MATT Wilson delighted onlookers at The Liberal Club last Thursday as he potted his way to his first ever maximum.

It came in a practice match against Terry Shairp, but the High Wycombe snooker ace caused quit a stir as news of his 147 bid spread around the club.

He said: "A few people had come in to watch as the frame went on, so it was a pretty big moment for me. By the end my head was in a jam jar and I was very relieved I managed to finish straight on the last black. My hands were shaking so much I wouldn't have fancied it from any other angle."

Wilson made a good red to get in and then remained comfortably in the balls as six reds followed by six blacks took him quickly to 48. However, nerves began to kick in as the opportunity dawned on him.

He said: "I started thinking about it then. It's always been one of my ambitions as a snooker player to get a maximum, the same as it is for every snooker player, but they're very rare and not many people get one."

So rare in fact, that former world number one and two-time world champion Mark Williams had not made a 147 break, either in competition or practice, until this year's world championships.

Wilson said: "By the time I got to the colours I was getting very nervous. You know that getting on black from red all the time is the hard part and once you've done that you're thinking I can pot the colours. I've done it 100s of times before in practice'.

"So suddenly you expect to do it and you know if you don't it's only your own fault."

But disaster for Wilson nearly struck going from the last red to the yellow when a positional shot off two cushions left the white shy off his intended position.

Wilson said: "I'd got to 120 before and then missed the yellow, so I was thinking about that and had to compose myself and focus 100 per cent on making the pot."

It went in, and when an awkward green and brown also dropped, Wilson had a clear run to the black and a 147 that continues a sparkling spell for the High Wycombe snooker ace, who earlier this season set new records in the Thames Valley Snooker League with centuries in three consecutive matches.