Fourth Round - Part 1 UK Snooker Championship

left the arena on Monday night, in fact Tuesday morning, five past

midnight, looking distraught, yet you can see there there is almost an

inner contentment. I had a chat with him when he was

practising before the match and he said he should have been beaten, on

the way home, and I said how many times have you seen that happen when

people have gone on to win the tournament? He is a lot more

confident and he will be feeling better after that. Your thoughts on

Mark's performance? That was clinical, what the country expects

from him, and the only frustration for a player is how it can change

that quickly. It is difficult when you ask questions about your form.

You have your winning form, your competitive form, but it can change

so much, you can play marvellously in practice and not on the match

table, and you can be worried about the game in practice and on the

table it all falls into place. It could be just as easy as knocking in

the first ball of the day and I can ask the man himself, why the change

of fortune? As you left the arena I was watching you closely, you came

in for a chat after playing against Jamie Jones, and today you had a

nice smile and you know how well you play this afternoon. It is all very

well winning but the way I played, I was fortunate even to get through,

Jamie played better than me and as I said in the press conference I don't

know how I got through that game. You can't always play like that. Did

you feel different today? You practised for several hours, you

were here for a good three and a half hours. I needed to to get a bit

of rhythm back and I was telling myself that if I had a chance on the

ball I would pick up the tempo and try to get on with it. A bit of

sympathy for Dechawat, even that he finished in the early hours and had

to be back on the arena for just 11 o'clock. He probably would have been

tired, like you say. He wouldn't have had that much difference to

freshen up and come back. There is not much he could have done... You

said you're stall out from the very first shot. You parted a great long

ball, got on the baulk side of the colours and got into motion

straightaway. The way the game is now, you rarely have a chance of

banging in the balls, you often have to hit a long ball to get yourself

in, because that is the game we all playing, and that I was -- that is

what I was practising yesterday. You got off to a good start against

Jamie Jones, it makes it harder if you don't in the first frame or you

go 2-0 down, but it felt like it was a bit flat out there, you never got

the adrenaline pumping. Today obviously you got off to a good

start. Is won the trigger for the other or... We all try to work it

out, what do you think is the trigger? I don't think there is any

key to it. When I got a chance I thought I would pick the speed up

and get into a rhythm and I was missing balls and when I came back

to the table I thought I would slow down and I was missing again and I

got to the point where I didn't know what to do, and with Jamie playing

well it all seemed to add onto that. We will talk about the quarterfinals

in a grander context in a moment but let's get your view on the table

conditions. We saw Dechawat have a kick which allowed you back in in

the final frame. Let's have a look at this. You can see how sick he is

high that kick. What is your view of the table controversy? A lot of

people said it could be the oil in the cloth, a lot of people said it

could have been the chalk, the referee's gloves. I know we put a

new cloth on one of the table to stop the kicks but if it is the

chalk we never going to stop it. It seems to bother more players than

others. You don't seem to in that camp of players who want to put the

boot into the game's governing body and say the tables should be

burned, why not? If you are going into a match you will get one kick,

you have to allow that you will, sometimes it will be important,

other times not, but that is the game. From a spectator's point of

view it is probably not bad because it looks like somebody has won the

match, they get a kick, it turns the game and the other person has a

chance. Do you think too much is being made of the table conditions,

Barry Hawkins said that the tables should be burned. A few years ago

when I started as a player you got some kicks, you probably get a few

more now, but I think it is part of the game. I think Barry Hawkins was

going on a lot more about the cushions bouncing. I think there can

be more structure to an end the bounces of the conditions rather

than the kicks. -- amends. The kicks have been in the game ever since I

was a player, I don't think we will ever get to the end of them. Whether

there are sports fans watching now getting increasingly frustrated,

over the past couple of tournaments you have had high profile players

blaming conditions. You could blame conditions in any sport but it seems

that in snooker it has become part of the debate in any tournament,

which is surely not good for the game. It isn't, but I think the

cushions are more calming than the kicks. You expect to get one or two

kicks in the match, but you expect the tables to play as well every

time you go out there. Sometimes it plays higher on the blue. You go out

expecting the kicks to happen at some point. Does Mark X -- deserve

round of applause for saying let's just get on with it? Snooker table

obviously has the potential, not exactly like a golf course, it has

the potential to make it absolutely perfect, there is the possibility

you can make it dead level, which was a problem one at -- once upon a

time, now I think they are as level as they have ever been. We have

