 cueist Lilley, who opened his account with 3-1 victories over Whitley twosome Graham Fewell (off 70) and Duncan Williams (off 55).

After winning two matches to reach the semi-finals, Whitley’s 13-year-old prospect Jake Fewell (off 80) was disappointed at not taking a frame off the vastly experienced Lilley.

As expected the final was a high-scoring affair, both players firing in their fair share of decent breaks.

However, it was Slessor’s higher runs of 91, 58 and 47 which won him the match.

First prize in the best-of-threeframe plate final went to Blyth’s Alan Errage, who made good use of a 10-points-a-frame start to see off North Shields’ Craig Sexton 2-1.

Slessor then kept up his good work by qualifying for the Indian Open at Preston with a 4-3 deciding-frame win over Wales’ Daniel Wells.

Wallsend’s Sam Craigie whitewashed Jimmy White 4-0 while Gary Wilson triumphed 4-2 against Steven Hallworth.

John Astley made it through the first round with a 4-3 success over Redcar’s Mike Dunn.

However, Lilley suffered a 4-3 defeat against Sussex Jimmy Robertson.

Slessor (pictured below) then overcame Ben Wollaston 4-0 in the opening-round qualifiers of the European Masters.