BIRCHWOOD Golf Club’s Phil Archer has won the Manchester Alliance Matchplay Championship for the first time.

The 44-year-old ex-European Tour star came back from one down with two to play to beat Gatley’s Tom Bolton on the 19th in the semi final at Ashton on Mersey Golf Club.

Graham Cox, a previous winner of the competition, was taken all the way by Ringway’s Ollie Pantoja before securing victory on the 18th in the other last-four contest.

It was nip and tuck all the way in the final with the scores level after nine holes.

Archer had three wins in four holes to take a two-hole lead going into the last four.

Then Cox notched a birdie and an eagle on the next two to level the match, but a wayward tee shot on the 17th gave Archer a one-hole advantage going into the 18th.

The Birchwood golfer’s approach found an awkward lie in a greenside bunker, with Cox safely on the green 12 feet from the pin.

Archer blasted out from the bunker to 10 feet, giving Cox a putt to halve the match.

But he just missed, leaving a cool and grateful Archer the chance to win and he holed a nerveless put to claim the trophy.

Archer has three Challenge Tour wins on his CV but is perhaps best known for shooting a score of 60 in the first round at the Celtic Manor Wales Open in 2006 n WALTON Hall Senior Citizens Golf Society result.

Wire Wheels 18-hole stableford at Walton Hall: 1, George Ashurst 40; 2, Stan Marrs, 38; 3, Gordon Dent, 37.