asked for faster cushions, we have been given them, the outcome is

possibly because they are fast they are susceptible to bounces. The

balls are arguably better than they have ever been technology wise, but

there is also some concern that they are as well finished from the

factory, but if you look at the game of 9-ball pool, played with a

slightly different type of cushion and cloth, they don't seem to get as

many kicks, but their balls are heavier so they may steam-roll over

the top of it. We are all at a bit of a loss and Mark might be right,

we have to get on with it, but we can try and find a solution. One

common theme is that players going into the interviews and complaining

about cushions and table conditions are the ones who have just ain't

beating. That is not always the case. Shaun Murphy is still in the

tournament and he would argue his case. Everybody is entitled to their

opinion, everybody has their own theory and we are trying to reduce

it as much as possible. Let's look ahead to the tournament, look at a

possible showdown with Neil Robinson if you get through your

quarterfinal. I am not looking too far ahead right now, I have the

quarterfinal to play, it could be Luca Brecel or Matthew. Either of

them will be tough. Leicester City, top of the Premier League. It is not

too bad, is it? Thank you for speaking to weak -- to us. We looked

at Stuart Bingham taking on David Grace, who will paint the town red

if he plays today. I have been a professional for quite

a few years, playing on tour, but I have never done any good in a BBC

event, which is probably why people don't know who I am. It is

unbelievable even to have got this far. I know the top players are

winning tournaments and that, even the last 16 in a tournament this

big, for somebody like me it is like winning the tournament. If I lose

the tournament and have a few weeks of a gap I might do some painting on

the side. I did it at school and then I went full-time at snooker so

I left it alone for years but a few years ago I started to pick it up

again, showing a few paintings, I did one for my niece, I did one for

a charity auction of Neil Robertson and I signed it and so many people

were impressed by it that I started getting some commissions for work.

It is similar to snooker in a way, you have to prepare well and

concentrate, just stick at it really. I generally use acrylic

paint on canvas. I have not done that much sketching so I was quite

happy with how that came out. He is as tough as they come, hard as

nails, I have played him before so I know what to expect but it will just

be a tough game. I don't think you can have too much of a game plan

other than to play your own game. Obviously I am not finished yet, I

will do my best, but it is all over in a minute. His opponent, Peter

Ebdon, has a distinguished record at the UK championship. The 45-year-old

who turned professional in 1991 has been in quarterfinals, semifinals,

and he won in 2006, four years after winning the World Championship at

the Crucible of course. He beat Stephen Hendry 10-6 in the 2006

final and caused a huge upset in round three on Monday by knocking

out the current world champion Stuart Bingham. This fourth round

match got under way earlier this afternoon, we join it in the early

stages. COMMENTATOR: That was a good part,

that, played at the right pace. -- pot. Had to be so accurate. Forced

the cue ball up the table. Nice solid pot. As soon as you can

get your hands on the table and start knocking a few balls in,

somebody likes you. He would certainly have had a few

butterflies coming into this game at Helix to have settled nicely. -- at

he seems. Didn't get the desired screw on the cue ball but it helps

that the yellow is not on its spot because if he plays the cue shot and

misses the yellow or he can play a cannon on the yellow or the red and

he is most bound to be one of -- on one of the two reds in baulk.

That is about the most awkward place he could have finished, he has still

got the red to the left centre, but playing it into a blind pocket,

Baylor very easily when they go in. -- they look. Played it nicely and

found the gap, it just needs to slow up a bit. He overran it. This

black, if he decides to take it on, very difficult.

I thought it was the wrong choice, with the other red he could come up

for the blue no problem. Playing cushion first, that gave him

a chance to get the cue ball to manoeuvre around. Not that, he has

this red to the right corner. -- not bad.

Oh, the dreaded miscue. That was bad cueing. Trying to hold it, played

with a lot of bottom on the cue ball, but he just deaccelerated.

That mistake could be costly. We always say, when you miss when

you are in, but not only did he miss he set up David Grace for a nice

opportunity to possibly win the frame at this visit.

Not settled, has he? That was a shot you would expect him to get ten out

of ten. Bit fortunate to have left the red

cover and also Peter hampered on the other red.

That was always tough when you are using the spider. Particularly he

will feel a bit aggrieved that David Grace had left the EEC red over the

corner and it was covered, so David gets another chance. -- easy red.

More straight on the blue would have been ideal, but with the red over

the corner pocket no problem. I don't know whether the table is

playing a bit damp but when they are playing to get in to the cue

ball... He left that very straight to get onto the blue. I don't think

they are getting into the ball enough at the moment.

Oh, dear. This is a fluke tom though. That will work. You can't

beat a bit of luck. He put his hand up to apologise but

he won't apologise in getting enough points here to win the frame.

