Fourth Round - Day 2 UK Snooker Championship Extra

the table to try and get a bit of potting practice. Against Judd he

conceded the opening frame without potting the ball and then the same

thing happened in the next two frames. So a good idea just to try

and knock a few in here, just to settle down.

It would be nice if he could clear the remaining balls up here.

In fact, he doesn't - for some reason, he has decided, "That's

enough, I have had enough practice", so he concedes the frame and Tom

Ford with the aid of that early 40 break wins the frame and leads 1-0.

Well, there's two reds there just gone close to the black. He has got

a good cue ball but just tied the black up. It's amazing the number of

times that happens. Some players, they never go near the black with

the reds. It just must be which red they hit. And Tom Ford, well, he

will be delighted with this start - played two and won twoment -- two.

Got to be careful if he goes down the right side of the table, because

that red near the cushion - he could catch that. Probably hit it a little

bit thinner than he intended and that was because he didn't want to

cannon that red. Now, Liang has struggled with his long potting so

far. Looks like it's just going to be a

safety shot, because there's no colour available, if he was to risk

a long one. I liked that shot. Because he played it purely to bring

the black into play. Mind you, if Tom rolls this red in and gets on

the black... Which he is thinking about. It was a good shot. Good shot

to get the black into play, but not a great cue ball. Any time a player

can get his hands on the table, he generally likes to take a pot on. I

suppose he has got to -- got a two-frame lead here and he is just

trying to keep the pressure on his opponent. Doesn't want to leave him

with an easy chance should he miss the long pot. He has been a bit

fortunate with that knock off the middle pocket.

He looked at a couple of reds, I don't think they will plant into the

right corner. He can't get to it, but - well, they are - he would have

to knock one red on to those. This would be a three-ball plant. If he

would have been directly behind that planted, it would have been

unmissable, but the fact he had to knock that one on to it, it was

always going to squeeze it away from the pocket.

This red pots into the bottom right-hand corner pocket... He would

be on hold for many of the ball colours here. It is in all the way.

Nice pot. Plenty of reds to go on here. He has

had a quick look at the black, to see, does the black pot into the

left-hand corner pocket? It certainly does, but unfortunately

the black spot is covered by the red, so there's no point in getting

it. Trying to pot the black at the moment - try and leave the cue ball

somewhere in the middle of the table. He has got four or five reds

there, out in the open. Sometimes, when you've got so many options,

Dennis, you get a little bit confused, don't you? I think what he

is thinking about is getting on the red near the left corner pocket to

clear it out of the way. He ploughed it into the middle of the table,

but, yeah, he would have to get that red out of the way, get up for the

blue and then get the red that's on the black spot before he can even

think about getting the black back into play. A few kicks on this table

today. Yesterday, I think it was the other table, I think I can only

remember a couple of kicks in the whole match. Yeah, Peter Ebdon was

complaining about this table yesterday, after his match. A lot of

kicks and a lot of bad bounces. Oh, that's poor from Tom. That's a

let-off for Liang Wenbo. Just confused himself a little bit there

- he had so many options on his position, even though he had got a

bad contact with the brown, but it wasn't a great positional shot.

Now, we mentioned that the black spot was covered, but let's have a

look - all of the other spots are covered also, so the black might

still be available. It would have to go in the direct line behind its

spot. So it might still be available when it's re-spotted.

But is there enough room in between those two reds? Is there loads of

room? Plenty of room! Mustn't be touching that red.

Well, he could definitely pot it back into the same pocket as the red

is going in. He has a little angle on that black here. He may be able

to push that red out of the way and bring that into play and free up the

black spot. Just tried to nudge it, but just got into the cue ball too

much. But he is still OK. The black will go in the same position and

still be available. The referee is just making sure the

black is in line with its spot and it should be in line with the pink

spot and, of course, the blue and the brown. That's what he is looking

at at the moment. See, the black's available but the

red isn't available that's next to the black. That's why he tried to

just nudge it away a couple of shots ago.

