DEFENDING champion John Hunter rose to the challenge of his “hardest” Cuestars South Wilts Snooker League campaign and clinched his tenth title.

The 50-year-old edged runner-up Richard Swaffield by just three points to claim a seventh successive crown at Salisbury Snooker Club.

“This season’s has been the hardest to win,” insisted Hunter.

“I’ve really enjoyed the challenge and I feel like it’s improved my snooker.

“This feels good given I’m not getting any younger!”

Hunter, who needed to win eight of his last ten frames to guarantee first place, began the run-in with a 4-1 win against Neil Carroll (Rownhams).

Carroll cleared with a break of 61 to square the match at 1-1 and missed a straight frame-ball pink with two reds left in the fifth.

Hunter then cruised to a 5-0 whitewash of Steve Ashton with runs of 80, 68 and 40.

Meanwhile, Swaffield signed off with two breaks of 47 and two of 76 in a 5-0 victory over Carroll and runs of 65, 64 and 61 in a 4-1 win against Trevor Pittman.

Simon ‘The Tornado’ Peacock coasted to a 5-0 drubbing over Paul Burt (Britford).

The league’s under-21 champion Anthony Rice beat his brother David 4-1 and then lost 3-2 to bottom-of-the-table Richard Arnold.

It all went “pear shaped” after the 19-year-old from Fordingbridge took a 2-0 lead with breaks of 80 and 45.

Arnold, whose only previous win this season was removed after his opponent was forced to quit the league, rallied with solid matchplay and consistent long potting to force a decider - which went to a re-spotted black.

Results: Neil Carroll 1 John Hunter 4, David Rice 1 Anthony Rice 4, Richard Swaffield 5 Neil Carroll 0, John Hunter 5 Steve Ashton 0, Anthony Rice 2 Richard Arnold 3, Simon Peacock 5 Paul Burt 0, Richard Swaffield 4 Trevor Pittman 1.