Semi-finals - Part 1 Snooker: Welsh Open

Yes, four of the worldpos-mac top ten players all hoping to get their

hands on the Welsh Open Trophy here tomorrow night. Welcome the

semifinals day. Ronnie O'Sullivan has the prime-time spot later, but

first it is the world number three against the man who broke Welsh

hearts last night. I came here to win, so there are

still too massive hurdles to get over. Anything less than winning, I

will be very disappointed. Dash two massive hurdles. Even though I

against Neil Robertson, the best player this season. Over the last

few tournament is, I have either won it ought in the semifinals. Good to

string that consistency together. I tried to play my safety shots

tighter than previously. If I can take a few chances, I will score

from them. I will not worry too much about Neil, I will play to my own

strengths, and I am sure he will play the same way. He is a player

that should be winning more than he probably should, he gets to a lot of

semifinals and finals, and he will be determined to get a result, he

will want to get one back on me and get to another final himself. Two

formidable matches in front of me. But I have to compete with those

players. And on any given day I can win. This is my first semifinal here

since 2009, so I am very pleased about that as well. It is an

intriguing contest. Here are the statistics.

Neil Robertson has the edge in meetings between them, 9-3. When

they last met in November, Neil Robertson was the winner, in the

final of the champion of champions competition. So, one of these men

will be walking out here tomorrow night as a finalist in the 2016

Welsh Open. This man did that in 1992, Darren Morgan. Good afternoon.

The nerves will be starting to kick in. Yes, thank you for reminding me.

That was a long time ago. You will be looking forward to it, but with

nerves of excitement. How difficult is it when you know that you are the

only table left, all the focus is on you? It is a great feeling to see

you have been in a single table setup. That is what everyone playing

the game does, wants to turn professional. This is what it is

about, if you want to play finals, you have the single table setup.

Both of the players are used to this, it is nothing new for them.

Luisao Mark Allen despatching makeover yesterday, and Neil

Robertson beating Ding Junhui. Mark Allen is a great player, and that

has to be said that last night he was a little bit out, he lost a

frame he should not have lost, and he pressed himself, explored

patterns. Neil Robertson has played very strong in this tournament and

it will be a big task for Mark Allen. You can tell it is the last

two days, there is a real sense of excitement here. We will take you to

table said, good afternoon to Allen. Thank you. Welcome to Cardiff of the

semifinals of the BetVictor Welsh Open, 2016. We're at the motor point

Arena. We are down to the last four. This is what it is all about. Let us

get the first semifinal under way. This man has been superb, beating

Michael wait 5-0 last night. Please welcome Mark Allen! New

MUSIC: DJ Snake L'il John by Turn Down For What

147 from Junhui was not enough to stop this man. The Thunder from Down

Under, it is neverpos-mac ultimate warrior, Neil Robertson.

MUSIC: Heart of Courage by Two Steps From Hell

It is the first of the two semifinals. Let us join the

commentary team. Dominate Dale and Willie Thorne.

Good afternoon. Welcome from Dominick and myself. Neil Robertson

holds the upper hand. Mark Allen has just shown a glimpse of form in the

last couple of matches. He is starting to get into things a bit

now. He has been struggling a bit for the best start of the year, but

he's bordering on winning another tournament. What do you think? Yes,

whenever he gets a semifinal, always knocking on the door for another big

to be. Dash another big win. The favourite going into this match has

to be Neil Robertson as he breaks off for this frame. An excellent

match he played yesterday against Ding Junhui. Neil Robertson came

through the 147 quite convincingly. This is one of the Department that

Mark Allen, we know he can match in the break-building department, but

can he match in this? He may have to play at containing safety shot at

this end of the table. I will be surprised if he takes the pot,

because he would not kiss the other red. He got away with it.

I think Neil Robertson plays a lot of these matches, he is long

potting, that is a feature of those matches, especially the ones where

he wins, he scores century breaks. With Neil Robertson, when his long

potting is not great, some other elements are not great either. I

wonder how he will perform for us today. A fantastic audience in

attendance. There not Spears seats for this one-table set-up. My

girlfriend Kerry is watching attentively. Some with

He will avoid the kiss on the yellow clearly.

It is amazing how different players see different shots. Most players

would have played in and out of all, Crow. -- Bolcom

Baulk. They are coming up to three and a half minutes of play. Nothing

on the scoreboard as yet. I am just thinking that Neil

Robertson could cut it into the left-centre. I think it is on.

APPLAUSE It is hard to criticise such a

great, great player, but it was a relatively easy cut. Presumably he

has gone to play for a baulk,. Neil Robertson purposely cuts off

the avenue to the left-hand side pack of reds, which would have an

easier and safer Mark Allen to play into, now he is forced to play down

the right-hand side of the table, so it is more dangerous for him. The

pink ball is covering the cluster off the side cushion. Mark Allen has

to be careful here. It will be difficult to judge because we are

going to the one-table set-up, there will be a new cloth on the table,

and they do not quite know how the cushions are playing yet.

That was a fantastic shot from Mark Allen. Weighed exactly the shot we

just saw. He did wonderfully well. You can see the extreme right red,

he has to be careful he doesn't push it over the corner. Will it be on a

portable position? Not this time. Excellent safety shot.

APPLAUSE Assuming the cue ball is tight to

the green, which restricts her master what he can play. It is no

easy avenue to any of the loose threads. If he would like to just

rest on any of them, but he is going to have to come off this baulk side

cushion. -- red. He has hit the red. He has chosen

just the right ball to play on, Neil Robertson. Even though it is in open

play, it does not pot for Mark Allen.

Both of these players fantastic Potters. It is the first frame of a

major semifinal, they are settling in.

This is portable, but he cannot avoid the pack in the way back. Too

close to the cushion to play on the back of the black. He either has to

go all out for the pot or play up and down again. We will now in a

moment. It is all about missing the red next

to the left-hand cushion, which he should do quite easily. It is easy

to misjudge. That is the first mistake after 10.5 minutes of play.

Mark can cut this into the left-centre. He would be

disappointed not to get this. Depends whether he can get on a

colour. APPLAUSE

He will be happy with that. A couple of reds, just below the

pink spot, that will pot into the left-hand corner. He has overplayed

this by probably 12 inches or so. I don't think the red ball is around

the back area can be potted. -- black area. There is a macro to just

below the pink spot but pots into the left corner. He has found a gap

to another one! This is very handy for Mark Allen.

He has decided to play down the right-hand side, which takes the

baulk colours out of the equation. This looks to be a better pace. A

little reluctant to get the black spot on. He needs to finish low on

this. The black is going to be tied up.

When he gets the red out of the way in the next few shots he can bring

it into play. He is doing an awful lot with the cue ball, he has to get

the pace right, which he has done. A few moments ago it did not look like

he could win the frame at this visit.

He has got a little bit more pace into the cue ball than he intended

because it caught the cushion. You can see how well the red balls are

placed. When you are professional player than the sort of position you

would even be disappointed if you do not win a frame from this

opportunity. You really do need to be putting frames away when you have

the balls at your mercy like this. If Mark Allen did win the frame from

here, it will keep the pressure firmly on Neil Robertson who has not

started confidently yet. He is like Peter Ebdon, Neil

Robertson, when he is in his chair he sits at the cheer and barely

moves. 100% concentration on the table, some players do not like to

look at the table. A few more reds and three blacks.

It took him ten minutes to get a point on the board. But in the last

six minutes he has got 57 and counting.

He obviously feels it is too thin to guarantee getting onto the red ball,

but there were some balls in the middle he could have played. I am

surprised he did not just checked it with the black. I am not saying he

will miss the blue, and not get through the gap, but those baulk

colours are always tricky to negotiate the path back to the

business end of the table. Be put in new cloth on the table

this morning. Dominik is playing nicely. Yes, the cushions are pretty

quick. On one-table set-up for the first time, normally the cushions do

not lay as quickly. APPLAUSE

The audience annoying that that was the frame -- acknowledging that was

the frame ball. This is the sort of start but Mark

Allen wanted. I have noticed how he has speeded up a little bit. It is

always important to get the first frame on the board. Neil Robertson

may come back to the table to have a little bit of practice. No, he has

conceded. A very nice break of 77, Mark Allen takes the opening frame.

Yes, if there were any nerves on the part of Mark Allen, that was pretty

much the perfect start for him to banish the nerds early. Yes, we went

about ten, 12 minutes before anything was potted. A lot of safety

shots. It looked like an early start for Neil Robertson. He has got off

to a good start with all his matches. Mark Allen will be feeling

very good at this moment. -- to banish the nervousness. There was a

controversial fist bump last night with Mark Allen. By Neil Robertson

is something you cannot read. Yes, and when you have been a prolific

winner, like he has done over the last few years, it is good breeding,

it just comes with that. He is used to winning and is full of

confidence. Mark Allen wears his heart upon his sleeve. And can be a

little bit outspoken and volatile, but that makes him so exciting to

watch. Like Willie Thorne said, he speeded up a lot once the got in

amongst the balls. He knows this is a great opportunity to get to the

final. Let us go back, the man from Northern Ireland has just open off

on the second frame. Yes, we saw the break of shot, it is

not the best, but I don't think he can get through to the left-hand

corner. That is an attacking safety shots,

opening up the balls. He has overhit the cue ball by three feet, nearly.