Just can't make his mind up here, which red to take. Still can't make

his mind up. I know the black will go into the right corner - it may

not go into the left corner. If that's the case, he may have to

swing the white around here. Maybe it does go into the left corner, as

well. Just about. Looking at that picture.

Well, the speed he played that black, I'll tell you that he tried

to just clip that red away from the black spot and he has missed it, of

course, and the red has gone up the table, so he is going to have to use

the rest here. Nicely played. Now, has he got the

angle, again, on the black? It looks fairly straight again. Just wanted a

couple more inches there and it would have been absolutely perfect,

just to pot the black and nudge that red away. But it looks very straight

from this angle. He judged that nicely. A bit

frustrating for Tom Ford to be sitting in his seat watching this,

because he had a terrific chance and he just got himself a little bit

confused. He couldn't make his mind up early on which red to play on.

Yeah, he'd so many options, hadn't he? So many reds in open play and

couldn't really decide which one to go for and it sort of got his wires

crossed. It could cost him. Yeah, I think it's important for Liang to

score enough here to keep Tom in his seat and get his first frame on the

board. He just came around to have a quick look to see, does this red,

just below the pink, pot into this bottom aren't corner pocket. That

tells us it does and this will certainly open up the other two reds

into the bottom left-hand corner pocket now.

It wasn't straightforward when Liang Wenbo came to the table, but he has

worked his way through this break quite well.

He's just a couple more pots away from making this a frame-winning

effort. Shouldn't be a problem - he is a

little bit close to the red for comfort and having to use the rest,

but he hasn't got much to do with the cue ball.

There's only a possible 59 left on the table now. He is already 60 in

front. Yeah, can't move it now, Liang. The referee can't move the

black now. I don't know why he should bother. Why doesn't he take

the pink? I was wondering if he got the black clean there, Dennis, what

would happen? Well, the referee was up to it straightaway there - he

knew that and was surprised that Liang asked him.

Yeah, that would have been a way, yeah, "Can you clean the black,

please"? Should be on the spot, it goes back on the spot. Yeah. That's

why they call you "Crafty Ken", you see! You're always thinking, Ken! I

used to be crafty - I'm more clueless now, Dennis! I prefer the

Darling of Dublin, Ken DoD. He has took these well, has Liang.

He had eight centuries this season and made 18 last season. He has made

144 in his career. And eventually he nudges the red

away. But he has given a big smile! He has tried on about four occasions

to nudge that red! He is quite a character, is Liang. I'll never

forget when he was first introduced at the Crucible and they introduced

the referee and he thought it was him, so he had to go back out of the

arena again. It was like a Benny Hill sketch, it was so funny! I

remember well - I was playing him, Dennis. Couldn't stop laughing for

the first couple of frames! Wouldn't it be nice if he could get a century

here? Because the Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice gets a nice prize

every time a century is made. It's over ?13,000 at the moment. A great

gesture from our title sponsor. 87 centuries so far this year in

this year's UK Championship. Well, he really has taken these very

well, indeed. Oh, he has missed the black! It doesn't really matter, but

what an effort that is - a beautiful break of 122 from Liang Wenbo and he

gets his first frame on the board. But Tom Ford still leads 2-1.

So Tom Ford breaks off. His fourth frame - the last frame before the

mid-session interval. Yeah, a lot of noise from the people

on the next table moving out of the arena, but it won't really bother

these lads. They're well used to people moving around now at

tournaments. As long as they're not in their line, Dennis - you know

when you are down on the table and down on an important shot and

someone gets up in the crowd and it sort of catches your eyeline. Sort

of a pet hate for players. Oh, this red is going close to the

right centre. He won't get an advantage unless he

gets this until it's like almost touching the black - not easy from

the top cushion. Knew he would be possibly leaving an easy safety

shot, but he has left, also, a pot for Tom here.

