Snooker: Leslie pipped for pro place with defeat in Malta final

Bonnyrigg's Michael Leslie suffered the agony of narrowly missing out on a dream ticket to the professional circuit after losing out 6-3 to 16-year-old Kacper Filipiak of Poland in the final of the European Under-21 Snooker Championships at The Dolmen Resort Hotel in Malta.

Leslie, 18, who was No.?1 seed going into the knockout stages, had earlier recovered from a 2-1 deficit to Duane Jones (Wales) to find his form and win four of the next five frames to secure his place in the final, holding his nerve in the eighth frame to make a 50 break for a 5-3 victory. Filipiak defeated England's Sam Harvey in a final frame decider in the other semi-final.

The young Pole made the better start in the final, opening up a 3-1 lead before Leslie cut the deficit to only one frame at the interval. The sixth frame looked to be going to Filipiak when he potted a long black, but the white went in-off to hand Leslie the frame and level the match at 3-3.

Filipiak won the next but in a pivotal moment in the match during the eighth frame, Leslie got a kick when going for a frame-winning brown only for Filipiak to then clear to the black to open up a 5-3 lead. Leslie got chances again in the next but Filipiak showed no nerves to clear from brown to black to win the title.

Alan Craig, Managing Director of Caledonian Snooker added: 'We are devastated for Michael as he was so close to achieving his dream. He has improved immensely over the last couple of years. He played a great tournament and was favourite going into the final.

"However, this result just shows that in sport there are no certainties. We would like to congratulate Kacper, and Polish snooker, on his victory, and wish him all the best on the professional tour."

Leslie will now turn his attention to the qualifying school in Sheffield this summer where he will have another chance to win a place on the professional circuit.