IT was billed as the clash of the titans and the Bradford Snooker Championship final did not disappoint, as Wayne Cooper became the first player in the history of the event to win ten titles with a 4-3 triumph over Gareth Green.

The match at Great Horton Conservative Club saw the defending champion come from 3-0 down to beat four-time winner Green in a classic.

Current Bradford Handicap champion Green started well as an early run of 26 was backed up with a 49 clearance to take the opener 82-18.

Frame two was more tactical, Green potting an exceptional long black to go 2-0 up with a 49-47 win. Green looked impressive in the third, making a break of 65 and, though Cooper came back with a 32, he held on for an 83-35 frame win to lead 3-0 at the interval.

The break came at the right time for Cooper, whose never-say-die attitude came to the fore in the fourth frame as a winning break of 65 pulled the deficit back to 3-1.

A break of 52 in the next saw him gain another frame back (65-16) and suddenly the pendulum started to swing the other way.

In a tactical sixth frame, Cooper's 26 break proved key as he levelled the match with a solid 68-14 score.

Tension was high with a big crowd watching and Green got an early chance in the decider, making 35 only to miss a crucial red when a match-winning break looked on the cards.

Cooper dug deep again and responded with a break of 41. After a bout of quality safety play, Cooper got his chance and made no mistake, wrapping up the match 4-3 with a clearance of 36.

Green played his part in a high-quality match and will surely add to his four titles in the coming years.

Cooper, having already surpassed Joe Johnson's eight championship titles, admitted this was probably his most satisfying final win.

He said: "Having been 3-0 down against a top quality player such as Gareth, to fight back hard and come back not only to win but record a tenth title is amazing."