I wouldn't try and leave the cue ball where - he's sort of judging it

now. I'd sort of pot this and roll the cue ball towards the centre

pocket as well and leave it tight on the cushion and try and get up for

the blue, rather than try and play for the pink here. I wonder if he

can leave the cue ball and go for this red. OK, if he misses it, at

least the cue ball is close to the cushion and it's not straightforward

for Liang Wenbo. But this way, if he misses it, he is going to be leaving

something. Well, he has potted it, so that takes out of the equation!

And he is nicely on the pink. He has gone too far for the one in

the middle and not far enough for this one, so he can't run through

for the black. So a slight change of plan. It's all about keeping close

control of that cue ball and making it as easy as possible for yourself

. The referee just asking the crowd on

the other side of the arena just to be quiet. Probably play up for the

blue and then get back up into the high-scoring section of the table.

He had to sit out the last frame - he had the first chance, with the

balls nicely placed, and he ran out of position early on. And he hasn't

hit that hard enough and that is where he hasn't delivered the cue.

He is tapping the table as if to say, "Nice shot, Tom". That's a pet

hate of any snooker player - it's a bit like deaccelerating. And what a

mistake that is. And the mid-session interval coming up after this frame

and if Tom goes to the mid-session interval 2-2, he will be very

disappointed, because he was in with a glorious chance there.

Well, Liang has overhit that by a good couple of inches. He will have

to run into the pink here and try and stun it towards the left-hand

centre pocket and he has run into the reds as well. OK, he has always

got the blue over it, but he has got to get high enough up the table with

the red. He has judged that nicely. Just kept the cue ball clean, but

there has been a few more kicks already in this match. But going

back to Tom Ford, what a glorious chance he had. He had a chance in

the previous frame, as well. And he will have to hit there and ponder

those chances that he had. Very disappointed.

When he gets going, Liang, he looks very confident around the table. You

know, it's as if he owns the venue when he is in full flow.

It's amazing where the time goes - he has been around for ten years. It

doesn't seem that long since Liang turned professional.

He can score enough to leave Tom needing a snooker with the open reds

- he doesn't need that one that's closest to the mru, the one that's

-- blue, the one that's out of commission at the moment. The other

four are pretty comfortable, it has to be said.

Well, he has hit that much too hard, when he had the blue over the

pocket. That's a little bit of insurance, but he should have been

straight over the pink. Now he has got to get over the baulk area to

get back up the table. So he has got to be a little bit careful here not

to catch one of those colours. Banging it with lots of side, as you

can see. Squared the cue ball up there. All played with loads of left

hand side on the cue ball there. Yeah, judged it perfectly -

excellent positional shot. A choice of two reds - one into the

left corner and one into the right centre.

Well, he made a century in the previous frame and it looks as if he

is going to clinch the frame with this visit.

He has got a nice angle. He can use the red just to hold the cue ball

here, if he wishes. He doesn't need to, of course. Maybe avoiding taking

that red out of play. Just making sure of the frame - and that's

exactly what red does. -- that red does. The crowd acknowledge that. 41

points ahead, with just 35 remaining. Yeah, in different

circumstances, he would have brought that red into play. He has left the

double. The break goes to 66, so a black or pink with this last red and

he could make another century if the double goes in. It's there -

excellent shot. And this is a marvellous response from Liang

Wenbo. Oh! Such a shame to miss the black and try and make the century.

Yeah, he is very disappointed, but most importantly he has got another

frame on the board. As Tom Ford goes out, he will be very disappointed,

but Liang will be over the moon. He has levelled the match to 2-2.

That's an excellent safety shot. Very good - top drawer. I think the

way the balls are situated early on in this frame, Tom is thinking to

himself, "I just want one chance in around the black and pink and I

could get myself into the quarterfinal of the UK

Championship". The match has been going just over three hours, as you

can see there. Liang now has to be so careful, because he can't risk

anything, otherwise he could be out of this year's UK Championship.