He has left red ball, but Mark Allen would be disappointed to miss.

APPLAUSE Brown.

APPLAUSE That was well played into the pack

of reds. He played it that way, as the black will not what. He was

unfortunate at the top cushion. It does not look as if he can port any

of the red balls. A risky one into the left-centre. If he had been 1-0

behind, he may not have played it so aggressive. Unfortunately the pink

stayed out of commission. The black is now in the left-hand corner. That

there is no easy red ball. He has to cover the one over the corner. Neil

Robertson is a great long potter, so he cannot afford to leave that. If

the red was its date, as you can see he would have to cannon into the two

reds at the thing, but he cannot do that because it is not straight.

There is a gap of the nearest of the cue balls. Between those two red,

the blue and the pink, he has to play that thick. May career into

other reds and bring them into play. It looks like he is playing a

containing safety shot. Once the right of the there. You never gain

an advantage. He has hit this too hard.

Maybe an attempt for Mark Allen, somewhere.

He was a little bit surprised at the ankle he came off. -- angle.

This new cloth is just giving fraction of the -- fractionally.

I did not hear the refs call touching door. It is touching, which

-- makes the safety shot a lot simpler.

He does not want to go in-off! That is a complete mystery. It is the way

the cushions are playing. He cannot go in-off from there. It shows how

difficult it is. It makes the obvious, simplest of mistakes. No

matter how good you are. It just slid off the side cushion. Mark

Allen must have thought it would come off a lot squarer than that.

Ken Neill thread a path to the left corner? -- Ken Neill?

Getting onto the colour be more troublesome.

A little lucky. Play to get onto the black. Just got into the cue too

much. There was not much of a gap there. He was just trying to get

through the gap, and went into the Red Bull too much. A little bit more

bite on the new cloth. It has only been on the table for three or four

days. It can really put you back against the wall.

This is not ridiculously important. He cannot see the red at the moment.

He needs to go at another half an inch.

We will try and show you where they were. Boucher were the right --

White is. It looks pretty good. Even deftly see the edge of the red. I

used to say to the opponent, if you play the shot, that is fine, but

let's get it in the right place. It makes no difference at all. It is a

very thin sheet -- shop. That is about right. That is not what he

could see last time. How does that? The referee asking again for the

freeze-frame. Just the aptly certain. From the picture we've got

now, it seems as if he could hit more of this red. He is replacing

slightly. That is where it was. That is where it is now. Perfect, surely.

He won't be playing that shot again. Two misses. Because he can hit one

or more balls fall in the face, that -- he will beat warned by the

referee that defeat cannot take the ball on, the frame will be awarded

to his opponent. You will hear that morning issued to Mark Allen. You

have to have a rest this time -- hit the red!

It would be playing the reds, but pushing onto the side cushion. Just

trying to stop them going there. Not about safety shot. At least the

black is in open play now. -- not a bad safety shot. It has not started

as quick as I could come at this match, but both players have

realised that this is their chance to get into the final. Both fancy

their chances in this match. Robertson has the upper hand in the

head-to-head clashes so far. 9-3. You would think it would be the

other way round. Mark Allen looks like the man who has beaten Neil

Robertson nine times. Confidence from that tee players so far. That

could be a fortuitous kiss on the yellow. It is a lot more difficult

now. It would have just have been hidden. This is shaping up to be a

rather lengthy frame. Quite a clever shot from Neill. He

knew he was going to leave the shop round the table, but if he could

push the red towards the other end, there was a chance, and that is

exactly what he has done. That was a clever safety shot from Neill.

He did not have much idea whether he was going to be able to play it or

not. Once again, damage done. It doesn't that but there is a plant on

this time. Things are getting very clogged up.

This will be another red going over to that corner pocket. Eventually,

there will be some sort of plant on. That is for sure.

Can he get through to the potting area? Yes he can. If he plays it

really hard, and it cannons into the three reds to the right of the red,

it will come off. That is why he will look at the 4-macro-ball plant

is what he is looking at. The red is very easy, the one that we could see

is dead straight. But he can't get out to a colour. If he is in the

middle, the yellow ballpark. At least he knows that if he plays the

4-ball plant, he is sure to be on the blue. Played it nicely. How is

the cue ball? Not too bad. Reliably informed that is Neal's

first pot in 45 minutes. It came out well that did, for Neil Robertson.

The way that the reds were cannoned, there is another loose red. You

never know when you play those sorts of shot. They can adjust themselves

it would be a very tall order. You can see that it is not an easy read,

plus the plant. The black is possible. That could help Neil.

In passing this red, it means the black is available from both pockets

if it goes back to its own spot. Just left it slightly awkwardly. The

cue ball could do with being an inch closer to the cushion. Issue still

should have potted balls. That was a poor shot on the red, not on the

black. He finished too high on the back. Let's see if it catches the

near jaw. They never go in when they catch the new jaw. We have two take

on somewhere. There is nothing easier. He does not

have an easy safety shot. He can get the cue ball in between brown and

green. He would love to take our pot on.

That is the shot he is playing, between brown and green.

I think he has judged this to perfection.

At the moment, the black is still accessible. But few more safety

shot, if you get a read that knocks of that back in -- completely, we

could be in for a long frame here. He has caught the pink. No real harm

done. They have decided on a re-rack. I cannot blame them. That

friend was going nowhere. There was only eight points in the frame. It

seemed a bit futile carry on. They are going to re-rack the frame, and

we will have another go at frame two. It is another chance for Neil

to find some confidence. He played the shot to get onto the black. Once

the black stayed there, it always had a chance of being a re-rack.

Hopefully, the next frame will be a little quicker, not so pedestrian.

The first frame to the little while to take off. Ten minutes before Mark

Allen made that 77. Here we go again in frame two. Mark Allen breaking

off, and other remember him making a good job of breaking off last time,

he certainly hasn't this time. A good chance Daniel to get his long

potting boots on. If he is going to miss one, it is right now, because

he has not had much table time yet. He has over stunted that, and potted

the black. That was not just the missed pot. He got far too much back

spin on the ball. The cannon on the black, and he has left Mark Allen

here are some balls straightaway. He is still OK on the blue, but he

does not want to go into the reds this time, because he might tie the

black up. A little delicate Calan -- cannon. I don't plain -- blame him

at all for that. -- delicate he has just tied the reds up. He has

under Hitler. Some awkward cueing. He had to

celebrate it slightly. That is why he is a couple of inches short.

There is a lot of drag on the cue ball. It slows right down before

contact. We will have a look at the pink here. The blue is not much good

to him, and blasts it in and goes round the angles. The problem with

this, what angle has he got on this Baird? -- red? He has done a good

job with that. He has potted that into the bottom jaw side. He is

enabling the cue ball to run past the red. All is OK. The cannon opens

the black and the reds. Very quickly, a chance to take a 2-0

lead. Didn't feel that he was straight off

the red to hold a further black. He goes to the next colour, in this

case, the pink. Judged very well. Let's just see where the pink will

spot. He is probably running into the left centre. He will be looking

for an angle on the blue. Only one loose red that I can see. He has

played for the green. Suffer the kick. Now, he is a bit straight on

the green. He is just beginning to run out of position here, Mark

Allen. One of those drag shots again. The kick landed four or five

inches short of where it should have done.

There is a position in the left-hand corner.

He does not want to leave an easy chance. That is a shot of a

confident player. Probably the shot of the match, with the pressure

attached to it. Make an excellent break of 77 in the

opening frame. It is just gone a little bit too far to screw into the

bunch of four raids. -- reds. He can played into the yellow pocket. Not

sure that he can get into the black. He can play the cannon on the two

reds that are touching. It is running of the commission. That is

so careless. So careless. He looks completely bemused here,

Mark. Two things happened here. He had a very small kick, and the black

just seemed to wander slightly towards the top jaw. But if it had

been dead centre, it would not have been problem. But what a chance for

Neil Robertson. He just needed the black one more red.

That can be very important for him. Could the black be a vital turning

point from Mark Allen's point of view? That cue ball was just slowing

up tee inches. He is now going to play a difficult shot. He could risk

playing the cannon, but he will risk playing left-handed. It is an easy

cannon. He is not guaranteed to hit the four reds. He could play its

thin, go round the back of the red and end up in the same pocket. It

looks like he is risking the cannon. Identity the point of risking that

from there. It could come onto the read on the left-hand side so easy.

You hadn't audible sigh there from Neil Robinson. -- he heard an

audible sigh. He caught it way thin. Mark Allen!