He didn't play a good positional shot off the blue for that red. As I

have said many times, once the cue ball starts having to travel up and

down the table you can quite easily lose good position.

46 in front, still a possible 67 remaining. Two reds needed.

Nice angle to play a cannon but there was no need because after this

blue one more red in the corner was all that was required.

52 ahead so pot this and go 53 ahead with only...

He needed a bit of help from his opponent but he has got there in the

end. A bit straighter on the black than

he would like but he does have the red available in the middle.

This will certainly settle what ever nerves he did have coming into the

match. It was too straight on the black,

that is why he played the pink to get up for the yellow. Played it

nicely. There is no pressure on these shots

of course but it's settles you down, as Willie said, and the more table

time you get early on in the match the more you benefit from it.

Well played, 84 break, he needed a few chances and he was given plenty.

David Grace leads 1-0. STUDIO: A good start for David

Grace, who has never eaten Ebdon. COMMENTATOR: Had an excellent run

over Stuart Bingham in the previous round. I don't think there is

another player in the game who plays this way and allegedly it helps with

the throw of the ball. Have you ever played with one? I did early days

when they came out with the two piece cues. Cliff Thorburn always

used to play with a fiver feral. It was always used in Canada. I am

not certain about the availability of the black. I can only assume it

doesn't go because if it did Peter would be down rolling this red in

and playing for the black. He is having a look now. It goes. Well, he

should have potted this red and the black by now.

Just leave yourself a nice angle on the black and screw black and play

for the red immediately to the left of the black in the same pocket.

Good chance, this. He played the run through trying to

develop the red but the problem with that is you could always push the

red into a position in potting it going away from the black. He's had

a bit of a result there, to be honest. He could use one red to hold

the cue-balled but he wasn't holding it that well until he hit the third

red -- the cue-balled. Anyway, still has a good chance of

getting enough points to win the frame here.

He played that quite nicely. The choice of reds, one to the right

corner and want of the left corner. -- one to the left corner. You would

favour the one to the right corner because you can leave yourself a

nice angle on ink or black, as it turns out. You just don't want to be

straight on the black. He will probably play the pink now. But as I

say he had choices of colours to play on. He has a 45 point lead with

a colour to come. As we said earlier on commentary, he's had over 340

competitive centuries, two maximum breaks in tournament play, 11

centuries this season. He's not a natural break-builder somehow.

Sometimes he plays it different to other players but, boy, he still

gets them. Overrun a little for the desired red. Yes. I think he played

for the one in the middle. He's on the red to the left corner, but he's

running into other reds, if he plays the want of a left middle he will

run into the other reds. This could go wrong.

Well, I'm not quite certain that is what he intended, but he will settle

for it. He obviously completely miss hit it, he went for the gap between

the black and the reds to come onto the black and because he missed it

he can end into the reds. He will play a cannon into the pink to hold

the cue ball. He held it without cannon in the pink. Peter is not

looking settled at the moment. Would you believe it? The one thing

you could never accuse Peter Ebdon of is missing a shot because of

being careless. Just de-accelerated on him so easily on these clots,

that if you get through the cue ball it drifts away from its intended

target. That was a good chance missed -- cloths.

That was a good chance missed. David Grace comes to the table 60 points

behind. A few reds in the open, but those two reds on the left-hand side

cushion as we look will take some negotiating. He's going to need all

of them if he is going to have hopes of winning the frame at this visit.

I suppose he will concentrate on just reducing the deficit. That is a

good chance it could finish up on nothing, and it has done.

It is not a natural gap to get into baulk, so I don't know if he's

taking this on. I don't know why he quite pushed the boat out there 57

points in front. That was a strange choice. May be thinking the only red

that he could leave was the one he's playing, and that's the one he's

left. 57 points in arrears. Not certain about the availability

of these two reds near the top cushion. The outside one will pot to

the left corner. He's just having a look now. If it did then that would

make matters a little easier. And it must pot. Yes, clearly. He'd

like to have a little bit more angle than this, he may have to play the

straight screw back and play for the black in the same pocket. He won't

be playing for the red that is closest to the top cushion.

He tried to force it over, but I think he would have been better

served trying to play the deep screw, trying to play the black into

the same pocket as the red. Good pot but how is the cue ball? He

conceived the bottom of the two near the pink shot to the corner so he

can play a shot to nothing. He'd rather finish outside baulk. He has

a choice of two reds he can play. I suppose he can swing it around

nicely for the blue and that would leave the shop to nothing. He's

decided to play into baulk for some reason -- the shot to nothing.

