TED Cooney is Courtaulds Halstead Bowls Club's Millennium Shield champion for 2018.

After four gruelling rounds, Cooney faced Roy Whicker Clemence over seven ends in the final of the carpet bowls knockout contest.

A great start for Cooney put him on course for the title as he captured the first end by two shots and followed that up in the second end with another shot as his black wood was left touching the jack for a 3-0 lead.

Cooney was clearly on top form and another two shots in the third end put him 5-0 ahead.

With the game ebbing away, Whicker Clemence had to find some inspiration and he got some when a deflection of Cooney's black wood nestled his red wood on to the jack to make it 5-1.

The pressure was telling on both players by the fifth end, but with a gallant effort, Whicker Clemence continued his progress in taking the end by one shot.

In the sixth end, both players were in buoyant form and a measure by umpire Eric Marson was required to determine the outcome.

It was one red and Whicker Clemence had pulled it back to 5-3 with one end remaining.

However, Whicker Clemence manoeuvred his red wood on to Cooney's black, causing it to close on to the jack and bring a 6-3 victory for Cooney.