Is he feeling the pressure out there?! It is being handed to him on

a plate, and he has not managed to close the frame out. I did not think

that he needed to play a slow crack shot. He could play it more

positively. I know it is very early on in this

match, but some frames could cost you the match. It is silly because

Mark Allen had this in control a few moments ago. A little bit like

Michael White yesterday, when you lose a frame that you think you

should win, it changes your body language, demeanour and confidence.

Neil Robertson is 53 points behind as we speak, but it is not beyond

the realms of possibility he can clear from here. We always say that

the first 50 is hard to get, the last 50 in a frame is easy to get,

look where the balls are. That was the most difficult red of

the four. He played the difficult one knowing that he might not get

onto it so well next time. Still plenty of points on the table

for Neil Robertson to win this. This would really hurt Mark Allen if he

did not win the screen, given the chances he has been given. It will

be interesting to see if Neil Robertson pinches this frame and do

they classic fist pump as Mark Allen did last night against Michael

White. That seemed to affect him last night.

He's not afraid to show his emotions, albeit not usually during

a frame. But if he pinches a frame. This is the one reigning difficult

shot. He would like to get into the middle.

As long as he can miss a kiss on the yellow one brain that should not be

a problem. He would love to play that one

again. Being left-handed he will need the rest for the brown. 22

behind. The brown ball is quite possibly his route to the next

frame. He has missed the brown ball. Our

previous four Mark Allen. Getting a little bit tens as there are no.

Most players realise the importance and the context of winning this

match. -- missing this -- winning this frame in the context of the

match. Just an extra two inches of pace would have been through the

gap. We knew that guessing it would be a problem.

APPLAUSE I would not be shaking my head for

that, I would delighted to have potted the yellow. Once the yellow

double-kissed the brown, I was surprised.

He will be very relieved when he eventually gets the second frame

under his belt. Bit of a tense affair, the second

frame. Mark Allen started so well, with a break of 55. By his

standards, all kinds of easy shots, including a doggy black off the

spot. Neil Robertson was not able to capitalise, with no real breaks.

What is he doing here. That is one way of spotting them, I suppose.

Mark Allen will be very satisfied so far.

Yes, relief is the word therefore Mark Allen, because he did his best

to try to throw away the frame. Yes, he will be very relieved. 2-0 to 1-1

is a big difference. Neil Robertson bilby feeling the pain.

He looked like he could pinch the frame but it all went horribly

wrong. Yes, here is the miss. Yes, he had -- Allen had many chances to

win the frame easily, but Neil Robertson ended a great clearance

until this brown. I would not say it was a poor positional shot, he just

didn't hit it hard enough. He played a short very cleverly, he played it

to block the crime pocket -- green pocket. Mark Allen played a great

shot next. He had a kick on the cue ball. You can see it bounds little

bit, here's a little upset. He thinks he has missed, and how the

yellow went into the pocket after hitting the brown in the face is

beyond me. But he had a little bit of fortune. He did not potter good

green, so he will be very relieved. May be something not quite right

with depression, but Mark wants to have a -- have removed. Can you tell

us about him and what are his strengths? He is just a very good

all-round player. When he is on his game he is very exciting to watch.

He is a very attacking player, he goes with his shots, a bit

unorthodox with the way that he cues. He has been a top player for

six to eight years. Very accomplished. I will say that last

night he had a lot of kit in the match and he has had a lot again in

this match so far. Whether that has to do with excess chalk, I don't

know. What an opportunity, he now leads this first semifinal by 2-1.

-- 2-0. Big difference in this match is

there is an interval after four frames. As long as Neal -- Neil

Robertson wins the next he's still in the match. -- wins one of

A poor safety shot from him. He is not prone to hitting baulk colours.

He's usually very good in the safety department. We just saw a look of

anguish on his face. He's not happy with the way he started this match.

A bit of concern you could probably begin to the normally inscrutable

Neil Robertson. He doesn't give a lot away. But he looks a little

stressed at the moment with his performance so far.

Mark Allen needs to make these chances count because Neil Robertson

will not play this badly for much longer.

He did not have the angle to get the two rates. It does not look like he

is on the red from this angle. This is a chance for a sizeable break. He

has already made 77 and 55. There could be a lot more to come.

He did not really want to play the pink because it may be going out of

commission here. If it does not go on its own spot, it goes on the

green. He perhaps would have been better to play for the different

colour. Let us see if it can go on its spot. No, it does not. A little

surprised he played that. Obviously he can win the frame easily on

blacks. A very good score, as Darren Morgan alluded to in the studio.

When the century breaks. He likes to win the frame at one visit.

Already 48 points ahead, an ideal position.

If he clears the screen, Neil Robertson will be in all kinds of

trouble. Just one frame to go before the mid-session interval after this.

Mark Allen is just having the cue ball clean. He would ideally like to

play a cannon into the red above the black. If he can just hit the

nearest one to the black, of the two reds together, he would be in

perfect position. He is still OK, he still got a red

on the left corner. Still a choice of two of them.

Mark Allen did not see that. I definitely saw the red move. The

right-hand one moved. Whether that was the cue ball, I do not know.

Probably the cue macro. You can check. Are we allowed to look at the

pictures in the rules today? No, not for something like this. I

definitely saw it moved. I don't believe you can check something like

this, to be honest. If the referee -- if the B says it is if Al --

referee says it is a foul, then it is.

They are asking us in the commentary box to see if they think it is. I

thought I saw it move. Yes, it does. Yes, it does. It is. We can confirm.

We had to look at a couple of times. But Dominic's Eagle eye picked it

out. Well done to the referee, we did not see it in real-time. It

difficult for them to do this. It is always a distraction than

something like that happens. The right decision was made. I am not

sure if you are allowed to show a replay of something like that. In

Neil Robertson's defence, this was not an easy red.

Two reds in line for the pocket, or are they? That is the type of plant

you can sometimes miss as a player. But I'd still be very happy,

wouldn't you, in Mark Allen's position, even if you committed a

foul. Mark Allen is reluctant to bring the

red of the cushion but he has no choice here. He can probably put it

back on the cushion. He could have thrown frame two away when he was

leading and broke down. He's leading by 52 this time. When he gets 50 in

front, he gets a little bit careless, that is the only word I

can think of, and he misses, rather than closing out the frame.

Going back to the incident a few moments ago, just to explain why it

is quite likely that you commit a foul in that situation, it is

because the cue macro is a tapering instrument, so that it gets thicker

as you go through the ball. So it is the thickness of the cue ball that

causes it. -- the thickness of the cue macro. We definitely saw it move

in the slow motion. There is a red available in the middle. If he can

pot this or screw back onto the black, he can play it. Mark Allen

needed to find a cushion. The fact that he is left-handed, the

two reds are not a real problem for the left-handed player.

I am just wondering if he can leave himself an angle on the pink.

There was too much angle on the red to do that, but he can do it from

the green. If he pops this, the Green will be put onto the pink spot

which may mean that clearing the table is more difficult.

Now he has left itself a tester. He can reach it because it is -- he is

left-handed. The cue ball is running towards the pink. He will have to

pay it with some pace. Far from easy. It does not even look as if he

wants to attempt the shot, he is thinking of a safety shot. I do not

think he is settled at all. He may feel this is too risky.

The fact it was tight on the cushion may be why he did not take it on,

but I still fancied him to pot it. Similar to the brown in the previous

round, where could have covered things up.

OK, please tell me why you think this is easier than the one you just

refused? I think it is probably more risky. The saving grace, if Mark

Allen takes this, he will be playing for one of the baulk colours.

Because he has a 40 point lead, he would like to put a red say. In a

way it is a shock to nothing. This is all about where the cue ball

finishes. I do not blame him for taking on the pot. It is amazing

when you play a shot to nothing sometimes, the only red you can

leave on is the one you're going for. That is what has happened.

They are horrible shots. You cannot be 100% sure that they cue ball did

not deviate from its true path. Even so I think he paid -- played it with

enough strength to make sure it kept the line. The question is, does it

past the pink into the pocket? Mark Allen

He may have been forced into playing the one just below the pink spot.

I do not think Neil Robertson has played this bad for three

consecutive frames for a long time. He's not in the race at the moment.

He is not playing his normal game. He's playing a negative game. He did

not start the match positively. 70% pot success for one of the game's

great potters. I do not know why there is a statistic like that for

Neil Robertson. That is alarming. This will be very thin if it pots. I

do not think Mark Allen will be too disappointed. He has full control of

this frame now. A chance to put the colour say.

He may have to risk the fact that hitting the colour safe makes him

get good white. He needs to find the middle of the

top cushion between the brown and yellow. If he does play the brown he

would have to play it quite hard, and the brain could move one of the

two reds next to the green interplay.

It is not straightforward, this safety shot.

Coming up to 20 minutes of play in this frame.

Once again he's leaving a pot on for him.

I have seen his pot success rate at 70%, so this will not be guaranteed

shot for him today. APPLAUSE

But eventually he has started knocking them in. The fact that he

put the brown safe at his previous visit could be his saviour. But

sometimes you can get too involved in trying to make things hard for

your opponent than playing things properly. Yes, I would have played

the brown of the top cushion and onto the side, then he could have

played the cue ball of the baulk side cushion and back into baulk.