That's an excellent pot. He may have a bonus the fact he has nicely got

on the pink to the middle. He's 42 points in front. That just shows a

lack points in front. That just shows a

bit wary of this. No problem, he played it with a touch of right-hand

side just to widen the played it with a touch of right-hand

in his seat. Both legs bent. -- Mark King. Peter Ebdon levels the scorers

with that break of 52 at 1-1. Peter Ebdon gets frame three under

way. Both players looking a little bit edgy at the moment. I think it's

the occasion that is making them a little bit edgy rather than who are

playing. This is a big match for both of them. I know Peter Ebdon is

former UK and world champion, but he's not been getting the best of

results of late and this is a big opportunity having knocked out the

world champion. On the other hand, of course, for

David Grace this is an opportunity to go to the latter stages of one of

the biggest tournaments in the snooker calendar. But as you say,

the occasion can increase the pressure. And the importance.

That's twice he's played a similar shot, played it in the middle,

caught in the knuckle. He had won in this corner and now one in the far

corner. Peter looks on in disgust. -- he had one in this corner.

Lots of players would go into the pink but I don't know if David will

play that, he's playing to hold it, that was not a natural hold shot, he

had to really get into the cue ball. Second prize, landing on

Birech to the far right corner. It looks straight enough -- landing on

the red. He doesn't have to do a lot with the cue ball to get onto a

colour. Nicely played. As I say, lucky to

land in such an advantageous position.

There may be a red at the bottom of the cluster immediately above the

black. May be running into the other reds he will not be certain where

the cue ball will finish, but make certain of the pot.

He's done that and he's finished on the black. Well played. He judged

the pace of the second reds very nicely.

There is a slight angle on the black, he complained for the loose

red in the middle or play the cannon on the outside red to open it up a

little bit more. He's bound to be on one to be on want of -- bound to be

on one to the middle whatever happens.

Just one remaining loose red so it's essential to land on the black,

preferably half ball. He doesn't have to do too much with the pack,

it is a loose pack, there is only five reds. He will have to go into

them at pace to push one towards the middle. He has got the perfect

angle. He didn't want to hit the middle-of-the-road full ball, hit

the middle red and the right-hand dreadful stop if he doesn't he will

push one over the left-hand middle and over the right-hand middle. It's

almost impossible not to get on one here. He needs to get the joint,

that's what he needs to do here. That's what happens when you hit the

outside of them, you Cameronette away. Once again he's been extremely

fortunate to get on the one in the middle. -- you can run away. Pretty

straightforward cannon into the bunch. 51 in front and counting.

Inching ever closer to the winning line in this third frame, 55 points

is the lead. He will still need three of the remaining reds you

would feel, to be certain. Maybe two with high value colours. That's

nice. This pink will put him 62 points in front, so another red and

a colour would be sufficient. And he's perfect on the pink. Let's not

forget this came off a fluke when he played the one in the middle and

went down the cushion. Ebdon will not be liking this at all. The red

and the Blackwood blame 70 points in front with 67 remaining and the pink

would put him 69 points in front with 67 remaining.

Snooker required. But he knows Peter will carry on, so he will give this

one full concentration. Nothing you can do about it when Sandy gets a

fluke like David did -- somebody gets a fluke like David did. I was

going to say it is perfect on the pink to disturb the three reds, but

he's just come a little too straight. That's why he's going for

the blue and trying to cannon the three reds. Decent effort. He put a

lot of side on the cue ball. 75 points is the lead, just 59

remaining. I wouldn't put it past Peter to carry on. But for quite a

few snookers it should be all over and 2-1 to David Grace.

STUDIO: It was all over, David winning that frame, in frame four

the Leeds man is back at the table trailing by five points.

Good pot on the pink, couldn't do anything with the cue ball because

it was the natural angle between brown and yellow. This is a chance

to get at least 40 points. The black is out of commission but the pink is

available to both corners. And after this it is available to both of the

middle pockets. I can see five reds and five pinks coming up quickly.

It's all about the reds around the black. Points all square now.

Now the work starts. He needs to get nicely on the next red. Ideally he'd

like to get onto the green. If he gets high on the green he could play

the little cannon onto the red and get closer to the black. I'm not

sure how straight he is on the red, if it is to straight it is no good.

He has not got a good angle on this. It is no good running through to

force the black into play because it will hit the red so it might not

bring the black interplay. He's playing the slightly more difficult

cutback. I still fancy him to make this.

