WINSFORD’S Glynn Cookson was denied a chance to win the Waterloo Handicap for a second time after losing to John Bailey at the semi-finals stage.

The Wharton Cons star put together a break of six as he recovered from 18-13 down to lead, only for his opponent to squeeze through 21-19 at the Blackpool venue.

He met Tim Houghton in the final to decide the overall winner of a competition that attracted more than 700 entries.

“A slow start cost me, and I’m disappointed about that – I just wasn’t at it,” Cookson told ITV Sport afterwards.

“I had to pull up trees just to get back into it.

“Fair play to John, he finished well.”

Cookson, who won the Waterloo Handicap back in 2001, had prevailed in four matches since the last 64 gathered on Saturday to clinch a meeting with the Welshman.

That run included victories against Callum Wraight (21-20), Glen McCafferty (21-10), Mike Leach (21-20) and Jason Groom (21-15).

It caps an encouraging campaign for the 58-year-old, who claimed the Cheshire Senior Merit for a fifth time in June before reaching the semi finals at the British Senior Individual Merit the following month.