TREVOR Foster completed a dream comeback last night on the course he has graced for 30 years.

He became Accrington's first winner of the ELGA Championship in his first appearance in the competition since his home club last hosted the event 10 years ago.

And the 43-year-old ranked his victory over Nelson's Nick Uttley on a sizzling summer evening at Devon Avenue as the one that applies the final polish to his trophy collection.

Following his exhausting 3 and 1 matchplay win, Foster said: "I've played in the British Open, won the Lancashire Amateur Championship twice and the Lancashire Open, but I didn't feel my golf would be complete until I'd mastered this one.

"Any player that tells you he isn't nervous is lying. You get used to playing under pressure all the time, but even teeing off in the British Open wasn't as nerve-racking as that!"

Although Foster had appeared to let the Harold Ryden trophy slip through his fingers after slumping from 4 up to 1 up in the space of just four holes, he managed to steady his hands and his nerve to prevent Uttley retaining the title.

The holder's stirring fightback to get within one shot was stalled by a couple of unfortunate incidents on the closing holes, as he had to take a drop by the water after losing his ball on the 16th to give Foster a two-shot lead with two to play.

Then, needing to win the 17th to stay in the game, Uttley knocked a leaf off a tree when taking a practice backswing and the two-shot penalty meant it was game over.

However, apart from losing three holes out of four after the 10th, Foster was in scintillating form.

He stormed into an early lead of three up after seven holes, and when he extended it on the first of the back nine an early celebration at the 19th hole, where Foster runs the bar, looked certain.

But a crowd of more than 100 were to witness more drama as Uttley produced a similar fightback to the one that clinched him last year's title.

Foster said: "I don't know what happened after the 12th, I was in a cloud and couldn't find my way out.

"I'd played 30 holes before that and dropped just one shot with nine birdies. I was cruising and playing really well but suddenly I couldn't do anything right.

"But I just did what my Lancashire coach Gareth Benson has been telling me all year, to think positive. I owe this one to him.

"I took on a shot round the corner on the 16th and it was one of the sweetest woods I've hit.

"It's only a cheap three wood that my pro made for me, but it won me the trophy."

Uttley said: "To win it last year was a high so not win it this year is disappointing. But Trevor was the better golfer on the night."

However, as so often happens, victory came at a cost for Foster.

His 11-year-old daughter Nikki was his caddy throughout the tournament's four days and made her dad promise to buy her a new golf bag if he won the ELGA Championship title.