Gary Parker of Skipton Working Men's A became the new Bamber-Metcalfe Handicap Champion when he beat Workers C's George Danvers 3-1 in last Monday's final.

Receiving 30 points per frame start Parker had the better of the early exchanges and with seven reds gone had built up a 42 points lead.

Danvers took black and pink off the last two reds to reduce the arrears and two successive Parker in-off's on the yellow saw his lead dwindle to 16-points with the colours remaining. Danvers took yellow and green followed by a snooker to ease ever nearer, but Parker 'fluked' the brown to move 11 ahead on the last three balls. Danvers 'fluked' the blue and then did likewise on the pink only to go in-off to leave Parker a simple pink to take the first frame 88-70.

The second frame saw Parker again open up a good lead, but Danvers, although not at his best, rattled in a few good pots to reduce the arrears to just three points with one red left on the table.

Danvers took the red with a blue followed by the yellow and looked to have the frame sewn up when he potted green, brown and blue on his next visit only to see the white knock the pink into the top pocket to lead by a single point.

Fortune favoured Danvers when his opponent accidentally potted the black and he potted a good blue and pink to win 83-64 and level the match.

Parker came out all guns blazing in frame three and an assortment of reds and colours saw he storm into a 40 point lead yet again. Danvers fought back once more, but fluffed too many chances to let his opponent capture the frame 84-54.

In what was to be the final frame Parker never gave his struggling opponent a chance and with a combination of some good long potting followed by some astute safety play saw him 63 points ahead on the colours leaving Danvers with no alternative but to concede defeat.

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