Pool star Gray just missed out on hat-trick bid, while 'Slayer' cut down city man in snooker final

Gray, the resident professional at Bourne Snooker Centre, had won heats 5 and 6, but lost in the final at Rileys in Leicester 7-2 to Sheffield star Benji Buckley.

Gray picked up £240 for his efforts.

“It was only a small event,” Gray, who is ranked number one in the UK at 9-ball, said. "Only 32 players were in it, but I’m happy to have had another good showing. It’s pleasing that I continue to be consistently at the business end of most competitions I enter.”

Gray eased through his group with wins of 5-3 5-4 5-0 and then beat Jan Ibrahim (Derby) 7-1 in the last 16, Luke Hart (Solihull) 7-3 in the quarter-finals and Bash Maqsood (Nottingham) 7-2 in the semi-finals.

But Buckley got off to a fast start in the final and Gray couldn’t reel him in.

Meanwhile Gray has dropped to number four in the local Legnds Tour rankings after missing Sunday’s event at the Court Club in Bretton.

In his absence Russell Huxter claimed his first tour title when he defeated city potter Steve Martin 3-2 in a gripping final to win the AG Snooker Players Championship.

The 'Saffron Slayer', who last month had stopped Mark Gray's incredible 33-match unbeaten run, produced a solid display throughout the day to pick up the trophy and pocket the £325 first prize.

Huxter came from 2-1 down to topple Martin and move to the top of the rankings. He had earlier cruised to victories over Kristian Willetts (3-0), Tony Brown (3-1) and Tom Parry (3-1).

Martin had played well to beat Paul Avory, Colin Mitchell and Gavin Cork en route to the final.

Gray and Huxter are seeded to play each other in a highly anticipated opening group match of the prestigious Legends League 8-man event in November.