WITH his first win of this session of the Winter Flyers, John Harrison forced himself into the top 16 of the points table when he just pipped your correspondent, West Kirby's Bill Atkinson, in an excellent final on the green in Birkenhead Park.

Harrison had to fight his way through a very difficult draw and thoroughly deserved his victory.

To reach the quarter-finals he had already overcome the redoubtable Mick Andrews and then in his quarter-final match he had to beat another Birkenhead League first division player, Lever's John Roberts, who was himself striving to get into a top 16 position.

In the semi-finals, Harrison faced the Welsh player, Roger Griffiths, having an excellent run of his own at the moment, and the outcome of this game was only decided by the last shot in a 21-20 win.

Atkinson had first defeated Walton Park’s John Hignett Snr in his quarter final game, but he then had to fight back from 20-14 down to Gladstone;s Ray Lynch to win the second of two very tight semi final matches.

The final was again a very close affair until Atkinson pulled away to lead 20- 15, this time however it was his turn to suffer as Harrison refused to capitulate fighting back to take the first prize at the end of yet another 21-20 game.

Results:

R Lynch (Gladstone) 21, P McGee (Cammell Lairds) 15; W Atkinson (West Kirby) 21, J Hignett Snr (Walton Park) 16; R Griffiths (Abergele) 21, M McLaughlin (Magazine) 16; J Harrison (Rice Lane) 21, J Roberts (Levers) 17.

Semi-finals: Atkinson 21, Lynch 20; Harrison 21, Griffiths 20.

Final: Harrison 21, Atkinson 20.