TIXALL'S Nigel Hughes made it two years in a row when he clinched the Wirral Merit Tournament at the Lever Club on Sunday.

In the final he came from behind to just pip Gladstone's Jamie Smith in a great match.

Both finalists had fairly comfortable wins in their quarter-final and semi-final matches.

Hughes proved to be too good for James Motley and Daniel Jeffries, who both play for Gladstone, while Smith beat Albany's Martin Small and Upton Victory Hall's John Sherlock.

The final was a close game throughout.

Smith actually led to try and clinch the match at 19-16 but Hughes fought back to take the final five points and victory.

Results:

Quarter-finals: Jamie Smith (Gladstone) 21, Martin Small (Albany) 13; John Sherlock (Upton Victory Hall) 21, Tom Raybould (Gladstone) 18; Nigel Hughes (Tix - all) 21, James Motley (Gladstone) 09; Daniel Jeffries (Gladstone) 21, Joe Edwards (Gladstone) 18.

Semi-finals: Smith 21, Sherlock 05; Hughes 21, Jeffries 11.

Final: Hughes 21, Smith 19.

Wallasey had a tremendous 5-3 win against First Division opponents Leeds in Sunday's preliminary round match of the Federation Team Knockout Tournament and this meant that the team qualified for the finals day in Colne Valley in September.

In the home leg at the New Brighton Cricket and Bowling Club the winners were Rob Fitzpatrick, Anthony Thompson and Matthew Gilmore while away on the Pudsey Livermore green Ian and Neil Sherbrooke both won their games.

Also taking place on Sunday were the finals of the Wallasey Association's Individual Tournaments for players in the Second and Third Divisions of the Wallasey Leagues, this was held in Central Park.

The winner of the Second Division title, the Wallasey Chronicle Shield, was Marine Park's Lorna Foster who beat the Bronze’s Billy Higgenson in the final.

The winner of the Third Division title, the Hampson Shield, was Vic Williams of St Georges who beat the Magazine's Andy Buchanan in the final.

The final of the Wallasey Association's Harold Jones Cup was played on Saturday, June 10, also at the New Brighton Cricket and Bowling Club between Hoylake Central and Melrose 'A' and Manor Road 'B' and after a close match it was the Hoylake Club that clinched victory by 225 points to 212.

Hoylake can be grateful to Joan Walker and Elliot Potter who both had 21-08 wins to establish a lead which the Manor Road team could not quite claw back while Carole Dunn top scored for Manor Road having a 21-13 win.

The Merseyside preliminary round of the Jack and Jean Isherwood Tournament, probably the country’s premier veterans tournament, was played last Friday, June 9, on the immaculate Gardners Arms green in Broadgreen, Liverpool.

The two players who won through to the final stages to be played in Shropshire next month were both from Wirral; Cammell Laird's Peter McGhee and Upton Victory Hall’s Tony Cavanagh.

Cavanagh reached the final of this tournament last year, lets hope he can go one better.