Now he is basing all this on the brown being his saviour. Neil Allen

has a chance now. He is going to need the pink, that is a problem. We

have already seen how tight these are on the top cushion is. If you

missed so far. But he has the perfect angle, so he can play its

law. I think that was a good balance this time because it makes him play

it at a slow pace -- -- bounce. It is amazing, the brown is not very

safe way the green is, but can he get from yellow to green to bring

the ball into play. And this looks perfect. It is all

about finishing on the half ball green.

I think Neil has played that just about perfectly. It is never easy to

judge these cannons. It is all very well hitting the brown, but trying

to actually play a shot into the middle or corner, it is going to be

a different task. He has played it well, and he has got the green. He

has to play Bluetooth pink and then pink -- blue to pink and then pink

to black. He played the cannon very well. Neil Robertson, in name and's

terms, has hardly potted a ball in this match. He could be just one

frame behind in a few moments time. A little nudge helps a little bit.

He would love to pick the white up and put it on the green spot.

Whenever you play this kind of shot, you play visible in eyeliner. -- you

play on the baulk line. You are playing nearer the green spot.

He needs a bounce. He needs a bounce.

He has clearly misjudged that one. He is now unable to put anything on

the cue ball except top spin. It is -- is the natural angle going to

take the cue ball into the black? It is far from easy. It is an acute

angle. The pot is missable here. Dominik mentioned that he was not

short. It worked out perfectly. It is amazing. It is the highest break

of the three three frames. The gap is 2-1. It should have been 3-0.

Neil Robertson should've been -- will be feeling better after that.

You should not allow players of his calibre the opportunities. His

Harley potted the ball, he has been a bit on edge. It is not the Neil

Robertson that we have seen all week. He has been very confident. He

has been missing all over the shop. Unfortunately for Mark Allen, he has

given him a half sniff, and he has done an unbelievable clearance. It

is a big difference. 3-0, I would not say the match is over, but he

hits half to -- he is halfway there. If you are Neil Robertson, and you

are third in the world and you miss those pots, does any doubt creep in?

Again, Willie alluded in his commentary, sooner or later he is

going to stop firing. Willie says that it is the first -- worst three

frames that he has seen your play for a long time. He was truly out of

sorts, Neil Robertson. But that now, that is the clearance, and think

that he just played to black, he will now have forgotten about the

first two frames. He certainly has. 2-1 now, Alan's lead.

Mark Allen gets the fourth frame under way.

He is gaining great confidence. That incredible clearance that he'd made.

No matter how much he kept them out of the way, he cannot give them the

half opportunities like you did in the first frame. -- in the last

frame. He looks like a competitor. He is walking around the table

quicker, he looks more bullish, and he looks more like Neil Robertson.

If he does get a 2-2, you can imagine who's cuppa tea is going to

taste better. Mark Allen will be at City Hall fired that he let that

session Slipper. -- slip. He works very closely with a legend such as

Terry Griffiths. He will have his work cut out. He knows that he

should be 3-0 in front. He would love to play the cannon

onto the red just above the black, and hold the position on the left of

the black. They could go wrong. It is all about those two reds. Once

those come into play. You will do well to get more than about 40

points. I would love to be on this

situation, just screwing back. Let's have a look at the angle. Doesn't

want to make contact with the black. He feels it is not quite on. He

looks it from here. Good position on the pink, to have

another go at getting position on the red. Again, he is a bit thin on

it. If it does go through and screw into

the red, it he is cannon Inc -- he has a danger of leaving himself a

very thin black with a cannon. I think Neil feels the pink might go

on its own spot. I think you might have another try. He's just getting

the bull market out. The only reason that Niall wanted to go on his own

spot is that the red next to the pink will pot. It went from there.

He's going to take the referee's opinion. He has finished slightly

worse than his previous attempt. He has to hit it further.

It is hard to follow annealed to leave an angle on the black to go

into. If he does, it could be a slight danger of a red finding its

way into the right centre pocket. It is just going to go into the pack of

the top cushion instead. See how this works out. Anything other than

a full ball on the pink will get them moving. A pink it might not.

That is the problem when you go into the bunch. We have to think about

the seventh or eighth ball. Just watch the black. If he had given it

full ball, that would have stuck. Now there is a chance to win the

frame at this visit, and what a body blow that would be for Mark Allen.

I wonder what is going to that young men's mind. He will certainly be

aware that he should have won that third frame, and it would have been

3-0 lead, and we would be looking at a very different Neil Robertson.

What a difference this will make. This could be awkward on the blue.

He has had to play with pace of the side cushion twining angle. -- to

widen the angle. He made a fabulous break of 49 in

the previous frame. Eclipse that here. Amazing. Now what? This, now,

you have to take your chances now. Forget about that last frame.

Not even attempting the pot in the middle. Ringing all the reds into

play. Just believing in the White at this

end of the table. Mark Allen would love to play a

delicate shot off that little cluster of four red? Will open

everything up for him. Long has he doesn't go enough. It is OK.

Considering the position of these reds dollar he might consider a

chance of clearing up himself, as Neil Robertson did in last frame.

Very clever shot, but in the black safe. Safety success quite high for

both players. Anything over 80% in the safety department... I guess you

need nearer 90. He has managed that tee read out there. There are a

couple of reds on. They are not easy. Not too sure whether he could

miss the kiss on the yellow playing this red. He does not want make any

contact with the Boult colours. He misses the yellow. He missed the

red. Wow. I did not see him missing that. Mark Allen was very unlucky

with poor safety shop. Good starter from Alan. Can you make

of this? -- good starter from Mark Allen. Being left-handed himself,

those red two by the cushion will not be too bad. He will suddenly

have an chance to cannon them off during this break. He may even think

of it here. The fact that the pink is where it is, the fact that he can

play the forcing cannon here, it is going to be for five metres of the

cushion. He will have the green in the middle. He would like to avoid

the contact on green and brown. It is risky playing it that way, he

might lose the white. Surely he should have put in to the Boult. --

he could kiss the red on the left-hand side cushion. That would

leave the pink very difficult. He probably needs something on the

right-hand side. Just keep an eye on the white. He has made problems for

himself. He did get a bad contact. His belief is shot on the blue was

quite poor. Surely now, you would expect Neil Robertson to go on and

win this fourth frame, and tie things at 2-2 at the mid-session

interval. It does happen, you know, when you get the cue ball cleaned,

in anticipation of a kit, and still suffer one money play your next

shot. It is happen to me many times. But more red. -- one more red.

Should be very simple from here. Frame is taking an average of 20

minutes in this match, but there have been quite a lot of breaks. 54,

49 and 32 from Neil Robertson, 77, 55 and 56 from Mark Allen. You might

think that these frames are taking ten or 12 minutes, but they have

not. We have also had a re-rack. It has been a lengthy session, this.

Mark Allen already gathering himself. He will be having a chat

with Terry Griffiths, who does a lot of work with Mark Allen on the

coaching side of things. It feels like Neil Robertson has not

been in the match, and he is going to be 2-2. Mark Allen has had all of

the best chances. Should he clear, there is only going to be three or

four points on aggregate between the two players. But it seems to be that

Mark Allen has controlled every frame. But this one.

Yes, absolutely right. At the mid-session import -- interval, it

has come at a good time for Mark Allen. It is a best of seven after

the interval. Both players will be an two friends when they resume this

match in about 20 minutes time. -- two frames. In goes the pink. I

don't think you will bother with the black, well he? He wants to pop

malt. -- pot them all. Mark Allen is already making his way out of the

arena. As, too, is Neil Robertson. The mid-session interval. We have

this match evened up at 2-2. A first session of two halves. Mark Allen

against General expectation is taking a 2-0 lead, then Neil

Robertson getting back into it. We saw some good snooker with Robertson

clearing at. -- clearing up. We have seen some ordinary snooker. It has

been a good session of snooker from Mark Allen. Neil Robertson has

picked his game on the last two frames. He started off a bit ropey,

a bit nervy and edgy. I don't know really what was wrong with him at

the start. But it is the third frame where it went pear shaped for Mark

Allen, and that is where Mark Robinson -- Neil Robertson settle

down. The referee has called out on him, where we are, we could not see

whether it was about. The referee is a very astute referee. He was long

way away. Dominik thought it was a foul and the comity -- commentary

box. A double change from there. If he does not get called a foul, he is

3-0 up. What we understand that is that the referee is allowed to ask

for assistance from any TV coverage, but the player should not be the one

asking for it. That is correct. The missing is a good thing. The TV

playbacks, to find out the ball -- balls back. They won't get it as

close as they can, and and no one there can have any... They can't

argue. But for a player, to ask, and they ask for a replay, that is out

of order. That cannot happen. Everyone can do it. They can say it

is a foot away, two feet away. It is the referee's discretion, he makes a

final decision, and whatever decision he makes, you have to abide

by that. No TMO in snooker. So the second session coming up shortly.

