IT'S been nearly 20 years since Layton Institute won the Lancashire Small Table Snooker championship which they had dominated in the 70s.

But they certainly set their stall out to make up for lost time this season.

Captain Barry Whyatt gathered a magnificent seven of the best players on the Fylde and they swept imperiously to the "ten reds" title at the Claremont Con Club with a 4-0 win over Top Break from Burnley.

Veteran Stuart Walker said: "We had a good team in the 70s. But this is better!"

John Meakin won the first frame against Terry Musk with a 62 break, Walker raced away with the second against Peter Roach, Geoff Luxton had a 51 in disposing of Jamie Southern and Paul Carpenter came from well behind to beat young Wayne Cotterill.

And Layton still had Mick Fletcher, Steve Meakin and John Gleave waiting in the wings.

Said Barry: "I thought it was about time Layton won it again. We last won it in 1980 but we'd been beaten in two finals since then. It was time we put the record straight."

In the semi-finals Layton had beaten Star Cycling (Nelson) 4-2, the only time they had dropped a couple of frames throughout the tournament.

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