Match results and discussions thread

[Mitsuko]

1430
Stephen Lee 4-4 Rod Lawler
Mark Williams 4-4 Gerard Greene
Stephen Maguire 4-4 Joe Swail
Ronnie O'Sullivan 4-4 Ricky Walden
Steve Davis 4-4 Jamie Burnett

All games in that session ending 4-4

[Thorpy]

I went for a very enjoyable day at York yesterday. I cannot believe how few people went to the morning session - I was the 68th person (not inc family and friends) when I turned up late at 10:30. It's great as you can watch four out of five matches at the same time and if anything interesting is happening on the other table just move quietly across. The most entertaining thing about this mornings session was Mr Holt who was a tad unlucky to be 3-0 down and was on his way to clearing up to make it 3-1 when after getting perfect postion on the penultimate (or last, I forget) red only to realise that the brown would not spot on its own spot and had to go on the pink spot smack bang inbetween the cue ball and aforementioned red. Suffice to say, he was not at all happy, the referee warned him for swearing and it was downhill from thereon culminating in a very unprofessional (but quite amusing) hit em as hard as you can break off in frame 8 from where even I could have made a fifty break which Mackenzie took advantage of and was then conceded the frame by Holt anyway with plenty enough still on the table. Interestingly, Higgins and McManus were lurking about seeming to pay attention to this match and I got the feeling Holt was in for a bollocking or 2 from his fellow professionals.
Brief match summaries -
Selby unlucky to be 4-4 as he played very well when in the balls and disappointed that he has now lost tonight but Ebdon didn't play bad and bogged him down a bit

Stevens played very well against Gray who didn't seem to make too many mistakes

Hawkins was poor against Perry who thoroughly deserves his win tonight.

Carter and Bingham I only kept half an eye on as neither seemed spectacular and 4-4 at halfway and a tight match was what I expected. Both, could I think come on for the run and will give a fair account of themselves in the next round.

Walden played pretty well to take his chances and Ronnie maybe did not give him enough respect as he is obviously a decent player although with a stance like that he is never going to be a worldbeater. I would be surprised if he takes more than a frame or 2 off Ronnie tomorrow. Ronnie played very well to finish off the frames he won but did give away too many easy openings.

Williams was unshaven and not at all deserving to be 3-1 up at the interval and once Greene got his eye in he scored heavily without reply in the last 3 frames of the session. Well worth a bet to win this tomorrow.

Davis and Burnett traded unspectacular blows and neither deserved to be losing or winning for that matter.

Likewise Swail (how does he hit it straight with that cue action) and Maguire who continues to disappoint in not getting the job done and fulfilling the obvious potential he has.

And again likewise Lee and Walden who were painfully slow to start with, although Lee did give us a bit of excitement with a very makeable 147 effort (missed the penultimate black after getting slightly out of position)

My mate who I went with did trebles and upwards the tie in all the matches at the mid session interval and is now suicidal

[April madness]

Thank you for an excellent report, Thorpy

btw, I wonder if Williams has recovered from his wrist injury and had enough time for practice before UK champ.

[Caroline]

Thanks a lot Thorpy, very welcome & precious report indeed!

[Mitsuko]

John Higgins 1-2 Mark King
Shaun Murphy 1-1 Alan McManus
Neil Robertson 0-2 Robin Hull

[mcmanusrules]

2-1 to McManus
COME ON ALAN!!!!

[mcmanusrules]

Higgins 1-3 King
Robertson 2-2 Hull
Murphy 1-3 McManus *COME ON MCMANGLES*

[PaulTheSoave]

Some us have a job to go to! Anyway, thanks for your comment.

I went for a very enjoyable day at York yesterday. I cannot believe how few people went to the morning session - I was the 68th person (not inc family and friends) when I turned up late at 10:30.

[chasmmi]

Brilliant comeback by angles in the last frame (i'm guessing). 4-1 now

come on!!! Top 16 here he comes

[Wim]

This afternoon matches could be full of surprises with Davis and Osullivan playing and far from sure to win their matches

[snookersfun]

John Higgins 5-3 Mark King
Shaun Murphy 2-6 Alan McManus
Neil Robertson 4-4 Robin Hull ... phew

[Alex0paul]

McManus you absolute beauty!

[mcmanusrules]

HURRAH!!!!
Finally some praise from everyone for Alan!!!!

[Mitsuko]

Live scoring has broken? says 4-4 for all of them :/

[snookersfun]

Live scoring has broken? says 4-4 for all of them :/

session over for now