Tonight, we have the big box office star on Saturday evening. Ronnie

O'Sullivan coming up for you. Just a reminder of what happened yesterday,

and how he made it through to the semifinal. It was all one way

against the world number one. Selby took the first 's frame, and then it

was all runny. We are going to join it in frame six with Ronnie at the

table. He is taking the green on, by the

look of it, into the middle. He will want the cue ball to slow

down. He has stroked that beautifully, and it still went too

far. He is taking the blue on now. He would not have done this early

on. Well, he has just put it in the middle of the pocket. Beautiful. Tom

Dunn player that would have taken on. He is 4-1 in front, which gives

him a little bit of room, but that was giving your opponent is chance

to get into the start of the match. He was to pop up another Chinese, I

think! He has had a few this week. I went what an -- in the same

restaurant, and money went -- Ronnie went in for tea and unpacking after

the match. -- back in. There are some great players left in

the tournament, poster over Sullivan, but not in the sort of

form he is in this league. -- close to O'Sullivan. He does not play many

things now. Admittedly, he talks about his exhibition play is

practice. Even started to say that he wanted matchplay practice for his

exhibition stuff! So mischievous. You don't do that you don't know

what is going to happen next. It goes without saying, after that

wonderful plot on the ball -- pot on the blue, this is a match-winning

situation. Mark Selby has not done anything wrong in this match, and

there is a chance that he could lose 5-1. He has missed two long balls,

he has missed once when he was in the balls. That is it. He has come

across a top-class player. Note- mistake snooker. That is what you

have to try and do. He glanced at the scoreboard to find

out what he needed, deciding whether to play into the bunch or go for the

red. That is probably the end of the

match. APPLAUSE

A round of applause from the crowd, they knew that it is enough for

Ronnie O'Sullivan to win this frame and match.

Are we going to see the first 100 of this match? There have been a lot of

big breaks, one or two maximums are possible.

This isn't really the most important part of this break.

The first shot he played he took on green in the centre, a tremendous

shot, and then a long blue, very risky.

Well, that is what the crowd think of it, and exhibition for Ronnie

O'Sullivan. Mark Selby has played worse than

this and won 5-1 in matches. Selby has been outclassed today. A

big frame, the fourth frame, cleared up.

Mark Selby has regretted that now, I'm sure of it, you will be thinking

of that now for a while. He moves the ball so easily around

the table. LAUGHTER

He will take that! They are all clapping. What a wonderful match, a

wonderful contribution from one the back Ronnie O'Sullivan.

He defeated the world number one. STUDIO: Mark Selby could only sit

and watch and admire like everybody else. Ronnie O'Sullivan will play

Joe Perry tonight, the world number ten, after his 5-1 win last night

over last year's runner up, Ben Woollaston. So, here it is, get the

supper done and dusted early because the big semifinal tonight is Ronnie

O'Sullivan against Joe Perry, 7pm on BBC Two Wales. What else would you

be doing on a Saturday evening? Probably best not to answer that! We

are going to change tack slightly before we go back to the arena for

the second session between Robertson and Allen. Despite one failed

attempt, the sport of snooker is determined to try and get cue sports

included in both the Olympics and Paralympics. A new body has been

setup to try and get more people with disabilities involved in the

sport. They started staging tournaments, the first one was six

months ago and it was held at the South West snooker Academy in

Gloucestershire. Our cameras went along to capture the excitement. I

love these tables. You know where your game is at when you are playing

here. They are like greased lightning, absolute greased

lightning. Deep screw shots, back of the cushions on the right-hand side,

you are like, wow! The standard is unbelievable.

Despite having the problems, it is unbelievable.

What is happening here today is the world disability snooker tournament,

the first one we have run, it is part of trying to engage with

grassroots, the people to come into the sport. There are lots of people

out there who could get great benefit and thoroughly enjoyed

playing the sport, this is the opportunity that we want to give

them. A proper structure is vital, it gives it a feeling of not just a

knock-about, it gives it a proper feeling of, this is important, we

are snooker players together and we want to do well. Best of luck, have

a good game. It is nice to be sitting on the other side of the

fence, innocence, watching the excitement, the buzz, the intensity,

the atmosphere we have managed to create -- in a sense. There are many

different skills involved in snooker, it is not just potting

ball. Anybody looking to appreciate how difficult it is, just go down to

any local snooker club you have got available, try and pot a ball. That

will make people appreciate the skill, as I say, the artistry that I

think comes with snooker. I have always loved snooker, absolutely

adored it. I saw Fergal O'Brien in the final of the Masters. Paul

Hunter was such a leg and, big shiny trophy -- legend. I wanted some of

that. I went down to my local club, absolutely terrible, so why went

online, got some lessons and here I am. -- I went online.

The reason I love it is because it is the fascination of all the

different shots you can play, and there is always room for

improvement. You never stop learning. I don't think there is

really a limit to what you can do in the game of you put on my to it.

There is a lot of scope there for everyone.

There is one guy who plays with one hand, it is unbelievable, for his

bridge he has made a small rest. He uses that as a left hand, it is

unbelievable. He pot the ball well. It is like anything, whether you are

a musician or whatever you do with your hobbies, you practice, practice

and practice until you reach a standard that you are happy with.

But it never stops, because you move it up to another notch.

Everyone is always saying, be like Steve Davis, keep a poker face, I am

there like, I've lost, I don't like that! That fire is burning, always,

it is part of this no quitting, I have got this self drive to just go

one. It is never, oh, this is it now. You try and do the best that

you can with what you have got left. Biggest aspiration is to get back

into the Paralympics. We were in the Paralympics in the 80s, we have got

to get at least 12 other countries engaged, that is why we are a world

governing body, and that is a starting point. The next step is to

get snooker, another cue sport, including the pics. We are thinking

big. -- into the Olympics. We are giving disabled people opportunity

in the future, because they didn't have those opportunities before, and

hopefully with the beautiful game of snooker that will be something we

can provide. And these were the results from that first tournament.

Andrew Harper was the guy we heard talking about Paul Hunter.

The first to receive his medal went to the UK championship in December

to collect it, and received a lovely round Robin laws. Watch out for this

guy, ladies and gents, he is top staff! -- round of applause. All of

them... The presentations continue with the guys enjoying the

excitement in York. The champion of group three.

It is unbelievably tough, there are lots of very, very good players, the

competition is very strong, but I played very well and managed to win

it, I was chuffed to bits with that. They're more events scheduled over

the course of the year, starting with the Manchester classic, that is

next month. Let's chat before the players return out into the arena

before second session. How do you see it going? It is hard, we are

back to the best-of-7, they have played all week. Neil Robertson

obviously is going to be feeling much happier. He has been out there

two weeks. We saw when he came in he had a couple of knocks with the

balls, we can't quite believe that he is two each. Mark Allen, I don't

think his cup of tea and chocolate biscuit will have gone down too well

in this 15 minute interval! No, it will be difficult. For him, he has

got to try and pretend it is 0-0, but how difficult is that when you

have thrown away 2-0 lead, to put it all out of your mind and dust forget

about what has happened? I think he has got no option now, he is in the

semifinal of a world ranking event, if he wants to make the final he has

got have the same attitude as when he started the match. He needs to

reassert himself. The only difference is that it is slightly

different Neil Robertson he is up against after what you was at the

start. At the start out of sorts, Neil Robertson, it was quite

unbelievable, but he seems to have settled down now. Let's go back to

the second session, a place at the final is at stake. Act to the

commentary team of Dominic Dale and Willie Thorne. Amman Pate thank you.

They are taking their seats -- COMMENTATOR: Thank you.

I am sure it is going to be better this half. Mark Allen is regaining

his composure that he had in the opening two frames where he looked

confident. In the third frame he led by 56 points, you should have won

it, lost it, and then he had a chance in the final frame. Neil

Robertson, he will certainly feel better of the two players at this

moment in time. Into change matches. -- intervals. They are all square

now. It does make a difference, that interval.

It doesn't appear as though Mark Allen can hit the extreme edge of

the red to the right of our picture. A break of this from Neil, how often

do you put your opponent in such trouble off the break off? They are

both having to look at what is available here. Kerry is looking

from this point of view as to where the is. -- Terry. -- where the cue

ball is. They are looking at what Mark Allen can and cannot get to.

The problem is the normal shot, just playing the side of the back, you

can't do that this time, they need the corner pocket, whatever side of

the pack he goes to. He wants to get the one which is nearer the black,

but if you drift by it, you were leaving a pot on. He could swerve

around the yellow and try and hit the pack of reds, if he can get

through the gap. What was all the fuss about?! Excellent safety.

