World number 20 Chris Wakelin produced a pheonomenal session of snooker to move to the cusp of victory against Mark Allen in their Halo World Championship second round clash, leading 12-4.
The Englishman scored his first ever match win at the Crucible in round one, scoring a hard fought 10-8 win over 2010 World Champion Neil Robertson. This season has seen Wakelin make the step up to snooker's elite level, he reached a maiden final in a full format ranking event at the International Championship and made his debut at the Masters in January.
World number eight Allen will need a monumental comeback to keep his hopes alive. He finds himself just one frame away from elimination, but did enjoy his own magical moment this morning. Allen fired in the first Crucible maximum of his career in the 13th frame, putting him in line for a £45,000 payout. Click here to read more.
It was Wakelin, leading 6-2 coming into the morning, who piled on the pressure at the start of the session. He crafted breaks of 119, 71 and 75 to take the first four frames and secure a 10-2 lead.
Allen responded with his spectacular 147 break in the 13th, before Wakelin re-established an eight frame gap at 11-3. Allen made 102 in the 14th, but former Shoot Out winner Wakelin took the last of the session to end 12-4 ahead.
They return to play to a conclusion this evening from 7pm.
On the other table, Welsh three-time World Champion Mark Williams and Iranian number one Hossein Vafaei ended the opening session of their second round clash locked level at 4-4.
Both players scored fiercely contested wins in round one, with Vafaei beating Barry Hawkins 10-9 and Williams defeating Wu Yize 10-8.
Williams top scored with 67 on his way to a 4-3 lead this afternoon, but it was Vafaei who claimed the last to end all-square.
They return to play the second of three sessions this evening from 7pm.