Talmondt and Ferguson impress to earn Portsmouth scratch pairs success after hard-fought contest with Terry and Fegan

Some magical final frame work from Talmondt was decisive after they really toughed out earlier in the contest, writes Steve Toms.

It was a really tense start to the match with good safety from both pairs ensuring scoring opportunities were kept to a minimum.

Ferguson managed to get in first and made a break of 20, then Fegan responded with a nice 24.

It came down to the colours in the opening frame and Talmony potted the yellow.

Then he jawed the green and left it up for Terry who potted it and the rest of the colours to win the frame 56-51.

It was no margin given again in frame two. Talmondt, who knows his craft, made a 27 break. Fegan responded with a 25 and again it was all about the colours. Ferguson rolled in the final three balls to take the frame 65-47.

That made it 1-1 going into frame three when it really was dog eat dog now. Ferguson potted the final three reds with colours, then the yellow and green. But he missed an easy brown.

Fegan rolled in the brown and blue but Ferguson was lucky to fluke a snooker and that saw him handed the chance to pot the pink which he did and then the black to take the frame 65-53.

Frame four was all about Talmondt as he finally found the form that won him the scratch singles and made him the number one in Portsmouth. He got in early and he then continued making it look very easy as he potted ball after ball. It looked like a century was on to finish in style. But he missed the last red and finished on 78. He had done enough to win the frame 78-0 and win the match 3-1 to seal the Portsmouth scratch pairs title.