Joe Perry crowned an excellent week's work with a resounding 5-1 win in the final of the John Smiths sponsored Merseyside professional championship, beating Liverpool's own Stephen Croft in the final, and becoming the twelfth different winner in as many years.

Perry snatched the first frame on the black in the final and stretched his advantage with a run of 55 in the second. Croft rallied to the third but then lost another black ball frame to trail 3-1.

Croft opened up a 50 point lead in the fifth, but given a chance Perry cleared up with a run of 60 to put himself in sight of the winning line. And a break of 40 was enough to ensure victory in frame six.

Perry started the day by beating defending Champion Stephen Maguire 5-2 in their quarter final. Perry opened the first frame with a run of 50, to which Maguire responded with a 51 clearance. Perry overcame that set back with breaks of 60 and 91 to take a 2-1 lead. Maguire set out in frame four with a break of 51 but lost out to a colours clearance from Perry. The lead stretched to 4-1 when Perry rattled in 79. Maguire kept in the match with a break of 85, but 76 from Perry in the next guaranteed victory.

The semi final was one way traffic as Perry beat Rod Lawler 5-0 in a low-key match, the only highlights being two breaks of 57 from Perry.

Lawler beat Peter Lines in their quarter final. A break of 87 gave the Liverpudlian the first and runs of 54 and 76 made it 2-0. Lines took the next with a break of 64 and he started the fourth with a 50 break, but Lawler stepped in with a 78 clearance to lead 3-1. Back came Lines, drawing level at 3-3, but he ran out of steam and Lawler finished a 5-3 winner.

Stephen Croft continued his great run, having started the event as a 150/1 outsider, with a thumping 5-0 win over Jamie Cope. Croft opened a two frame and then made it 3-0 when he got a snooker in frame three and cleared up. A 75 clearance followed in frame four and a run of 57 put Cope out of his misery.

Croft bagged another big scalp in the semi finals, beating Ryan Day, who stroked in a 145 total clearance during his 5-2 defeat of Mark Davis. Day won the £2 a point high break prize for that effort.

The first four frames were shared and then Croft sprinted away to a 4-2 lead. Day pegged him back, but Croft stepped in with a match-winning 78 in the next to win 5-3.

RESOURCES -  Roll of Honour

2004 Joe Perry 5-1 Stephen Croft

2003 Stephen Maguire bt Mark Davis 5-1

2002 Mark Davis bt Stephen Maguire 5-2

2001 Nick Dyson bt Paul Davison 5-2

2000 Michael Holt bt Rod Lawler 5-3

1999 Stuart Bingham bt Stuart Pettman 5-1

1998 Peter Lines bt Lee Walker 5-4

1997 Antony Bolsover bt Paul Wykes 5-4

1996 David Gray bt Paul Sweeny 5-2

1995 Rod Lawler bt Dean Reynolds 5-4

1994 Dean Reynolds bt Jason Ferguson 5-1

1993 Dave Harold bt Tony Rampello 5-2

RESULTS

2004 John Smiths Merseyside Professional Championship

Trophy photograph courtesy of Pete Williamson