KENT reached the final of the Liberty Trophy national indoor bowls knock-out event for the second time in three years after Saturday’s thrilling semi-final defeat over Hampshire.

The victory also avenged Kent’s 2004 first round Trophy exit at the hands of Hampshire, but at the half-way stage of this re-match another Hampshire win looked likeliest at the south-coast county held a 34-shot lead.

At that point Kent were only ahead on Gordon Charlton’s rink, but Kent mounted an incredible 20-minute fight-back to cut the deficit to 12 shots.

After 18 ends Kent had reduced the lead to three shots and soon had their noses in front, before disaster seemingly struck on Duncan Hanmore’s rink.

Kent were six down in the head with just one bowl from each of the skips to come when, with his last bowl of the day, Hanmore planted the jack in the ditch to salvage the overall win.

Kent will now face Norfolk in the Liberty Trophy final in April.

Liberty Trophy semi-final result:

David Ferguson, Lee Shoobridge, Mark Johnson, Paul Barnicott (all Swale) lost 20-19, Kevin Fletcher, Gordon Charlton (both Folkestone), Richard Rowe (Cyphers), Chris Smith (Crystal Palace) won 30-9, Paul Gent, Matt Aers (both Angel), Chris Hall (Swale) Terry Heppell (Cyphers) won 21-16, Paul Field, Andy Thompson (both Cyphers), Simon Green, Shaun McCaughan (both Folkestone) drew 21-21, Toby London (Angel), Tony Griffiths, Wayne Cheeseman (both Sevenoaks), Duncan Hanmore (Tunbridge Wells) lost 23-17, Alan Robinson, Jamie Dunn (both Folkestone), Alec Evans (Mote Park), Roger Kendrick (Prince Arthur) won 18-17.