NEIL Wood won York Conservative Clubs' Scruton Cup individual snooker competition for the fourth time in five years when he defeated his Heworth club colleague Clive Whyte 3-0 in the final at Heworth.

Wood produced an exhibition of potting and positional play which gained him 246 points in the three frames, against only 37 by Whyte, who was unable to take advantage of the few chances he had.

Wood took on a difficult red after Whyte had opened up the pack in the first frame and put the white into the baulk area in what appeared to be a good safety shot. The red went into the corner pocket and Wood was in an ideal position behind the black. He built a 57 break with nine reds and eight blacks but it ended as the white ball finished touching a red.

Whyte missed an easy red and Wood added nine points, which left Whyte, trailing 66-4, needing a snooker despite four reds still being on the table.

Wood cleared the red at his next visit in a break of 24 and Whyte, after potting yellow, green and brown, conceded when 90-13 behind.

Whyte gained four points after he had snookered Wood with his first shot in the second frame but then he erred by moving a red over the left black pocket.

Wood grasped the opportunity and constructed a precisely executed 71 break with ten reds, seven blacks and two pinks. He added five and then six points after Whyte twice failed on straightforward reds but gave away a second four points by fouling a red. Whyte conceded with three reds remaining and 82-8 behind.

In the third frame Whyte snookered Wood behind green with his break-off shot but the advantage went against him. Wood played off a side cushion to rest touching the pack and Whyte fouled while playing away.

Wood took brown as a free ball and went on to compile a 32 break with a brown, two blues and two blacks. During the break he screwed back half the length of the table while using the rest after potting a narrow-angled red to green pocket to keep the break going.

Whyte replied with a two black 16 break but then left another red in the jaws of the green pocket. Wood made a 38 break with seven reds, yellow, blue and four pinks to lead 74-16, which made Whyte concede again with two reds remaining.

The referee was Bob Ventress and the scorer Brian Birch.

The trophy and awards were presented by Keith Taylor of Tayrol Ltd.

Updated: 11:36 Thursday, April 17, 2003