Snooker: Vallance in frame for second win

Edinburgh's Ross Vallance will bid tomorrow night to add the East of Scotland Snooker Doubles Championship to the singles title he won in December. The 23-year-old cueman is paired with 16-year-old Lee Mein of Edinburgh as they face Penicuik's Michael Gallacher and Dundee's Joe McGrath in the final of the event.

Whilst the Capital pair wasted little time in defeating Edinburgh's Stuart Johnstone and Stevie Dick 3-0 in the semi- final, their final opponents needed a respotted black to defeat Edinburgh's Brian Mein and Musselburgh starlet Ross Muir. Muir, who won the UK Under-16 star of the Future title last season, looked to have set the pairing up for victory with a 40 break in frame three to open up a 2-1 lead. However, Gallacher and McGrath comfortably won the next to force a decider.

Then, in a nailbiting final frame, Gallacher potted a long black to take the frame to a respotted black before McGrath held his nerve to pot a tricky black with the rest to prevent a father versus son final.

Mein, the least experienced of the four players appearing in the final, who will be making his first East of Scotland final, practises at the Locarno Snooker Club in Edinburgh, as does partner Vallance. Paul Marinello, proprietor of the club, added: "It has been a great year for the club with Ross winning the singles title and now Ross and Lee reaching the doubles final." The final will be played at The Matchroom at the Edinburgh Corn Exchange at 7pm.