HOT-shot York snooker youngster Steve Gregson has pocketed the first top-flight junior title of his career.

The 16-year-old from Stockton on Forest triumphed in the fourth tournament of a year-long junior series staged at the Coalville Club, Leicester.

Gregson, who has been a regular player in monthly events there since he took up competitive snooker, beat Coalville's under-21 rankings leader Stephen Craigie 3-2 in the final and won the £1000 first prize. In the three wins which took him to the final he notched up highest breaks of 88 and 68.

This victory has rocketed Gregson up to second place in the rankings, 81 points behind Craigie, who was losing his third consecutive final.

A 49 break from Gregson secured the final's first frame (67-55). Craigie drew level in a close second (55-79) that could have gone either way.

Breaks of 30 and 65 saw Craigie take the lead winning the frame (0-95) and the in-form Geordie seemed certain to win 3-1 but missed virtually match ball, the third-last red, and Gregson snatched the frame on the black (56-49) and 2-2.

Craigie failed to pot a long brown in the deciding frame after a poor safety shot by Gregson, who then potted up to the pink for that all important first big win.

Gregson won his first two matches easily 3-1 each time, but then let slip a 2-0 lead against the English Association for Snooker and Billiards Under-13 finalist Tom Maxfield before the York teenager eventually won on the green.

In the semi-final, Gregson edged last season's rankings winner Oliver Hoeblyn 3-1, a fluke on the pink securing the match.

Steve's younger brother Lee also played in the competition, losing his match in the round of the last 32.

Updated: 11:36 Tuesday, May 16, 2006