DAN HILDYARD came of age this week by reaching the last 16 of a national tournament and being crowned Chandler's Ford under-21 Roll Up champion.

The 14-year-old from Fair Oak travelled to Woking for the EASB under-15 south-east qualifiers and was one frame down in his last game but clawed back the last two to win the match and top the group.

Hildyard now marches on to the knockout stage to be held later this month and hopes to go one better than his previous last 16 finish in the under-16 'Star of the Future' at Pontin's Prestatyn.

Other Southampton boys in action at Woking were Will Baird, Jordan Lewis, Matt Woods and Nick Jennings who all went out in the group stages. The foursome were all docked one frame because of late arrival and Jennings lost out on qualification by only one point.

Hildyard returned to Chandler's Ford keen to close the one point gap over arch rival Jennings, 13, in the final week of the under-21 Roll Up.

In a dramatic final day Jennings extended his lead with a first round win but then lost out to Billy Castle, 12, in the next.

However, Hildyard won a nerve jangling black ball decider against Aldershot's Ryan Mears, 16, but then eased through the next round to take the title and the £200 top prize by the smallest of margins, 131 points to Jennings' 130.

Mark McLean held on to third spot to walk away with £100 and Alex Dunkley beat Joe Finch to win his first final for ten weeks and leapfrog Mears into fourth.

Series five starts this afternoon with record prize money of £1,000. For more information contact Jim Everett on 023 8025 4834.

Elsewhere Peter Maraziotis won the Triton Trophy - an under-18 tournament run by the Winchester league - for the second year running, an incredible achievement bearing in mind he had his cue stolen just a few days earlier.

The 16-year-old from West End was driven up to London two days previously to buy a new one after his own prized cue was stolen in Southampton.

Runner-up Arran Newman, 15, knocked out Jennings, one of the favourites, in the first round but Jennings did go on to beat Ollie Tydeman in the plate final.

Jason Hildyard, 12, maintained his assault on the Southern England Cuestars under-12 title at High Wycombe. Hildyard and second placed Adam Bobat from Gosport lost in the first round but both battled through to the plate final. Bobat won but Hildyard still holds onto top spot by three points.

Under-21 Roll Up final positions and winnings:

Dan Hildyard £200, 2 Nick Jennings £150, 3 Mark McLean £100, 4 Alex Dunkley £80, 5 Ryan Mears £70, 6 Billy Castle £60, 7 Peter Maraziotis £50, 8 Jason Hildyard £40, 9 Jack Hyom £35, joint 10 Lee O'Brien and Ollie Tydeman £27, 12 Arron McIntyre £20, 13 Lee Roling £20, 14 Arran Newman £10 and joint 15 Joe Finch, Will Baird and Jamie Newman share £10.