Snooker: Silverwood lifts North Lancashire title

James Silverwood is the new North Lancashire Area snooker champion.
James Silverwood.James Silverwood.
James Silverwood.

The semi-professional Lancaster player saw off the competition at Squires Sports Bar in the city as four players progressed to the North West finals.

Silverwood twice got out of jail in the early rounds, saving his best form for the final against Neil Faulkner, with breaks of 56, 66 and 58 giving him the three frames he needed to lift the Whitbread Trophy.

The day started out with 29 players taking part.

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There were easy 3-0 wins for Phil Browning, Alan Shaw, Vinny Gemson and Dave Mortimer in the opening round with Trevor Lamb, Andy Stackhouse, Alan Pearson, Andy Milliard and Tim Griffiths winning 3-1.

The remaining four first round matches all went the distance.

Jon Stephenson beat Mark Wilcock, Mark’s brother Dave lost to Bob Chapman, Faulkner triumphed over Andy Riley and Silverwood came from 2-0 down to beat Gary Knowles.

In the next round there were 3-0 wins for Gemson over Mortimer and Stephenson over Michael Fox and 3-1 wins for Louden Dunn over Stackhouse, Luke Baldwin over Bob Chapman and Lamb over Pearson.

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Shaw beat Griffiths 3-2 with Faulkner beating Browning by the same score.

Silverwood survived another score against Kendal professional Milliard who missed a simple black to force a respot in the fifth with the Lancaster man returning to pot the decisive ball.

In the quarter-finals there were comfortable wins for Gemson over Stephenson and Faulkner over Lamb.

Silverwood again won a last frame decider, this time against Luke Baldwin, with Dunn also prevailing 3-2 against Shaw.

The first semi-final saw Faulkner beat Gemson 3-1 with Silverwood seeing off Dunn by the same score.

Silverwood then hit his stride in the final to continue his fine start to 2015.