Before the interval I wouldn't have fancied Neil spotting this, but he

may fancy a go now. -- potting this. APPLAUSE

Fantastic from Neil Robertson, that is more what we are accustomed to

seeing from him. Just run through the red that he came into, he can

end it more fully to be ideally on the black. Great shot. Certainly a

different Neil Robertson we are seeing now. More like his usual

self. He is going to take some stopping, I think. Yes, even

mentioning to the guys in the studio that he said, how on earth am I

too-to? The fact that he is 2-2 will give him loads of confidence. He

will feel like you should be 3-1 behind, it is a bonus. He has got an

excellent chance after that good pot on the black to get a sizeable lead

in this frame. Playing for a choice of reds there.

Both reds, certainly the middle of the three that are closest to the

corner, he has the perfect angle to get onto the black.

Neil Robertson made it through one of the biggest tournaments there is,

the Masters, and made his 147. He only had two in the same

competition once, I think, that was in the World Championship a few

years ago. It is certainly a rare occurrence to

have a possible two maximums in the tournament.

I would be interested to know in the history books whether anybody has

had one against him in the previous match, and then in the next match

made one. That is the scenario for Robertson, should he get one.

Another pink was out of play, it looked like he had made up his mind

to go for one. Bringing the pink into play, he had

to be careful not to push the pink onto the site cushion.

APPLAUSE He has passed his highest break of

the match so far, that was a break of 54 in the previous frame.

That was a fraction hard. I wouldn't play anywhere near there.

Well, very quickly Neil Robertson came back from the interval and a

break of 75 to take the lead for the first time in the match, he leads

3-2. STUDIO: 2-2 became 3-2 to Robertson

pretty quickly. Here in the studio we have been joined by Terry

Griffiths, thanks for popping here once again, you are commentating to

night on Ronnie but we wanted to get your thoughts on Mark Allen because

you do coach him. First of all, how did he feel at the interval? He had

a 2-0 lead, back to 2-2, how was he feeling? That's not going to take

very long, happy. Give it happy, really? Yes, he is very happy with

himself at the moment, which he hasn't been. Early on in the season.

But he has found a way now to go out there and enjoy himself, which is

what you have got to do, that is when you play well is when you

enjoy, or you have a greater chance, obviously. At the moment, although

he is 2-2 and could have been better, he is just so pleased to be

feeling good when he goes out there and, you know, looking forward to

the tournament. It is a hard tried for the players now. If they are

losing and they are travelling so much, it gets half, tougher than it

has ever been, and the standard is high as well. So he was happy at the

interval, despite the fact that he let the lead slip. I wouldn't say

let it slip, Robertson did an outstanding clearance, he deserved

the chance to win the next one. It is a higher standard of play. What

about last night, Terry? They were not happy with this pump from Mark

Allen, your man. I'm very disappointed, that's all I can say,

I used to work with Michael, he was with the company I was with and I

have known him and his family since he was very young. It is just

disappointing to see him lose his control of their on such a big

occasion, you know. Other players will be watching that, and the only

harm he has done really is himself. And the other thing is in the press

conference, he didn't help himself. He shouldn't have been saying what

he said. But look, he's young, he is a bit fiery, to be honest, it was

the same with Mark Allen! It shows humour, Terry. I know that, but of

the day... Any chance he had went then. Thank you, Terry. Let's go

back. Allen is back out there with Robertson, 3-2 trailing.

COMMENTATOR: Thank you, Ian. Just missed a great long read by Mark

Allen. -- red. Position on the brown, he needs a

confidence booster, Mark Allen. He could find one for himself here if

you can make a sizeable break to get things going again.

He is behind in this match for the first time, he doesn't want it to

start running away from him. This is a big frame in the context of this

match. APPLAUSE

Took a risk there to bring the reds interplay, hopefully he is trying to

get onto the red that is causing the problem with the black. He is on the

red over the pocket, I would have liked him to go on the red that is

over the black. The pink is clearly available. Not a great chance, as

yet, this. Somehow he is going to have get rid of that read to the

left of the black. Now the pink will go behind its own

spot, as close to the pack as possible, the pink may still be

available, and that would be a bonus if it is. No, it is not going to be

available. For a moment I thought it would be available in the left-hand

corner. He has to be careful on playing for

the blue that the two reds are possibly planted in the corner, he

hasn't got a perfect angle on the yellow, he has to be careful here.

Well, he couldn't have played that better.

APPLAUSE Absolutely perfect.

Once again, the black is still out of cushion, not guaranteed. To get

above 50 or 60 here, you can work on the pink for a few moments after

this blue. Left himself a nightmare here, he is so close to the side

cushion. If he can't put any back spin on this cue ball he is going to

find it very difficult getting on this thread. -- this red.

It is running on a bit. I think he has played for the red on the left

corner, past the two that by the black, whether he can get to it, I

don't know. Not too sure whether the pink is

available, just having a look now, he could pot it off the right-hand

cushion, you can just see about the middle of the pocket. Maybe a risk

to get onto the pink. Why is he jumping up all the time? I

mean, that is such a poor shot, it really is. He was up of that... He

must have thought he had missed the pot. As soon as he played this he

just jumped up in the air. Mark Allen was convinced he had

overcut that read, it did find its way in the pocket. Unfortunately,

the cue ball just brushed against one of the reds and deflected the

cue ball into the centre pocket. Very premature from Mark Allen's

point of view, just 30. That won't worry Neil Robertson if he can pot

one of those long reds. And that helps Neil Robertson, that

little flick on the red has now brought the black interplay. If you

pot the next red there is going to be a chance of Neil Robertson

getting back into the frame of Mark Allen winning it.

Quite a predicament here for Mark Allen. Unable to get back to baulk.

Hitting to the left of the pink spot. He will be looking to do that.

I wonder if the red Bull part the pink and a shot to nothing. He

managed to play it on the left corner instead. Have a shot from

Mark. He did not see that initially. It

has worked out very well. The ball is so dangerous when you

play these kind of shots. View easily than thick. There he is, he

hit it thick. So easy to hit that shot thick. If you hit that shot ten

times, you would get it right fire. That is hammered difficult that shot

is. He has been very reluctant to roll

balls interstate. It is OK if you place the cannon on the red. He put

himself under pressure. He is struggling out there at the moment,

Mark. He cannot afford to miss that again some unlike Neil Robertson. He

was struggling a bit out there. He seems to have lost some of his

confidence. It is fortunate that a few reds on

cushions. It will make things difficult for Neil Robertson. He can

certainly get right back into it. Another shops where he could script

across the face of the pink. He is not necessarily playing for an

either or. He's getting an area where they can pot eatable. It is

not nice. He will be taking the pink.

As the red is not available above the black, he is trying to nudge the

red away black spot. -- away from the black spot. I presume the black

is an hit spot. It might will not be done in spot.

There is more room for the red to be available. They will look at the red

and black. There is gap between now, when they were touching before.

There is little gap. Maybe the reds are available. That happens.

Still does not have the cue ball under control in the spring.

He wants to get the White in open play.

Niels Tui Neil's objective or get the cue ball into the right centre.

It is tied up. That looks about perfect. He needs to roll this red

in very slowly. He wants to play a soft stand shot. He wants to see

where he is on the pink here. What he does not want to do when Canning

a red is hit it four ball. He will double-kiss the red. In one of the

reasons he has done it is that it is nice plate of this shot. He has the

long red by the league yellow. If he leaves it until last, he has not got

option. He has got the double-kiss but he is on the other red. He is

going to have to play safe. Neil being left-handed, he will be

canning against aggression. He is such a good potter.

Will he play for the blue or the pink or go right through for the

black? He has gone across the pink, that would be my choice. Ghosts of

the blue instead. Plays it perfectly. He made a magnificent 75

in the previous frame. Absolutely superb cue ball control

throughout this break. When you consider the three reds on the

cushion, neither that safe, and after this play, he looks like

hearing. -- clearing. Mark Allen resigned to the fact that

he is going to be further behind in this match, at four frames to two.

Four consecutive frames to Neil Robertson now. He is starting to

amass the bigger breaks in this match. He made a 75 in the last.

This break, 69 and counting. He made breaks of 54 and 51 and levelling at

2-2 at the interval. This has been another great clearance from Neil

Robertson. The reds the not ideally positioned, but he has gone on to

make and excellent winning clearance of 82. Neil Robertson pulls further

clear. 4-2. We are starting to see the class of

the world number three coming through now, with Neil Robertson 4-2

up. The quality of snooker we were talking about. That was a good frame

early on. He goes back to the third frame. Unfortunately, for Mark

Allen, he lost the frame, and it went 2-1. Ever since then, Neil

Robertson has settled his peers. How will he be feeling now, Terry? Not

so happy! I don't know. He is playing all right, to be honest. He

is top of the treat, Robertson. He is playing his best news at the

moment. It is sometimes hard to hold onto that. I think Mark will be all

right. A quick word, you are the official PR for Mark Allen. But it

your -- the experts said that Mark Allen was championship quality

rather than Premier League quality. The experts were John -- Shaun

Murphy, Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry. It was a bit disappointing,

because market number nine in the world. He has been in the top 16 for

eight years. He has been in the final of the UK Championships. He

has won seven tournaments. He is eighth in the one-year list. That is

about Liverpool, if not the championship. They are eighth or

ninth. They are suddenly not championship. Davis said that. I

don't think Steve means any harm. But he was wrong.