He played it nicely and he's got a nice angle on the blue. It is now

imperative he gets a nice angle on this red. We know that it pots. What

you do with this type of shot is look to get the cue ball ounce a

fraction of the top cushion. And if it did it could flip the red away

from the green, so if he gets the positional shot right he has every

chance of bringing the green interplay, or getting rid of the

green and getting it up the other end. Yes. Maybe just a little bit

too much bounce. Can he force it over to cannon that red that is next

to the green? Don't miss the pot, don't get too greedy. No, he didn't

have the angle to stun across. He has a chance at the pink, he has A27

point lead, but even if he potted the difficult pink eye. Nowhere the

red ball come from. -- the difficult pink, I don't know where the red

will come from. Tucking it up against the side

cushion as a little bit of insurance, should Peter Ebdon get a

chance. REFEREE: Foul and MS, David Grace.

There is no need to take this. I can't believe it all he has got to

do is nudge it into the black, get behind the brown and you have a

snooker, and if you haven't the green is blocking the path back to

the baulk end. I'm surprised Peter tried to play this so thin. Mistake

there, David. You shouldn't have had this replaced.

And that's the reason why. That's your own fault, David, I'm afraid,

my friend. Well, that was a long, long way

away. But he played the pot, believe me.

Even though the lead is 31 points for David, he would be pretty

pleased he has got the yellow safe. Because these three reds are all

becoming available, so should Peter Ebdon get a chance, you could see

him getting three reds and three colours, which would get him back

into the frame. That was why it was important to put the yellow safe.

The dreaded bump. Normally it's not a good thing to happen, but it's not

worked out too bad. No harm done. Well, that is to Peter Ebdon's

advantage, that the yellow is away from the side cushion, but what is

not to his advantage is that there is a chance now for David Grace to

win the frame at this visit. He's got this mid-distance read, just

overly half hour mark. -- he's got this mid-distance red. Just over the

half hour mark, which makes it the longest frame of the match so far.

He slotted that in. Did not really hold the cue ball as he would have

liked. The black would put him 39 points in front with still 43

remaining, so he needs another red after the colour, that is why he has

elected to play the pink. And I can only assume that this red

will pass the black. And this red, that does go past the black, is all

he needs to go 39 points in front with 35 remaining.

He has to make sure he gets close to putting this red. He knows that

Peter Ebdon will carry on. So this is to get to the interval

JOHN VIRGO: well, I'm amazed he didn't take it on. I really am. But

as I said earlier on in this frame, if you don't fancy them, you don't

have to play them. But at the highest standard commercially if

he's going to win the match... -- at the highest standard, surely

if he's going to win the match... WILLIE THORNE: He probably played

the blue into the black, there. It's the easiest shot to play but he

might not want to play it. Well, he had a chance, Peter,

before, when I thought he could have gone for the blue, and he refused

it. He might not get another chance now. This blue for the frame.

No. It's one of those frames, Willie, you're thinking, does anyone

want to win it? Peter is looking up to the gods. Goodness me, he's

refused three or four shots. You can't think that's bad luck. He is

lucky to be still in the frame. He can just play thin off this one. The

referee has obviously called touching ball.

So, trying to come round and get in behind the black here. Nowhere near

behind the black. Got to be a little bit careful if he

plays the blue onto the black, he might knock it in. Whatever

happens, you don't want to be putting the black safe.

Well, you've just seen how a little slide side lance to the left

middle. Surely he's not playing the double? Is he!

I'm not quite certain what he played in the end. I think it was a

half-hearted attempt at the double. Now, will Peter take this one on?

He seems very twitchy, Peter, at the minute. He's not got any fluency in

his action at all. No, I agree, and with all his vast experience, he is

shaking his head a lot out there. He doesn't look comfortable and he

hasn't done, from frame one. And this blue will cut if he decided he

wanted to have a go at it. He's just coming round to have a look at the

potting angle. Blue is all he needs. Well, if you're going to miss them,

miss them too thin. There's a little bit of mileage in

playing this cushion first here, because the white will stay factly

where the blue is. Play the up and down shot. I suppose he could risk

playing it up and down and trying to push the black safe. This is what

he's played. A bit harder and he would have knocked the black safe.

Not a straightforward up and down here. You don't want the blue

colliding into the black. Playing the cushion on one side, the blue on

the other. Safe enough. The dreaded bump, and surely that's

the end of this fifth frame. APPLAUSE

In it goes! Is a very relieved David Grace. He had plenty of chances

there. Peter Ebdon, well, he's just not playing at the moment. Things

are not looking good. 39 minutes, just short of, that frame took, and

neither player will look back on it with great joy, but David Grace will

be satisfied. It now gives him a 4 frames to one lead. Yes, and the

2006 UK champion Peter Ebdon was up against it. Let's show you what

happened in frame six. COMMENTATOR: Well, that's a

tremendous pot. That's a tremendous pot. Every credit for taking that

on. Whatever he gets, he deserves. The black is freely available to the

left-hand side. He wants to play for the black so I imagine he will be

playing for pink or black. He's putting some screw on, so I would

suggest he is just holding it for the pink. Now, what he wouldn't give

for another sizeable break in this frame, to take a 5-1 lead.

