VICTORIOUS Clive Whaley edged an epic showpiece against Nick Neale to be crowned Bridport’s inaugural racketball champion.

Whaley downed Neale 11-4, 11-8, 9-11, 10-12, 11-9 at Bridport Leisure Centre in a titanic battle that marked a historic milestone in the town’s sporting history.

During the opening skirmishes, Whaley grabbed a stranglehold and seemed to be in control of his opponent, with his precision hitting forcing Neale into the back corners of the court.

Such was his superiority that Whaley stormed into a 2-0 advantage, with most spectators expecting a quick and perhaps anti-climactic result to the contest.

However, that was the cue for Neale to transform his game as he emerged with a mixture of his trademark hard- hitting, alongside lighter controlled shots at the front of the court that troubled Whaley.

Games three and four belonged to Neale – who by now was reaching the top of his form – which set the stage for a nail-biting decider.

It had been clear in the fourth game that Whaley was frustrated and running out of options to counter the way his opponent had improved.

An initial three-point flourish from Neale in game five looked to be a continuation of his dominance, but thereafter the concluding chapter to this engrossing tie became an extreme physical and mental battle, with one rally extending beyond 50 strokes as both players brought all their technical skills into play.

Each competitor tried to tempt the other into a mistake but in the closing stages it was Whaley who gained a slight edge through his more consistent play.

And he secured a hard-fought win, and therefore the coveted title, with the final two points of a tussle that was a great advertisement for the sport of racketball.