He is just trying to lay on these reds closest to the top cushion.

That looked a bit pacy. I'm just wondering, Ken, he'll have a look at

this red and he'll have a look to see if there's a possibility of

taking the pot up into the right corner and getting on the black and

he might try that, if he wouldn't leave anything easier. The only

thing that's maybe stopping him from doing that is the red to the right

of the pink. If it wasn't there, he would have a go at this.

Keeping it tight. The way they're opening up here, one mistake could

prove very costly for either player. Yeah, I'm just surprised he played

those with a pretty straightforward shot but he could be in a lot of

trouble here - he really wanted that cue ball over to the left hand side

of the table and Liang Wenbo has an opportunity here. Down between the

yellow and brown. He has gone between the green and

brown, but still, he needs to get it over that side of the table and

cover everything over to the right hand side of the table and make

things much more difficult for Tom Ford. He has put himself in a bit of

trouble now, Tom. Can he find the gap here and swing

this around? That could be up behind the green.

Not that he intended that - he wanted to get close to the cushion.

And there's one long pot - one to the left of the blue - and Liang

earlier in this match couldn't knock a long pot in. And he's not even

contemplating that red. I don't blame him - he has only got

a long pot success of 23%. I mean, we say in the game, the top

players are not bothered about the money, they're just playing to win

titles, but for players like this, Ken, the money means so much for

someone like Tom Ford, to get through to the quarterfinal of the

UK Championship. It really does cost these boys a lot of money to travel

around the world these days. Well, he didn't want that kiss on

the red. That's exactly what he didn't want to give his opponent. An

easy opportunity like this - it gives him the chance to get a few

points on the board. But you're dead right - it is a lot of money for

someone like Tom Ford. I mean, probably the expenses for the

players to stay on the tour and to play in every event is around -

well, it must be between ?25-30,000. So a cheque of ?20,000 would go a

long way to your expenses for the year. Yeah, it's much the same as

golf, isn't it? The boys have got to pay for caddies and coaches and, you

know, a great lifestyle if you are right at the top in golf and - well,

the money in golf is incredible now, but you need to get into the top ten

in the snooker world to make a really good living, you would have

to say. I think it's getting better again, the prize money, and the top

boys can earn quite a bit. That's a little beauty, that shot.

Couldn't have judged that any better. Not only a good pot, but the

perfect cannon. He has showed what a great player he

is. He was 4-1 down and he has come back. He was delighted that that was

the best win of his career. The way the balls are situated

here, when he is amongst it it is just his game. Bit of bounce off

that cushion. He has to take that right centre pocket. Getting rid of

the chalk marks. I bet he is a tricky good gardener -- pretty. Is

ashamed that he has to take the more difficult shot now -- it is a

shame. That is a good recovery. He has just overshot it a little bit.

If it is touching the cushion it just makes it a little bit more

difficult. He has found one into the right centre. May have been better

off going for the other one. I did not expect him to miss that one. I

think he was thinking that this is a free ball for me, and now that he

has missed it, that 46 point advantage could disappear rapidly

the way the balls are situated here. It looked to be tight in the

cushion, and defeated them at the same time, Tom could take that and

move it onto the blue. I would fancy him to move that one in because it

is tight. The way that I would look at it is to expect him to score. He

does not seem to want to have a go at that one. It is just to the left

of the pink and the green pocket as well. He could hold the pink into

the right centre -- hole. He might have to cannon one of the reds on

the way back. He just had to roll that. It was his choice and he did

not get close to that. He is gifted. He has not played a great

shot there, however, he is too straight.

A delicate little screw shot. He's taking the easier red than the

rest. 61 points ahead. That colour red will close the gap to one

again. This has been a heated frame, he would have to say. Ford must be

disappointed. It is hitting off the cushion a little bit. He only needs

a rate to secure the frame. With that red tight on the cushion

it made it an easier pocket and he tried to try a much more difficult

pot up in the corner. He is going to have to wait for the next frame to

get into the quarter-finals of this UK's championship.

