EAST Lancashire snooker star Chris Norbury admits next week’s Euro Tour clash with Chris Melling is the biggest game of his season as he battles to retain his professional tour card.

The Accrington potter has won just one of his last 15 matches, against Marco Fu in October, and heads to Poland with the pressure on.

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But despite the run of defeats, which saw the 28-year-old exit at the first hurdle in the Indian Open, China Open and Welsh Open in four days last week, Norbury knows that a good run in Eastern Europe can ensure he stay’s among snooker’s elite.

He said: “I feel like I have actually been playing pretty well. Obviously the results say otherwise but I have been practicing a lot and I don’t feel like I have been doing a lot wrong in matches.

“But I need to get that win. It is hard to get over the line in games when I know I haven’t won for a while.

“I am fighting to keep my card but I have no plan to give up. If I do drop off I will go to Qualifying School and try to win it back but a good run in Poland could mean I can keep it that way.

“Poland was always going to be the biggest tournament out of this little run and I just have to go there and try to get through round one and see what happens.”

Norbury will be facing a familiar opponent in Melling, ranked 52 places above the Accrington man at 50th in the world, and is expecting an even contest.

“Chris was on the tour when I first started and we have played each other a lot down the years,” said Norbury. “It will be a close game and I think he knows that I will give him a good game. Hopefully the result will go my way.

“I have some new contact lenses as well because I was struggling with my eyes so hopefully they can make the difference.”

Norbury lost to Robin Hull, Yu Delu and Jamie Jones in his last three tournaments but aside from the latter defeat when he was beaten 4-0, he believes he was playing well enough to win games.

He added: “Robin was probably the best player I have played this season. He played unbelievably well. I had a century break and then didn’t get another chance and there is not much you can do about that.

“Against Yu I lost three frames on the black and felt like I chucked that one away a bit.

“I actually thought I played well. I will carry on practicing hard and hopefully the results will turn.”

Norbury’s match against Melling will take place on Saturday, February 28, with the game scheduled to start at 11am local time.