IN-FORM Neil Ewart became the youngest ever winner of the Hills Supplies Yorkshire Handicap.

The 17-year-old from Lower Hopton WMC won a fantastic final 21-20 against Peter Clark (Skipton Devon) at Netherton Con.

Having won the county junior merit the previous week, Mirfield-based Ewart – who will be back at Netherton Con for a Yorkshire junior match in a fortnight – showed terrific confidence and skill throughout.

Despite heavy rain, there was a big crowd for the superbly-staged event and Ewart won his quarter-final 21-12 against senior county man Scott Fisher of Moldgreen Con.

By the semi-finals the rain had given way to bright sunshine and Ewart was again in splended form, beating Nigel Breadley of Ladyhill Park 21-16.

Clark beat Ewart’s Lower Hopton clubmate Adam Kelk 21-12 in the quarter finals before knocking out Meltham’s Craig Gant 21-19 in a superbly-contested semi.

In the other quarter-finals, Breadley beat highly-fancied Paul Sigsworth 21-19 while Gant beat Longwood’s Ian Briggs by the same scoreline.