THREE-TIME runner-up Daniel Nutter is hopeful he can finally end his Harold Ryden Trophy heartache and take home the coveted trophy this week.

The Barrowford ace is among eight amateurs to reach the quarter-finals of the prestigious ELGA event at Wilpshire.

And now he has made the matchplay stage of the competition, Nutter hopes he can finally get his hands on the silverware after losing the final in three successive years, 2004, 2005 and 2006.

But the 33-year-old admits he does not want to get carried away despite being well placed.

“Hopefully this will be my year,” said Nutter, who plays for Clitheroe. “I really want to win this tournament because I’ve come so close.

“I’m just thankful that I keep putting myself in a position to win it. But getting over that last hurdle has been a problem.

“I’ve practiced hard, I’m trying my best and now I’ve given myself another chance.

“I don’t want to think too much about winning, though, because there’s still a long way to go.”

Nutter must first see off the challenge of Accrington’s Ian Hardman in the quarter-final matchplay stage of the tournament, which starts at 5.30pm tonight.

In the other last-eight matches, Nelson’s Shaun Field takes on Lewis Laviscount of Wilpshire, Chris Nuttall challenges 2002 winner Nick Uttley, while Clive Robertson of Green Haworth takes on Clitheroe’s Mark Ashworth, the runner-up in 2007.