He has looked very fluent today. I know that he has missed a lot of

longshots, Liang. He has missed a couple of 40s and the frame seven.

He already had a 46 in this frame. Chuen earlier break of 46 and then

he cleared them up with that magnificent effort of 88 -- with

that. Tom Ford still leads five frames to four.

Liang need the last two possible remaining frames. There is a bit of

confidence. He is playing the safety shot off the right side and making

sure there wasn't a planned shot. He was looking to see if he could push

one over the pocket, but this is straightforward safety. Maybe he

feels that he might possibly make the plant. He is certainly knocking

the two reds and if it isn't a plant that will go close he has to hit

with pace to make sure he does not leave it open with a pocket. He made

sure he hit it with enough pace to bring it back across the table. That

was pretty good. When you have had a 5-3 lead you are just looking for

one chance amongst the balls to clinch the chance. He will be hoping

for a chance in this frame and hopefully will not go 5-5. It look

like he panicked a little bit in the last round and pushed a ball out. He

will get a better chance than what he did. He was a bit close to those

pots in the last frame. He will definitely get another chance, I

feel. Maybe a couple of chances before this match ends.

That is not a bad little flick of the green. I don't think he can get

to the potting angle for the one on the right. I don't think he can see

that one. I am pretty sure that that green is. Bat. -- I am pretty sure

that the green is in the way of that. Keeper nigh on the cue ball --

keep an eye on the cue ball. Once again, he is seeing if he can

push over a pocket. He has got the back end of the table with all of

those reds and now he has other choices. This one he will descend

into the reds and then back down the table. Pretty good shot, this one.

Well played. The other two reds he is looking at

are not a plant. That one near the right middle pocket is in an awkward

spot and he could quite easily catch that on the return to the safety

area. Good shot. Just managed to miss the red. Could have done with

getting Mac cueball tighter to the cushion, that he will be happy with

that -- but he will be. He needs to be careful playing the

safety shot this way. He played it thin enough and another at good

return safety shot. Might not have blocked the path down the left-hand

side yet. This looks good. This looks very good, indeed. Again, just

enough. Just another sticking out. If heating get the cue ball down

towards the green pocket it will still make things very awkward for

Tom Ford. Excellent shot. Getting very congested around the black spot

area now. Six reds around the black spot. As we look at it now and just

the one to the right could find the gap down the left-hand side of the

table. I think he could. Yes, he has spotted that one. Maybe go down the

other side which is slightly more difficult. The catch going down that

right hand side of the table is that he never looked at the other side.

First chance to Liang. That was a nervous shot. Let us have a look at

that again. It certainly did not go into the pocket cleanly. We have

seen that happen a couple of times. The pink spot is available. I don't

think it will tie the pink up. There are those middle pockets, as well.

Plenty of chances to put a good score on the board here.

As I mentioned, all of those reds are very awkwardly placed around the

black spot area. Still another three available reds.

Just over and around the cue ball slightly. But his success has been

very good today. Just thinking that is a stranger shot from the rest.

He is picking off all of the easy reds and it will start to get a

little bit more difficult now. In a couple of shots time. Still another

three I can that are available to him. Once the left, right and below

the pink. He does not have to play them just yet. He does like to keep

the table mice and clean, doesn't he Liang -- nice. Back for the blue

because the pink is not available for this pocket. Now it is available

for the two middle pockets. It is just over on the cue ball again, he

wanted it to be a little bit straighter. He is going to have to

play a cannon now. This could go wrong so he has to be very careful.

