WAYNE Whitmore beat Chris Cowley to the Stourbridge and District Snooker League's First Division Individual Championship title.

Whitmore (Kingswinford Cons) won 3-2 against Cowley (Stour Old Edwardians) with frame scores of 27-60, 58-25, 31-64, 61-36, 38-69.

This was a match of fluctuating fortunes between Chris Cowley, who had led Old Edwardians to the Second Division Championship and then added the Team Knock-out Cup for good measure, against Wayne Whitmore, a Kingswinford Cons stalwart, who had joined Kinver Constitutional B, and helped them to win the First Division Championship, and to take the runners-up berth in the cup.

Whitmore began in a more composed manner, and took the opening frame, but Cowley hit back to level at 1-1.

Again Whitmore took the initiative in the third frame, but Cowley squared the match at 2-2 once more.

In the final frame, Cowley opted to try for a snooker on brown, needing the last four balls to tie, and Wayne stepped in to take the title.

Thanks were extended to the referee, Alan Checketts, and to the excellent number of spectators who gave good order throughout.

Both players had experienced success before: Whitmore was last season’s over 45 champion, while Cowley had won the Second Division shield last year, before trying his luck in this year’s First Division event.

The last two events, the Second Division Individual Final, Sam Porter (K’ford Cons) v Ed Davies (Old Eds), was set to take place on Tuesday at Stourbridge Institute and the Pairs’ Handicap Final, Leigh Bennett and Sam Porter (K’ford Cons) +64 v Gavin Sloan and Carl Southwick (WM Police) +10 will now be on Tuesday, May 10 at Stourbridge Old Edwardian Club.