Now, if the pink pots in the left-hand corner, make sure you get

high on the pink. That's a good shot because now he can bring other reds

into play. Got to be a little careful in playing the cannon. He's

looking at the loose red. If those two above it pot, play for the loose

one. This is a great chance to go 5-1 in front. He looks as though

he's left it absolutely inch perfect. Pot this red, little screw

into the red to the right of it. And that's worked out pretty good. Both

those reds that are close together are available. What a chance he's

given himself here. And it's fair to say, a red that he took on that not

many would have. Yes, you called in commentary, what he gets from here

he deserves. That was for a red he potted, the opening red. The reason

John said it was a bit risky, because playing it at the pace he

did, it had to go in. This was the shot you're talking about, and he

played it in such a way, he knows the pink and black are there for the

taking, but the pace he played it, he went all out for it. Well done.

Has he held it? Has he held it! I think he has. He's coming round to

look at where he wants to leave himself. I thought for one moment he

had just run too far and couldn't get through to the black. But I

think he can just about make it. REFEREE: Foul. Well! He convinced

himself he could. Can you believe it?

He convinced himself he could get past the red. Well, a disappointing

end, there. He had built himself a great chance.

Well, once again a very average safety shot there from Peter Ebdon.

He's only just reached the baulk line, never mind the baulk vision.

-- baulk cushion. A little look up to the heavens from

David. He knew when he was in before that that was an excellent chance.

This looks a good line. APPLAUSE

The only problem is with that shot, he's got the snooker but it's an

easy escape, you would have thought. Left-hand side cushion, as we look.

Just the other side of the middle pocket. A trace of side. OK you're

always a bit frightened that you can just slip by the reds, but he

shouldn't do. Well, it looks straightforward but maybe it isn't

as straightforward as I thought. He's going to try and come off three

questions here and hoping it jets off the third cushion.

REFEREE: Foul and a miss, Peter Ebdon four. Badly misjudged. The

pace he's playing at, if he misses it... What he's trying to do is come

off the left cushion with left-hand side and then check into them. I'm

sure he will make a better adjustment here.

Well, that wasn't the shop I had in mind! And I'm looking at his face,

I'm not certain that shot he had in mind! I'll ask him later. -- I'm not

certain that is the shop he had in mind.

Well, both these reds are available into the middle pocket. Obviously he

will be worried about getting on the black, and it's no good, so just

roll it in for the pink in the middle.

Peter Ebdon, one. It's not a pretty sight to see a layer struggling as

Peter is. -- a player. He certainly is finding it very hard work out

there. The two reds at the right of the pack, that looks a certain

plant. He's had a look at it. He can play this and he can actually

screw back for the black. He has screwed back for the black,

but he's much too straight on the black to be getting on the next red,

so I would suggest that he will probably just roll this in and

settle for the seven points. Because if you play them with any kind of

pace, the black just won't go in. Peter looks like he's taking this

red on, the 1 near the pink spot, and play up for the brown or the

green. Good pot. Not a great white. Yes, it was a good pot. But David

Grace, when he played safe, when he just trickled that black along the

top cushion, he should have found the baulk vision with his safety.

Now, has he got the angle? A natural angle to put the yellow or blue and

going to the reds. Hmmm. Well, he missed the blue and

that's the problem, he is missing too many balls, Peter. He had split

the reds open but he has got away with it. Mark Selby struggled the

other night against a very in-form Jamie Jones and managed to somehow

get a victory, but I don't see how Pete at think and get a victory at

the minute in this match, the way he's playing. I think he's

definitely got to win this frame to have any chance. I can't see him

winning five frames in a row, not on what we've witnessed so far.

Well, if he's covered the path to that little cluster of four in the

middle of the table with the yellow, that could be quite a

telling safety shot. There is a pot on. There's a gap between yellow and

pink to be playing this red. But he would be running into the black.

This isn't a shock to nothing. You go for it, you have to get it. And

he's just throwing himself at it. I mean, there's so much movement going

on. This is very unlike Peter. Just watch the movement here. Back

arm went, head lifted. I'm just wondering, does he have a back

injury? I'm just working out the reason for the different stance. Has

he got a back injury? I don't know, I saw him the other day after he

beat Stuart Bingham and I said hello and he said he's playing well and

practising hard. Obviously couldn't get through to

get to the potting angle of that red. This long pot, it's a shock to

nothing as far as he brought the cue ball all the way back into baulk,

but the way he's playing, I would be a little reluctant to play it.