I don't think it is a natural cannon onto the two reds. Is not quite a

plant, but he can be careful if he cannons in the first two red. I

don't think it is an issue. That is coming off the cushion. That is what

he tried. He is still on that red. He is looking at the yellow up into

that top pocket. A bit more confident with that. Good shot. Does

he have an angle on that pink? It was worth another look. That was a

good pot there. If he is dead straight on the pink he may have to

play for that plant. It is a plant that can be made. The red that is to

the left of the black spot will go into the left corner but I don't

think he has the angle get onto that. He definitely fancies his

plight after the pink, doesn't he? There is just enough room. There is

a bit of a gap between the red and that makes it a bit easier to be

able to make the plant. It is not dead set. He was trying to play two

shots in one there. He will try to put the pink in and possibly get the

red to the left of the black spot. Good shot. Excellent shot. He does

not want the red to cover the pink but it has covered the pink into the

corner. But he still has the blue. A few big sighs from Liang there. He

could go between a few options but I think that the screw is the shot.

That is a poor shot and the blue back on its pot will cover that. He

has given himself a little slap there. You don't want to be hitting

yourself too hard. Take that. I hate to ring them up but happen to

another player where he almost knocked himself out. A good safety

shot. Excellent. You have to be very happy with that when a cueball is

finished... That is very good. Can he hit the red pass to the black?

That is the question. He hit it so hard. He has to make sure with the

red. You would not say it is a great chance, but it is some kind of

chance that Tom Ford did not think he would get. Is the first shot he

has potted in quite a while -- it is. It may look awkward, but I think

that all of these reds are available in the corner pocket. It is not a

bad chance. They are all covering each other into the right corner.

But they are all available. They are all pottable lining up in a line.

Just the fact that the black is in an awkward position means that he

will take all of those in a line. Still, a good chance. Certainly to

get back into this frame. Of course, the pressure is always building at

the same time and at this stage anything can be missed. And as you

said, he thought that the frame was over. He was probably getting ready

to a final frame decider and then all of a sudden he is handed a

lifeline. That takes off the pressure as you get closer to Liang

in this frame and its pressure will transfer its self back onto Tom.

That was a chant he did not think he was going to get. Has he got a good

enough angle to stun over any of those reds? He is going to have to

leave one to the right corner and maybe the back one. He just about

what's the one to the right there. That is a nice angle of the red and

off the cushion for the pink. It does not want to be straight. I tell

you what he has made some decision on the pink. If he could clear up

here it would be one of the best breaks of his career. Absolutely. He

has left it awkward again. It looked like it was five each.

Liang just ran out of position. Tom has kept getting himself slightly

out of position, but the chance he didn't think he had then all of a

sudden he could pinch the match. It has just become a little bit awkward

now, because he could pot this red, but the red above it is in the way.

He could try to stun the cue bowl out, -- the cue ball. He is playing

for the black, this will be tough. This is easily missed.

The black is just off the cushion, which makes it difficult. Oh! I

thought it was going to drop! It looked close, but it just seemed to

leave the cushion slightly, and once you touch that there is no chance of

it going in. He has to get himself ready for a decider. He beat Mark

Williams 6-5 in the last one. He will have to do it again.

I just thought the black was going to fall towards the cushion a bit

and drop. He played it at the right pace. He had won the scream earlier,

but he made a mistake and this is what he did, which was quite

amusing. He had a good laugh, giving himself a smack on the side of the

face. That puts him 34 points ahead, just

35 remaining. We are going to a decider, Dennis.

He did it against Judd Trump, knocking out the pretournament

favourite. We always say it is the toss of a coin in the deciding

frame, but Liang has won the past two, so you would have to say he is

slightly He has won twice against Tom Ford in

minor events. He got a horrendous kick, but he

won't be worried about it. He puts his cue down and goes out for a

break as Tom sits and reflects that missed black.

