KEIGHLEY potter Chris Melling is out of the Ultimate Pool Pairs Cup after a dramatic night in Group 4.

It was a strong group, containing three former world champions, including Melling, a world finalist and a former world master.

Melling was playing alongside another world champion in Jack Whelan at the event in Newcastle-under-Lyme, and the pair started Monday's event brightly.

They thumped group whipping boys Kris Hampson and Dave O’Shaughnessy 4-1 in their opener, before beating Clint l’Anson and Connor Jones by the same scoreline.

Victory in the final game of the night would have seen Melling and Whelan through, but they were crushed 4-0 by Jon McAllister and Conor Treacy.

That meant a three-way tie at the summit on four points, with the deciding six-red shootout involving everyone except Hampson and O’Shaughnessy.

But only McAllister and Treacy were able to set a valid time in that shootout, putting them through to the last-16.