Taylor Provides Sole Local Win In Record British Masters Event in Manchester

Titles in the biggest ever Masters event in the British National Squash Championships in Manchester were spread throughout England, Scotland and Ireland - but it was not until the last final that host county Lancashire picked up its only title when local hero Nick Taylor clinched the Men's O35 crown at the National Squash Centre at Eastlands.

There were 14 events for the first time - ranging from Over-35 championships for both men and women, to a new Over-75 event for men.

Nick Taylor, the 39-year-old Oldham-born former world No14 who is now the Jersey National coach, beat Merseyside debutant Stephen Siveter, aged just 35, 11-4, 11-6, 11-6 in his fifth successive Over-35 final, winning the trophy for the third time since 2007.

Stockport-based Laura Mylotte, the second seed from Ireland who was making her Masters debut, won the Women's O35 title - surviving a 51-minute final to beat top seed Senga Macfie 3-9, 9-7, 6-9, 9-7, 9-4.

But 42-year-old Scot Macfie had just taken part in the Women's O40 final - in which the former world top 20 player from Edinburgh had beaten Cheshire title-holder Nikki Fowler 9-4, 9-7, 9-2 to claim her first Masters trophy.

There was further success for Ireland when Graeme Stewart recovered from a game down to upset Manchester-based top seed and twice champion Yawar Abbas 9-11, 13-11, 11-7, 11-7 to win the Men's O40 title.

Hertfordshire's Eamonn Price successfully retained his Men's O45 title - but the second seed had to overcome Middlesex event favourite Peter Gunter 3-9, 9-7, 9-3, 6-9, 9-5 in a marathon 104-minute final.

Cambridgeshire's two-time Over-40 champion Carole Page moved up an age group to win the Women's O45 title, beating Merseyside title-holder Heather Tweedle 7-9, 2-9, 9-3, 9-5, 9-5 in the final.

Gloucestershire's Switzerland-based Mark Woodliffe added to the Over-40 and Over-45 national titles in his collection by beating Richard Millman in the Men's O50 final in just one game after the defending champion from Norfolk retired injured with the score at 9-0!

It was third time unlucky for Jacky Gardner in the Women's O50 final when the Durham & Cleveland player finished as runner-up for the third year in a row - this time losing to Helen Gould, the top seed from Avon, 10-9, 9-6, 4-9, 9-5. It was Gould's second title at the age-group since 2008.

Suffolk's three-time British Open O50 champion Peter Alexander made up for finishing as runner-up in the Men's O55 event last year by winning the title for the first time after beating Middlesex's Duleep Adhihetty - a former O50 champion - 9-3, 9-1, 5-9, 9-7 in the final.

Jan Ellis, top seed in the Women's O55 event, beat Worcestershire's Bett Dryhurst 9-6, 9-0, 9-1 in the final - consigning the former champion to runners-up position for the third year in a row.

Keith Jones is already World Over-60 champion - and the Berkshire 60-year-old has now added the National Men's O60 title to his collection by beating Lancashire's Moussa Helal, a former O55 champion, 9-0, 9-3, 9-3 in the final.

Cheshire's Rodney Boswell, a former O60 champion, claimed the Men's O65 title for the first time when he beat Lancashire's first-time finalist David Scurlock 5-9, 9-6, 9-4, 9-7 in the final.

Surrey's distinguished Masters veteran Patrick Kirton was celebrating his fifth successive appearance in the Men's O70 final - but the three-time champion finished as runner-up as Merseyside's Andrew Beeston came through to win 9-5, 9-5, 7-9, 9-5 to secure the title for the first time.

The inaugural Men's O75 final saw Hampshire's former O70 champion Lance Kinder ensure that his is the first name on the trophy when he beat Cheshire's Andrew Morton 9-6, 9-0, 9-4.