WILTSHIRE'S seniors pool team had a weekend to remember in Great Yarmouth as they were crowned EPA national champions.

The five-man team, consisting of Jason Godbeer, Nigel Oldling, John McMackin John Maule and skipper Phil Slinn, managed to get all the way in the two-day contest to clinch the title.

The Wiltshire side qualified for the event at the Vauxhall holiday camp and played close to 100 games as they defeated West Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Surrey before toppling a well-supported Leicestershire in the final.

“Once we got past the first match against a very good West Yorkshire team we truly believed we could go all the way and win it,” said skipper Slinn.

“However, with our five-man team consisting of an England player, two England trialists, an ex-Wales player and a past IPA Greene King champion, we were confident we could do well.

“When we got to the final we just charged to the finish line. That was the biggest match of the day, it was on live stream. Leicestershire had supporters sat around all sides of the arena and although we had several hundred people watching us on live stream, we actually only had two supporters in the arena with us.

“That was my dad and our good mate Tony Nelson, an ex-county player himself, who took on the role of team manager for the final stages.”

After their victory, the captain revealed he, his team, and their two travelling fans embarked on a night of celebration.

All five members of the winning team play out of Swindon’s 147 Club.

“I think we might even be the first pool team from Wiltshire to ever be crowned national champions,'' he added.

“Either way it’s been an honour to play in a team with the best senior pool players in Wiltshire and even better to come back home with them as captain of the best senior pool team in the country.”