There's going see if Mark Allen can definitively prove him wrong. 4-2.

If he keeps missing balls like that, he will be in the championship. But

I'd agree with Terry. He is Premier League quality. For some unknown

reason, where it is -- whether it is the way he accused the ball, he

seems to have more kicks than most. I was wondering whom you were

addressing them. Darren said that in the studio early on. He was bang on.

I don't see Neil Robertson suffering the kicks. Not near the sheik

quantity -- the sheer quantity that Mark seems to be suffering from

them. He had it passed night against Michael White. Sometimes, the tip of

your cue is rather soft, and holding more chalk than an affirmative wood.

It is Neil Robertson that is full of confidence out there, and Mark Allen

is really suffering. He is missing pots far more frequently, despite

the fact that they are identical in terms of their pot success

percentage. That just because basically, Neil was very poor at the

start of the match. For him to get his pot success at 1091%, it shows

how well he has been playing in the last two frames. -- his pot success

at 91%. Neil Robertson does not always play

into the pack. He has a perfect angle, but he might play for the

loose one. He might think that the pink is a better ball to go into the

bunch. There again, he is not one of those players that sometimes likes

to do it. He liked to think that he can get perfect on the ball. That is

why he is going to stun them through on this, and try at the three

quarters ball pink. A lot of balls would have gone into the pack there.

He has got the three quarters ball pink. But he has not been able to

push the ball through. -- 3- quarter ball.

Played it nicely. Who can say he was right? Is going on the pink rather

than back. Perhaps a little lucky not to have

cleared the pink spot as well. He has just got a little bit too

much at the cue ball there. He could have bought other raids into the

play. -- reds. That is why he's brushing away the cushion. If he

finishes low on the pink, he would be nicely in a position to bring the

reds into play. He could go pink, red and get on the pink again. He

will see whether pink spots. Then he will try and finish on the pink

glow. This bit nearer than that, Terry. That is just about right. If

you can play a little shot here, play the three quarters ball pink,

he has a chance of winning the frame.

Absolutely, Willy. This is going to spring of the roads. They go

everywhere, the threads. There goes the Ki ball. -- cue ball. They came

off the side cushion. They formed a little group again. He can hit it

into the right centre pocket. That is about all he has at the moment.

It won't be playing the red on the back cushion for quite a long time.

He could have done with another two inches of pace there. Mark Allen is

wondering whether this match is drifting away from him. The one

frame -- he should have Bohn 's frame three, he should have won

frame six. The bottom red full pot in the same

pocket as the pink. The same one as in the cluster of five. One in the

middle this time. And that opens everything up. He should go on and

win the frame from here. A round of applause from the snorer

Jill -- knowledgeable audience. They know that that is frame ball.

By far his best snooker. It has been played Mark Allen has got five

frames on the trot. He should be delighted. He leaves 5-2. Dom, there

is a way of break-building. We knew that the pink potted, but amateur

players may not have seen this situation to get on the pink in such

a way. If you can just leave yourself though, Neil Robertson

does, you have a chance. He has made contact with it, rather than the cue

ball. The cue ball has gone into the reds. It is automatic. You are going

to spread the reds far and wide. It is how the reds are going to open

up. Absolutely. Mark Allen taking few on board. He is Regan, as we

mentioned before. -- of Egan. Mark Allen breaking off with his

back firmly against the wall. It can scramble your mind, really.

Frittered a few games away. It would keep you well in contention in the

match. As we going into frame eight, he has his back against the wall.

He will be bringing a couple of reds into play. He will fill that he has

got Mark Allen under the shot. He had to do that.

Now is the time to push the boat out. And push the boat out he has.

Very good. When he was 5-2 behind, there was a lot of pressure on that

shot. Well played. I was pleased with the pace. It cannons into the

reds. He had every chance of getting on a baulk colour. We might see a

quicker tempo Mark Allen now, as he think he might be on the break of

this match. -- he might give it a go, try and make something work. He

knows if he can win a couple of frames, he's right back in it. Mark

Allen is having the ball clean every time he gets half the kick. Money

just gets on with it. I think he is the only one. But he has his own

opinions of kicks and what happens. That is the point that I am making.

With the referee cleaning the ball so often, are getting more kicks

because of that? Robertson does not get his fair share of kicks. It is

an interesting one. Maybe he thinks that the cue ball is statically

charged. I will be interested to know the decision on sell.

He possesses an awful lot of bottle, Mark Allen. He is not afraid of any

shot at any time. He cannot make any more mistakes. He can screw this

black income and the red below the pink. He can be of the two reds in

the same pocket. Screw back of the red. Let's see if he plays it. He

has played through the gap. I'm not sure about that choice, but it is

still OK. He has given himself an awkward cue.

He's still in control now. Well, Mark Allen has been in great

positions in a few of these frames of late. He has not taken full

advantage. Possibly, some of the reason for that is apart from the

odd easiness, he has lost position unnecessarily, and that was another

instance. He had to clout the blue in. It's never easy to control that

cue ball when you start to lose position. Sometimes, it is happening

here. You find yourself further and further away from ideal position. If

he can pop this red in the left centre, he is guaranteed gum Paul

Cullen nicely. -- he is guaranteed to be on a baulk colour nicely.

He is reluctant to play into the pink and three beds. He is getting

close to the winning line with the three reds and three colours that

are on. He needs three reds and three colours to be guaranteed to

make it 5-3. This match could have been so different for Mark Allen

supporters. -- it could be so different. Robertson, though, in the

last three frames, has been playing sensational stuff. Not this the ball

really. That man -- not missed a ball really. He needs to keep the

break coming. He needs a position to get on the black to get frame ball.

Comfortably Mark Allen's best break since a 56 earlier. Since frame

three, he has only managed a break of 30. That is why he has been

pleasing frames consistently ovulate. But this frame seems to be

in the bag for Mark Allen. It keeps the match alive. He will probably

make a century break. The top rate of those will pop into the right

corner. Yes, just. He could do with a century. That will give him a

fillip for the rest of the match. He will need the tricky red on the

side cushion. One of the few players who have made

over 250 competitive centuries. APPLAUSE

He has made three in this tournament, and this will be his

fourth! Yes, there have been an abundance of

breaks in this match so far, that is the highest and the only century to

date. The highest break before now was

Robertson's 82 in the previous frame.

131 here, what a break it has been for Mark Allen. What a clearance.

Like Judd Trump here from Mark Allen, what a great shot, he may not

be on the black unfortunately, he is not too pleased. Another trick shot.

What an effort that is. Never mind. Wonderful plate for Mark Allen,

keeps his hopes alive and reduces the deficit. -- wonderful play.

Interesting is that for Mark Allen. He has been on the plus side with

virtually every statistic. We talked about premiership and championship

play, he is definitely a premiership player, as we saw in that last

round. Neil Robertson breaking off in what he hopes will be the last

frame of this match. In the last five frames, it. 40 from

both players. -- it was top quality from both players.

First mistake. A lot thinner than he wanted, ball was going round the

back of the pack. At first glance, nothing straightforward. One

available into the middle. If Neil could have potted that, what

a chance he would have given himself! That is exactly what I said

in commentary a few nights ago, sometimes when you play shots, the

logo sticks to your cue and gets ripped off! He messed that one up

rather, but has he got away with it? You have to think so.

Well, nice to see him enjoying himself out there. A lot of the key

to playing well in a match is to enjoy it, if you can.

Well, amazingly, both players agree that that situation was a bit of a

stalemate. So once again, the second time, we are going to have a free

rack in this match. -- re-rack. So, Willie, you wouldn't have expected

that in this match. A second re-rack, that is quite rare. Those

players are in good form, as the crowd know, both players are cueing

very nicely, they don't want to get involved in tip tap think about, and

they would like to have a relatively early night. When Mark Allen played

that safety shot, this is it, he would never have thought that red

would have ended up where it is. For one minute he thought it was going

to knock the White in, and of course that is the reason the stalemate

came. His little hand up to the crowd. Dominik, it must be fabulous

please two players to play in this wonderful arena. It is packed to the

rafters, and to night I'm sure the balconies will be packed as well.

Yes, of course, they are playing with Ronnie O'Sullivan tonight, they

are looking forward to that one, I'm sure. It is the second time we have

had a re-rack in this game. STUDIO: On usual. The players are

taking the opportunity to go out and gather their thoughts when that

happened -- unusual. You are a long time out there, go for a comfort

break and just go cover your thoughts. -- gather your thoughts.

