ST HELENS Snooker Professional Wayne Brown returned to winning ways at the Liverpool Victoria UK Championships in Bournemouth at the weekend.

It sets him up for another clash with James Wattana.

After defeating Lee 'The Shirt' Richardson 6-3 in the first round, Wayne came up against Chester's Nick Walker. World no 47 Walker has had some fine results this year including a 5-0 demolition of Jimmy White, but this did not deter the Sutton Manor potting machine. He came out of the blocks like a sprinter, and raced to a 4-0 interval lead aided by breaks of 80, 62 and 72. At the resumption Walker - determined not to let the game slip away - came out with all guns blazing, and reduced the deficit to 4-2 thanks to runs of 60 and 63. But come the seventh frame Wayne was back in control, and was on the way to a maximum break of 147 before missing a difficult 12th red on 88. With the finishing line in site Brown fashioned a classy break of 51 to add to his run of 41 earlier in the frame to leave Walker no alternative but to concede the match.

Wayne said: "I am happy with my game at the moment, and confident I can go further in the event. I look forward to playing James again, he is a very open attacking player who invariably gives you chances. All I have to do is convert the chances into frame winners".

He thanked the Stakis Hotel in St Helens for their help with his accommodation requirements whilst in Bournemouth.

The UK Championships televised stages commence on Saturday, and assuming Wayne overcomes Wattana, he is likely to be on the main table facing world number two Ronnie O'Sullivan on Grandstand.

St Helens' other professional Craig Harrison came up against a very in-form Marco Fu, but could not match the Hong Kong star's powerful scoring, bowing out 6-0.

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