JERSEY has a new Island snooker champion.

Veteran Robbie Kilpatrick took the title for the first time as he beat favourite Ian Gould 4-2 in a thrilling best-of-seven final at the Mechanics’ Institute on Friday.

Gould (24) got off to a good start as he took the first frame with some excellent potting.

But 52-year-old Kilpatrick, who has twice been in semi-finals but never made the final, settled in the second with solid potting and safety play and Gould conceded on the green with the score 59-17.

The third frame followed the same pattern and, with Kilpatrick now in full flow, Gould conceded on the yellow when he was 51-11 behind.

After the interval the fourth frame saw Kilpatrick and Gould evenly matched with good breaks from each.

But a final 20 break and a foul by Gould made the score 57-39 to Kilpatrick and Gould conceded again after Kilpatrick potted brown and blue to make the final score 74-39.

In the fifth frame it was now or never for Gould and his excellent potting form returned as he raced to a 56-9 win to pull back to 3-2.

The final frame was very tense with Gould on a comeback roll and Kilpatrick only requiring one more to win.

There was a lot of safety play, which suited Kilpatrick, and not many points were scored.

But then came the key point of the match as Kilpatrick potted a long green to the bottom pocket, then a difficult brown along the cushion and finally a blue over the other bottom pocket, which he had put there in an earlier shot.

This left Gould needing a snooker which he got as Kilpatrick missed the pink completely as he tried to slowly roll it over the pocket.

Gould then played safe – as he thought.

Kilpatrick dug deep, held his nerve and potted the pink on his next shot to win the frame and the championship 52-34.

Afterwards Kilpatrick was ‘pretty chuffed.’ He added: ‘When I missed the pink I was a bit nervy.

It was a bit tight at the end but I always thought I could do it.

I think Ian was a bit nervous as well.’ Said Gould: ‘It was very disappointing.

I started really well but then didn’t play well in the evening.

But Robbie really deserved it – he kept it tight which suited him.

Never mind .

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there’s always next year.’ Now Kilpatrick will face Guernsey’s Martyn Desperques for the Channel Islands title in Guernsey on Friday.

Desperques beat Adam Shorto 4-2 last night in a reverse of the island billiards final result.

The championship was sponsored by Furniture World 2001 Ltd and A1 Landscape & Gardening Services Ltd.