Bevan bags his first ranking event at the Vetz Club, Pontycymmer

John Bevan (Newport) produced a superb exhibition of potting to win his first ranking event at the Vetz Club, Pontycymmer.

Bevan beat Welsh internationals Gareth Allen (Ewloe) and Jamie Clarke (Llanelli) before narrowly overcoming 1994 Welsh Champion Elfed Evans (Pwllheli) in the final.

Evans needed all his experience to edge past Andrew Pagett (Blackwood) and Rhydian Richards (Merthyr) in the deciding frames of their matches.

In a day of very high quality snooker the quarter-final match between Clarke and twice European Champion David John (Bridgend) was a cracker.

Clarke raced into a two frame lead before John responded with magnificent breaks of 98 and 92 to level the match.

John opened up the decider with 49 but a rare miss gave Clarke an opportunity from which he made a match-winning break of 52.

Clarke was also involved in a great semi-final with Bevan.

A 64 from Bevan gave him the lead but Clarke levelled and then made 60 to go in front. Bevan took it to a decider winning the fourth with 57 and was on 44 before very sportingly calling a foul after touching a red when looking likely to make it a match-winning break.

Clarke clawed his way back into the frame before Bevan cleared to the pink to win.