You can't beat a one frame shootout. Liang almost with a good

break off but you can tell by that facial expression he has left a

possible pot for Tom Ford, but a lot of pressure on this because he may

not find the gap. He couldn't find the gap between the black and red,

if he doesn't... That was close. I think the crowd thought that was

in. I think Tom thought it was in when he struck it. The crowd is

getting excited. John is always saying that you just want one chance

at the deciding frame, who will get the first real charts? -- chance.

Trying to bring some more red balls into play, that is an excellent

shot. He just hasn't covered those two reds. They may be close, it

would be careering into the reds if it was in line, but perhaps they are

not in line. As we move around, we will show you it is going to the

left of the pocket, so it is not that debts it planned -- dead set

plant. I am also having a look at it, and I

would love to see if there is anything portable on the left-hand

side. Just having a look at the plant again, but taking that time,

because it is not set, it is not certain that the cue ball will be on

a colour. He has played some good safety in

this match. He played some very good safety against Judd Trump as well.

He is a good tactical player, Liang. This is good, this could be

very good, in fact this could be excellent. A super shot. One, two,

three, four cushions. And behind the yellow.

85% safety success rate, that is impressive. This is not

straightforward, he needs to be careful with the pace of this.

It is not bad, I don't know if that went to the left of the red and

passed the black, but even if it did he doesn't have a good angle. With

the pace of that last shot, he hit it a bit hard, but he is still

looking at this. Maybe it is just a safety. If you get the cue ball

anywhere near the green pocket, it certainly won't be leaving an escape

route down the left-hand side of the table. It is quite congested on the

right-hand side of the table. He will see if he can get it somewhere

down towards the green pocket. He couldn't get it down there, but he

will settle for this. Wonderful shot.

Run the risk of getting the red closest to the right and centre. A

similar shot again from Liang. The same thing applies, be careful with

the pace of this. I think he has left that red this time. It is not a

great angle. Tom not even looking at it. We know the red passes the

black, but not a good angle to risk it, he feels. He is back looking at

it again though. It is very risky, it could run into the other red, it

could double kiss the other red. This is a really good tactical piece

of play, who will crack first? It is a bit of an awkward frame, which can

sometimes happen in a decider. It is a bit like a game of chess at the

moment, just trying to get the first opening. He has got to put the cue

ball down the left-hand side of the table, it is imperative he gets as

close to the top cushion as possible. That is not the best shot

he has ever played. I think he might have left this corner pocket.

This is such a big match for both players, to get through to the

quarterfinal of the UK championship, what a feather in the cap that would

be. It could not be more tents. -- tense. This long pot is so

important. He hasn't been good on the long

balls all afternoon. That has left things very awkward for Tom. He is

hampered slightly with the yellow, can't come off the side cushion,

that is to the right of the table near the corner pocket. There is

another one avoiding that, no easy path back down the table. He will

have to give this a little thought. Maybe he will come off the side

cushion and nestle into the reds. Similar shot to a couple that Liang

played. As you said, like a game of chess, one of the great commentators

and world champion John Pulman used to say, it is like a game of chess,

sometimes, Snuka. -- snooker. Just looking at this red, you might be

tempted up into the corner he could lay down off it, getting in behind

the yellow. Maybe he is having a look at that

rate, seeing how good it would be to get a queue between the two reds.

You would be bringing the cue ball off the side cushion and seeing if

does pot. It is awkward between those two reds. He has got to get

the cue ball close to the cushion. That looks to be pretty well

judged, have a look at the pace on that! We knew straightaway that that

was too thick, is he going to be OK? It might have got away with it, but

straightaway Tom was up off the shot, he knew he had not made the

correct contact. It is awkward when you are that close to sneak off

them. When you see a player asking a referee to do that, it means he is

going to take it on. He has missed a lot of long pots, this will be a key

one. Dead straight, pushing the cue through in a straight line. Good

queueing. He doesn't have to do a lot, this cue ball just dropping to

the left. Liang has had the first chance, it will be interesting to

see how much it can take from that. -- cueing. Look at the way it is

spread. Around the pink and black spot he

has been excellent all afternoon. It is just these are the parts that

have let him down. Will Tom Ford get another chance to come back to the

table? We would be fearing the worst for them, with the balls lying

around this pink spot. It is the deciding frame and it is amazing

what can happen in a deciding frame. We are used to seeing the top three

or four players, they know how to clinch a match, they are used to

it. It is always the toughest frame to win, the decider, but we couldn't

have the ball is better placed. The black is out of commission, but that

doesn't matter. He has just flicked the red, that he is OK. Taking his

time getting the cue ball clean, settling himself.

