THE FINAL of the Eric Hodgkinson Bradford Snooker Handicap takes place on Saturday at Great Horton Conservative Club (7.30pm), with an intriguing match in prospect between two of the city's finest young talents.

Four-time Bradford Open champion Gareth Green (Harold Club) takes on Yorkshire handicap champion Josh Walker (Undercliffe Cricket Club) in the best-of-five-frame match.

Last season's inaugural winner was Adam Tipper in the event named after the late legendary Bradford Association secretary Hodgkinson, who ran billiards & snooker in the district for over 25 years, as well as representing Bradford at national level.

The draws for the second round of the Bradford Snooker Singles and Pairs will be made live on Saturday after the match between Green and Walker.

In what many describe as one of the best amateur matches seen in the Bradford Championships for some years, Wayne Cooper faced Bradford team-mate Kevin Firth in the first round at Undercliffe Cricket Club.

Firth was quick off the mark, making a break of 64 to lead 1-0, but defending champion and nine-time winner Cooper soon levelled, and then went ahead with a break of 67.

Firth cleared with a 72 to level at 2-2, but Cooper pushed ahead again with a 52 break, followed with a superb clearance of 114 to end the match with a 4-2 victory.

Howard Mawson, champion in 2004, was 3-0 down to Darren Goy, pulling level before Goy held his nerve well for a 4-3 win.

Two other previous winners fell at the first round, 2014 winner John Wellham losing out 4-1 to Walker, while 1987 victor Mark Hirst fell 4-0 to Bradford No 1 player Lewis Walsh.

Other singles results: P Hamilton 2 H Rafiq 4, M Ball 4 M Rhodes 0, D Bentley 4 S Sandhu 3, A Green 4 S Jackson 1, G Green 4 J Hollins 0, R Morgan 4 J Metcalfe 1, R Hagerty 4 S Harker 3, D Parker 4 K Dunn 1, J Murgatroyd 4 C Tolson 3, M Slater 4 T Wood 1.

Bradford Snooker Pairs results: S Sandhu & P Gaunt 2 M Sharp & R Duffield 3, D Stirk & J Andrews 2 H Rafiq & B Singh 3, I&J Brown 2 S Jackson & D Goy 3.

Bradford No 2 remain top of Division Two of the Yorkshire Inter-District League after a fine 6-0 victory against Castleford No 3.

Peter Hamilton has established himself in the team now and beat Grant Chapman 62-54 and 65-10, while captain Hanif Rafiq won 64-2 and 62-46 against Craig Murkin.

Boover Singh completed the rout, winning 65-51 and 67-30 against Brian Burrows.