There was a triple triumph for David Lilley as he consolidated his second pace in the table by winning the best match seen in the league to date when he won in the decider against Michael Rhodes at Durham Snooker Club.

The Hebburn lad had already won the English Amateur Championship in Bradford on Sunday to add to winning his position in the final of the CIU National Championship by winning his semi-final In Chilton on Saturday. In both matches he beat Wayne Cooper of Bradford.

The first frame set the high standard when Lilley began with a difficult red and continued to o make 96, just missing a complete clearance when he tried a long pink to get position on the final red. The second frame was the scrappiest of the evening with Lilley called for three misses from Rhodes break off and when the reds were broken, the colours all moved to the baulk end. Neither player was able to get a run going, although Rhodes scored well in small breaks followed by good safety. Lilley conceded with two reds remaining.

Frame three was quick and skilfully clinical. Rhodes missed a long red and Lilly put in an 86 break without reply. Frame four was a replica when Lilley missed a long red and Rhodes equalled the 86 break, again without reply. Spectators did not have time to blink as Rhodes got in first and made the highest break in the league to date with a 125 clearance.

The scorer got a slight rest in frame five when a tactical encounter reached 53-51 in Rhodes favour on the brown. Lilley took brown and blue but missed a long double on the pink. Rhodes them missed probably the only easy ball he had all night and Lilley capitalised with a long pink. In the final frame Lilley got in and made 67 before leaving the tenth red over the pocket. Rhodes made 30 and laid a good snooker on the final red. However Lilley negotiated his way out of that and two more before Rhodes was forced to take the red and a black but snookered himself on the yellow and conceded victory in a great match.

Mike Dunn entertained John McCallum of Ashington at Hartlepool Snooker Club and took the first two scrappy frames by coming from behind in both. A 68 break in the third helped McCallum claw one back and he levelled after winning a scrappy fourth. Dunn took the first after the interval, but in the sixth frame McCallum looked to be on for a 105 total clearance but missed a straightforward green, ending his break on 80. Dunn managed to read the final frame perfectly and consolidated his lead at every opportunity, going on to win the frame 70-29.

John McCallum of Ashington then played a re-arranged home match, brought forward because of holidays, against David Craggs of Tow Law. Craggs took the first frame of the night aided by a 37 break, but McCallum replied with a 93 break in the second. Craggs restored his lead in a tight third, but the resilient home player levelled following a break of 99. Craggs came back after the interval to knock in a winning break of 74 to take the fifth, but McCallum knocked in a break of 40 in frame six, which was enough to level things for the third time in the match. However, Craggs wowed the spectators with a 110 break to take the match and consolidate his position in the top spot.