Has got out far enough? May be just about. He looked a bit nervous, as

you could see. Four reds, four pinks, this is just

trying to keep close control of the cue ball. Try to make the next pot

as easy as possible. He still has another four comfortable rounds, and

he won't mind taking the pinks. Five pinks, five reds, he will go for the

blue if he doesn't fancy the red. The correct side of the blue and it

is now developing into a very good chance. Just passing the four-hour

mark for this match. There has been a lot said about

kicks already this week, and when you are a player sitting there and

your opponent is that the table, that is all you are hoping for, that

it does get a kick. You can't really see him failing from where he is at

the moment. A little shake off the head from Tom, he knows he may not

get back to the table, and the one chance he was looking for. He led

5-3 and was looking comfortable, but Liang has come back again as he did

against Judd Trump. 4-1 down, and he won five frames in a row to win

6-4. He keeps coughing very loudly, that

is a bit off tension, a little bit of release. He knows how close he is

and he is wandering around again. Just steadying himself. Puff of the

cheeks... Would you believe it? He has gone around the table twice,

what was he looking at? Just carry on with your actual game. That was

pure tension. What a mess. The only consolation is that he has got a

good lead and most of the reds are safe. That was a chance to get into

the quarterfinal of a major event. Why didn't he just try to hold the

pink spot or just drop the pink? He could still have got this in the

corner pocket. Tom would love to get a fuller kiss on that pink. What

were the boys saying in the studio in the last round? He was six behind

in the penultimate frame, and he was... Well...

That is a great shot, it really is. A second chance to clinch a

quarter-final spot. He has been very good with the rest of it, 95%,

21/22. He couldn't believe it, how did I miss that? He is very anxious

at the moment, he is getting up and down. He is so close. Just a little

bit of movement on the shot. Not a little, quite a lot! We don't blame

him for that. Just watch this... He just needs the pink to leave Tom at

the snooker's required stage. That tells a story. He was so close, and

three in front. Even on the pink! It just shows what

it means for these boys out there. A little fist pump, but he still needs

to make sure... One more red. As he covered it? He may have covered it?

Barring a snooker, you would think he is in the quarterfinal.

He is so close, he is almost there, and when he missed that, that is

another one! That is twice he has smacked them self in the face!

-- himself. He needs to Mr Green but he won't, so one long pot -- Miss

the green. Peter Ebdon, that is what it means!

We haven't had one of those for a while! We used to hear that from

Peter Ebdon in the early days of his career, but it just shows what it

means to these young players. Come on! That was better than Peter

Ebdon! He is not being disrespectful to Tom Ford, Icher shows what it

means to this Chinese player. He will be absolutely over the moon --

it just shows. It has been a fantastic comeback, 5-3 behind, Tom

Ford looked like he had one foot in the quarter-finals, but he will be

on his way back to Leicester and this man... This is his first

quarterfinal in the UK Championships, I think. It doesn't

matter, Tom looks very disappointed, but look at Liang! He takes the last

three frames and he is absolutely delighted. He goes through to the

quarter-finals, winning that deciding frame 6-5. What a comeback

from Liang today, and he goes back to meet Hong Kong's Marco Fu. It is

an overseas match up to see who will be into the semifinals of the

championship. The quarter-finals action gets going this afternoon,

1pm on BBC Two. Good night.