Sunshine success for Meole Brace Open qualifiers

The second weekend of qualifying in the Champion of Champions qualifiers saw men with county connections secure nine of the 16 tickets to Sunday’s finals, when a first prize of £1,000 awaits.

And none was more happier than Matt Beeston of Hanmer on Saturday as he claimed three scalps, including Eric Winston 21-16 to qualify, before making the short walk to see his beloved Shrewsbury Town FC beat Lincoln City 1-0 in League One.

Twin brothers Leighton and Keiron Roberts, of Ifton, had a double to celebrate as they both got through to the last 32, Leighton beating Nathan Dawes 21-8 to make it while Keiron saw off Paddy McGuinness 21-18.

Clay Flattley, understood to have signed for Sir John Bayley, was the other local hero on Saturday as he edged out Craig Gant 21-18, while Peter Griffiths of Burway just missed out by the same score in his qualifier against Tom Vickers (Wharton Cons).

Four-time County Merit winner Peter Farmer, now back with St Georges, led the Shropshire surge on the last day of qualifying with a 21-8 card against new Newport recruit Reece Farr the key.

Chester Road star Martin Lloyd was also successful thanks to a 21-8 victory over Jon Palmer, Hanwood’s Gary Neal went through with a 21-19 win over Craig Jones of Llangollen, a score matched by Alex Hassall of Wem USC against Stuart Perry as he qualified too.

The weekend ended on a high for Castlefields ace Rich Goddard as he beat reigning County Merit champion Jack Hewitt (Hanmer) 21-18 to make the finals, having missed out on Friday night in the rearranged Dougie Wright Memorial Trophy in the last qualifier at the Red Lion, Westhoughton, when beaten 41-31 by Tom Eccles. Other qualifiers for finals day were Glyn Storer (Windmill), Terry Brook (Halifax), Daniel Nixon (Wharton Cons), Chris Barton (NBQV), Gary Owen (Fenton Private) and Tom Palmer (Kings Heath Park).