KEIGHLEY potter Chris Melling fell agonisingly short of winning Event 1 of the 2021 Ultimate Pool Professional Series over the weekend.

He performed well throughout the tournament, but came unstuck at the last, losing 7-5 in a gripping final against Declan Brennan, with the win the biggest of the young Northern Irishman's career to date.

Melling was pushed hard in the opening round against four-time women's world champion Emma Cunningham, but eventually prevailed 7-5 against the Northern Irish trailblazer.

There was another 7-5 success in round two for Melling, as he fought off the challenge of promising young Maltese player Dejan Grech.

A dramatic Saturday night quarter-final saw Melling prevail 7-6 in a thrilling final-frame decider against his fellow Englishman Rob Chilton.

Melling played before Brennan on Sunday afternoon, and had his most comfortable win yet, beating Ireland's Stephen Dempsey 7-3 in the semi-final.

Brennan obliterated Shaun Chipperfield 7-0 in his last four clash, and though he was run much closer by the Keighley superstar in Sunday night's final, he prevailed in the end.

Melling took home £4,000 for being runner up in that tournament, while in Event 2 on Saturday, he lost 6-4 in the first round to six-time world champion Mick Hill.