Ken Doherty could feel doubly unlucky last night - he lost out 10-8 to Matthew Stevens in the final of the Benson and Hedges Masters snooker championship at Wembley, and came within one ball of making only the second maximum 147 break in the 26-year history of the tournament.

The sympathy of a 2,500 full house at the Conference Centre went out to Doherty after he broke down on 140 in frame 16 when poised to win a Honda sports car worth Stg£80,000. But he did at least pick up a £19,000 prize for the highest break to go with his £85,000 runners-up cheque - while Stevens collected £165,000.

A disappointed Doherty was understandably upset at throwing away the chance of a 147 clearance, but he was more despondent at losing the title for a second successive season.

He said: "The tournament stands for a lot more than the money. Don't get me wrong, it would have been great to win the car. But the title was what I came here to win not a car.

"I didn't take as much time over the black as I should have done. Perhaps I should have taken a couple more seconds to compose myself."

Doherty did remarkably well to win two further frames to trail only 9-8 - having twice been four frames behind. He had half a chance to level the match at nine all but couldn't gain position on the black after knocking in a long red.

Final: M Stevens (Wal) bt K Doherty (Irl) 10-8. Frame scores - Stevens first: 127-4 (119 break), 61-50, 50-68, 96-0, 85-22, 87-0, 2-102, 59-70, 122-0 (122 break), 17-83, 72-47, 9-96, 5814, 78-34, 0-144 (140 break), 22-82, 0-85, 101-1.