That's the one I'm thinking of. He's going to play the other one, the 1

nearest the pink spot. But if he pops it he will do well to miss the

red on the left-hand side, off two cushions. Once again an awful long

way. cushions. Once again an awful long

red can be cut to the middle, it looks a little bit past the pocket.

But it's catching. All of a sudden David Grace is starting to miss.

It's one of those things where you are excited to see your opponent

playing so badly you think, I'm going to win the match. But you've

got to play one shot at a time, don't see the winning post too soon.

I think the reason he's playing the yellow and not the blue is that the

blue, if it went back on its spot, could tie up the pink. Would you

believe it? Would you believe it? I mean, he's going as though he got a

kick but normally if you get a kick you hit them too thick, not too

thin. It's hard to know, I'm not a lip reader. I don't know!

David Grace will never get a better chance of getting into the last

eight of the tournament than this. Just not getting through the ball at

the minute. He's getting so excited realising he has a chance to get

through to the quarterfinal his cue action has gone, he was trying to

get onto the pink to the middle pocket. 25 points the lead. Just

cute this pink straight, doesn't have to do much with the cue ball.

-- Kew. In it goes. 31 points is the lead, two reds and two colours and

he will be one frame away from victory.

He will be excited inside now. He just has to remind his work. Pink,

red, high valued colour, he will be 5-1. I'm surprised he played for the

bottom red, why not play for the top red, which is a little easier?

Looking at his body language, he's on neither of them. Hang on a

minute, I think he can get through to this red. He's playing with

bottom, he will have to run around off to cushions -- two questions.

That's as well as he has struck any shot, well in the last couple of

frames, anyway. This black to go 46 points in front with 43 remaining.

In it goes. He kept his head down and played it well, that was a good

shot, surprised he played the screw back and not the run-through but

it's always the same, he got on the black.

He keeps glancing at the scoreboard. David will be getting excited now.

He's done what he had to do, winning the frame in one visit, second

visit, of course, but at least he did what he had to do to get past

the winning post in this frame. He's been pretty consistent when he has

the balls in open play. It is sad to see a player struggling

as much as Peter is today. I can only assume he has a back problem

with the way he is standing. Another break up of 54 David Grace,

his third of the match so far. -- 50, four David Grace. Well done,

David, this has been a good clearance, missed a couple early on

in the frame but he did it when it matters most, he leads 5-1. Four up

with a possible five to play. STUDIO: Grace is playing well and

he's never beaten Peter Ebdon who is the 2006 champion and fighting to

stay in the match. Into the next frame and Peter Ebdon is at the

table reading by 38 points. COMMENTATOR: Yellow mac just enough

room between the red and the blue. He can get through to the red. He is

taking on the pot. He's got to be careful he does not foul the red

with his cue. That was the thing that was putting him off slightly.

Now you are more concerned with pushing this cue threw in a straight

line and bringing it back in a straight line. This is a chance

here. It might be a bit tricky. The fact he has asked for the spider

doesn't make it any easier. But the thing is with the red he doesn't

have to do anything with the cue ball, just drop the red in and you

are bound to be on the black. It is tricky with this spider.

He played it well, he played it very well. OK, he doesn't have a good

angle on the black and he will have to play for one of the loose reds

but in the main cluster there is one red sticking out. As we watch this

again well played. If he wanted to be perfect on the next red he would

like to believe little angle to bring the others into play, but he's

gone too far. If he gets onto the colour here, which could be the

black, he has got to be careful playing the run-through, that is why

he's playing the screw up for the pink or the blue. If this works this

is a frame and match-winning opportunity. Because, all of the

reds are perfect now. Just got into it a little bit too much, he's not

on the blue and not ideal on a baulk colour. But the reds are all there

for the taking. He's looking to see if he can drop the blue in and

cannon into another red. The most important thing here is to pot the

blue. Which he has done nicely, and nudged the red over the corner.

Couldn't have done it better with his hand. This is deep breath time

for David Grace and his supporters. He has a chance of beating a former

UK and world champion in the latter stages of a second major. He's just

got to hold himself together now. He left himself a little bit

hampered but I think he can get through to it. Just slightly

hampered, you can see him cueing high on the cue ball but nothing to

do with the white, just off the cushion.

That's OK. Again he will need the extension.