It has been a high standard, the semifinal. How do you see the

balance of power at the moment? Obviously, you know, it was all Mark

at the start until he lost that the frame and then he has lost five on

the trot, and then he played a real good frame and winning with a

terrific 100. As Teddy said, he was happy and then he has gone unhappy,

he will be happy again now! The spectrum of emotions... Mark Allen

coming back into the arena, we are still waiting for Neil to come back

in as well. He doesn't look too unhappy, D'Arcy, to be fair? He

looks as if he has gathered his thoughts and composed himself a bit

-- does he. He is level-headed. The last frame is the hardest frame to

win. He knows that Neil Robertson has to get over the line. If he wins

the next one and gets back to 5-4, suddenly the pressure whilst arts

swinging again, you start believing you can win. Add 5-2, you would have

been thinking, it looks like I'm going to get beaten. But he will get

to the stage if he keeps pegging, come on, I can win this. The

pressure swaps around, it is a fun way to work. The pressure shifts

onto Robertson once again. We saw yesterday, Robertson sat down,

watching the magnificent 147, a similar situation there, he is

watching Mark Allen with the 124 break. Once you have lost a friend

you know you have lost a frame so you are getting your mindset ready

for the next frame. -- lost a frame. He wanted Mark to have cleared up

then. Once a frame has gone you forgot Inc about it. -- you have

forgotten about it. It gives you more clout if you win the match. He

got the next frame to see the match out. I wonder if he will do the same

here after the re-rack. Robertson has just broken off.

APPLAUSE COMMENTATOR: Another excellent pot

from Mark Allen, he has got his tail up at the moment. He knows the

pressure will go a little bit more on Robertson if he can win this

frame. He will not be worried about things at the moment, the fact that

he is 5-3 in front, he knows that his opponent can pot balls

occasionally. APPLAUSE

What a fantastic yellow that was from Mark Allen, showing clear

intent to Neil Robertson. That he's there to bully him and get back into

this match himself with some big breaks. And right now he is looking

very, very dangerous again. Where was this a few frames ago?

Still a couple of reds available, want of the left and wanted right.

The one at the back of the pack would pot as well, that is probably

what he aimed for but didn't hit hard enough.

And now he can't really guarantee getting the right angle on the blue

because the reds are in the way. Went round the back. Well played.

The red at the back of the pack will pop. If he can get the nice angle on

the red, push through the red, open the reds up, that is what were

talking about. He can win the frame at one visit. He doesn't want to be

involved in any scrappy frames at the minute to get back into the

match. The reds go nicely, he has every chance of winning this frame.

Brought two interplay, possibly three. -- into play.

Oh, dear. Some shots it doesn't matter with, but I can assure you,

this kick has cost Mark Allen the chance to win this frame in that one

scoring visit. Up of the shot immediately, rather animated. That's

a shame, isn't it, Willie? Absolutely. I suppose, I mean, you

can't stop thinking about this, but he is getting a few kicks, and he

has got a few reds there. He wasn't necessarily, he didn't have to take

that to the red. But you can't start thinking, I'm not going to play that

shot in case I get a kick. This is the black he has played...

When he plays this black he gets three reds here. You do want to play

it because you think, I'm going to be perfect. You can't expect to get

a kick. 40 point lead, black out of play, which may be brought back into

play with this shot. 20 minutes since Neil Robertson has potted a

ball. Thinking that he won five frames on the trot, it is a good

performance from Mark Allen. I like that shot from Neil

Robertson, purposefully bringing the black into play there. He doesn't

want this match to go on too much longer, because if Mark Allen were

to win this frame, it could be a very tense, edgy climax to this

match. Does Mark Allen need to take this risk? He can get the cue ball

on the back cushion, he can play it almost as a shock to nothing, but he

doesn't want to play it too hard. Oh, dear, why has he played so hard?

It may have looked reckless, that, but I thought it was a possible shot

to nothing, but he didn't play it like it was shot to nothing. May

have looked reckless, that is an understatement. Look where the cue

ball has finished. Wow, I don't know what went through Mark's mind there.

If Neil Potts a red now, he must fancy clearing up -- if Neil putts.

Decided to cut this read in on the pink spot. Expected to be on the

black, but not from their told this red. I don't think there is room

around the back of this red. This is one of those, the harder you hit it

you can almost squeeze into the cushion, there is not enough room,

that is what Neil is looking at, whether he can play cushion first,

if he does, he is going to have to hit it hard. I don't think there is

enough room down the back of that red. No chance. That was brave,

Dominic, no chance. The risk of having egg on my face, but no

chance. , Neil, play this! I am dying to throw egg on Dominic's

face! Fortunately, we as players are not

allowed to pick a ball out of the pocket and Judd the distance to the

cushion. After that dreadful attempt, Mark

Allen will be pretty pleased it only cost him one point. It could have

cost him frame and match. Mark has just rolled the red that is

nearest to the yellow, down towards the other one, considering whether

he could get behind to pot the black. Wouldn't need a pot if you

played that, if he tried a shot to get back into baulk he made a

terrible mess of it. Trying to bring this redback

interplay -- trying to bring this red back into play.

I am surprised he has not hit the red hard enough to bring the red

into play. He played a slightly thicker and still got the same

result. Mark Allen has played now the shot

that I suggested previously. But it does appear that that red may pot

pass the pink, it is very tight. If he had played that shot last time,

nothing was pottable. You would have to say it was a poor

safety shot from Neil to leave that one on.

47 points in front, two reds, two colours. One of the colours would

put him past the winning post, I wouldn't be taking the green of

those two reds. He needs to have a little look at

the scoreboard to make sure that he pot a colour.

It is going to need one of the remaining four reds now.

Missed a trick there, didn't he, Dominic's yes, definitely.

Just going to need one of these four tricky reds, he couldn't get on the

black, there, 58 ahead with 59 remaining if he pot this pink.

He can take this on with a little bit of confidence knowing that the

other three reds are relatively safe. It is a difficult path, play

two cushions. He has missed it, though. Mark Selby misread the

scoreboard in his match against a solvent when it should have gone

2-2. Mark has missed the scoreboard there as well, he should have been

taking two high value colours. Obviously a cross double safety shot

is the one he wants to play, but he doesn't want to Korea into the black

at this end of the table. -- to Korea.

Would love to leave that red where it is at the moment, but I don't he

has got any choice. That's the problem, you see, he is

bringing the black interplay, played it pretty well. -- into play.

Caught the red too thickly there, Neil Robertson. A chance to put this

frame to bed for Mark Allen if he pots this long straight one.

Good effort, but not quite good enough. But I don't think he has

left Neil and easy starter. I wonder if Neil will attempt him playing the

safety shot that to bring the black interplay. He should be able to win

by a single point. Well, he took the risk there of

bringing the black interplay, he has done much, the black is in open play

now. -- into play. That is a telling safety shot. Every

chance if it catches this right to put a red safe. Also, every chance

of losing unless he gets it behind the brown. Well done. Excellent

safety shot, well played. That could be a winner.

STUDIO: You are watching semifinals day here at the Welsh Open on BBC

Two Wales. If you are tuning in looking for Final Cut All, I can

tell you it is available online, but we are staying with this match --

final score. COMMENTATOR: If this shot goes wrong

for Neil Robertson, it is almost certainly the end of the frame. He

is trying to rest on this red. Very tough shot to play, well short of

pace there, Neil Robertson. And this can't be called because it results

in male Robertson needing a snooker -- Neil Robertson.

So, the match is still very much alive.

A little bit of confidence has come back into Mark Allen's stroke. One

to four in a previous frame, and virtually dominated this frame --

124. An exhibition shot here, bringing

the pink interplay. -- into play. He likes to play very, very quickly,

Mark Allen, when the frame is over, he doesn't want to take anything out

of himself, getting ready for the next round.

He certainly knows his way around the table, that's for sure.

Whatever happens in this match now, should he go on to lose it he will

know that he has had every chance to win it. Neil Robertson stays in his

chair, Mark Allen is on the comeback trail, he is back into the match.

The key shot there, let's take into consideration mark went through a

risky play, but this safety shot scored him the frame. Yes, I don't

do there was a great deal of pressure on him here because Neil

Robertson did need blacks of the remaining four reds. It required a

great piece of execution. If he hit the red too quickly, it was one of

the great shots of the match, safety wise. The worrying part for Neil

Robertson is that it has come full circle, it is Mark Allen who has

dominated the last few frames. If he wins this frame it as a toss of the

coin who wins the final frame. Absolutely, Willy. It is now at 5-4,

there will be a great deal of pressure on both players is Mark

Allen returns to the table to break off in frame ten. Mark Allen knows

he is right back in this match now, there is pressure on him as well.

Robertson is very anxious to close it out, having had a 5-2 lead. Oh,

he would love to play that break off again, he really would. Neil

Robertson, well, he hasn't potted much of late. But this is a chance.

Why do the players play the break off so carelessly? It is one of the

most important shot in the frame, Mark Allen got done so quickly

there. Robertson is one of the best openers in the game, you cannot

leave that shot. He has had a reprieve, Mark Allen. If he was on

any sort of colour, he would be getting 20 or 30 points, as it is

now, with the safety shot coming up. He needs to get glued on the green