Kent men's A team and junior side win at English Pool Association National Intercounty Championships Finals in Pakefield

Pool players from Kent have scooped national titles at both senior and junior levels.

The sides finished as runners-up at the English Pool Association National Intercounty Championships Finals last year - but did one better this time around.

Kent A raced into a 4-0 lead against Bristol A in their Final this month and, despite a Bristol fightback, they won 23-18 to claim the title for the first time, leaving captain Adam Bassoo, an England player from Gravesend, to get the celebrations going.

Also at the event in Pakefield, the juniors beat last year’s winners Leicestershire 19-9 in their Semi-Final and earned a 19-11 success in the Final over Essex.

Team manager Willie Anderson said: “The men’s side had never won it before.

“I think it has been going since 1986. We’d had a few close calls but we’d never delivered that one before, so everyone knew that was the first time winning it for the men.

“We were both runners-up last year, funnily enough. We were runners-up to Leicester.

“But this year, the juniors were a year older.

"They’re allowed to play until their 18th birthday so they were a bit older and a bit stronger.

“I think they’ll be strong for the next couple of years to be fair, so it’s a great achievement for the kids as well.

“It’s so competitive. Remember, you have got eight regions in England and, from those regions, you have probably about 64 teams.

“It’s only the top two teams from the eight regions that go forward for the nationals. That’s your 16.

“Then to go through and win, it means you’re the best team in the whole of England. I guess that’s why it’s such a big success.”

Canterbury’s Aaron Bhat was also part of the men’s team.

Scot Anderson, now of Faversham, is certainly no stranger to national title