Anthony Hamilton halted a sensational fightback from Steven Hallworth, who had trailed 9-0, crafting a momentum defying clearance to win 10-8 at Halo World Championship Qualifying.
Click here for day five as it happened
Former German Masters winner Hamilton needed to win today’s game to stand a chance of remaining on tour. He looked set to be coasting home when he moved one frame from the whitewash. In the end he required a break which he described as his best ever, in the circumstances, to edge over the line.
Nottingham cueman Hamilton has struggled with his eyesight in recent years, after a lens replacement procedure went wrong. Following the game this evening, he revealed that his vision deteriorated as the match went on.
That was partly down to the fact he couldn’t put opponent away, when he first saw the winning line. Things turned dramatically and Hallworth showed remarkable resolve to claim eight frames in a row and make it 9-8.
No player has ever won a best of 19 match from 9-0 down and with Hamilton in disarray, Hallworth appeared to be on course for history when he led 63-0 in the 18th frame. The match looked set for a final frame, when Hamilton summoned a nerveless clearance of 69 to win on the black and seal avoid a decider. He faces Matthew Selt in round three.
“That’s as hard as trying to get over the line in a ranking final. It’s a story that would follow you round for the rest of your life. If you lose from 9-0, you’re on quizzes and stuff. You don’t want that,” said 53-year-old Hamilton.
“He was gone in the first session, I was gone there. It was a proper match of two halves. And when I say gone, I mean gone. It’s not like golf where you can have a little walk around. You are gone. You’ve been playing all these years and can’t make eight. So that was definitely the best break I’ve ever made.
“He was bossing everything. You see that scoreboard ticking and you are all over the gaff! I said to my mate at 8-0 I’m not over the line here, my eyes are not good enough to think this is a done deal. I knew I could lose the match.”
Jamie Jones held off a valiant fightback from Belgium’s Julien Leclercq to prevail 10-7.
Welshman Jones is well acquainted with success here, having negotiated the Crucible qualifying gauntlet six times. Last year he defeated Neil Robertson in the final round to earn his place at the Theatre of Dreams.
He came into this evening’s session holding a hefty 7-2 advantage. However, Leclercq came firing back by claiming the first four frames tonight to make it 7-6. Jones regained control of proceedings and got over the line to seal victory. He now faces Xu Si.
“I was all over him in the first session,” said 37-year-old Jones. “Tonight was just mental. I was making 40s and 50s, not getting over the line and before you know it, I’ve lost three black ball games and it is 7-6. You have to be kind to yourself out there and stay strong.
“You can be 9-0 down out there, but you loosen up then. When you have that lead you only need to lose a couple of frames and you start doubting yourself. It is hard. It is a mental game more than anything.”
Ashley Carty overcame legendary ten-time ranking event winner Jimmy White 10-5 to reach round three. He now plays China's Pang Junxu. White will need either another invitational tour card or a trip to Q School to remain on the circuit, after suffering relegation.
Jamie Clarke was relegated from the circuit after a 10-8 loss to Allan Taylor, while Louis Heathcote will need results to go his way to stay on tour following a 10-9 defeat against Iulian Boiko.