Red and black would make the points all square. That would leave four

reds. OK, one of them is near the top cushion, that should not provide

too much difficulty. The one near where the rest is now. But those

four reds with high value colours would see him get to the snooker is

required stage. -- snooker is required. This lack makes the points

all square. Frame and match -- black makes the point all square. At his

mercy. Essential to leave an angle on the

black this time to get onto the two reds. I don't think they are both

available to the left-hand corner. He needs a good angle. He does not

want to be straight, otherwise he will have to play for the middle.

That wouldn't be a bad thing. I don't think he's got the perfect

angle. I think you are right, he will have two playful one of them in

the middle. -- play for one of them. If he plays for the pink I'm

not sure where it will go when it is re-spotted.

He played that nicely. I think he just has the slight angle here. If

he's going to Blade Runner round off to -- two cushions, he's looking at

where the cue ball is going to be. I wouldn't be too concerned about the

red and moving the one near the left-hand side because it's in a

portable position. He's having the cue ball cleaned, he doesn't want

any heavy contact. It's all about control in this. He's going to play

with top spin and run around off two cushions. It is easy to do that and

snooker yourself on the pink. He needs a bounce. He was so concerned

about snickering himself on the pink he has on the pink he has underhit

to play for a baulk cover, -- baulk colour, which takes the pressure off

the red because he will cover it with the blue. I think with this

type of shot, if you don't get on the baulk colour, if you pot the

ball you get to play the next shot. That is a nice case. That's OK. He

put his hand up and apologised, Peter. Because, I think he may just

be able to stun across to the other side of the table where the last and

key red for frame and match is. I'd be wanting to play behind the red.

If you screw direct and leave one pocket, underhit it or overhit it

you do not leave yourself options. He hasn't done. Oh dear, there is

still some life left in this frame. I don't mind him kissing the black.

That can happen. Not on the way up. I would excuse him from kissing the

black if he hit it off the cushion but not straight into the black.

That's about all he could do, he felt. He goes back to his seat, 22

points the lead, he's missed his match-winning opportunity. Will he

get another one in this frame. Decision Time now for Peter Ebdon.

He knows that if he goes for this and misses it it could be his last

shot. And in the end he decided not to go for it. If he's got the

snooker you'd have to say it was the right decision. Is there an age

sticking out? I don't think so -- an edge.

I mean, there is an edge, but he can't get to it. Come off the side

cushion and try and get it safe. He's not got it safe. Peter, this is

your chance. 22 points in it. He's going to need red, colour and the

six remaining colours to keep his hopes alive.

Once again you heard him immediately asking for the cue ball to be

cleaned, and the shaking of the head, we've had a lot of that today.

It's finished perfect on the yellow, John, whether it got a kick

or not. I always feel with these clearances,

as I say on many occasions, it's the position from brown to the blue that

is the key. If you pot the brown and get perfect position on the blue it

should be a formality. With the pink not being on its spot

he was able to hold, so pink and black to pinch the frame.

It goes in. Even then he complained about the contact but it won't

matter, he's won the frame, David Grace had a chance to clinch frame

and match and couldn't do it, good clearance from Peter Ebdon but still

three behind the Leeds man, leading 5-2.

David Grace breaking off in frame eight.

Decided on the aggressive safety. He's got a good cue ball. I think he

has left the path for this red to the right corner.

He has slotted it in lovely and got a nice little flick off the red,

giving him half decent position on the blue. Good Part. -- pot.

Played it into the top pocket, he knew that was the best way to

match, but this is not a certainty. No, but he's played the right shot.

No. It is too wide, I'm surprised he stunned it, if

He decided to run it off the top cushion, safer to play the screw

shot. Not too bad because there is a red on the other side of the table

he could play off this black. He doesn't really have to hold the cue

ball. I thought he would have played for

the red into the left middle. I have a feeling he may have done but he's

well short of pace, and are now he has left himself a bit of a tester.

Thin cut to the middle, pot into the corner, not as straightforward as he

would have liked. Well, once again he wasn't happy

with the contact. A thigh slapping reaction. And in the air.

But as it turned out, he was nicely on the red. OK he might have been a

bit closer to the cushion than he would have liked, but it wasn't

really a massive problem. Well, once again... He's gone right

in the heart of the pocket but he's complaining he didn't get the best

of contacts. I'm going to say something here. I just don't think

you're cueing well enough, Peter. I don't think it's the ball's fault

every time. I just don't think you're cueing smoothly. This is why

you're getting one or two heavy contacts.

This red for his second 50 break of the match. He's starting to find a

bit of form, but still doing a bit of complaining.

Oh, you're kidding! He's just jabbing at everything. When you

talked about him cueing poorly, that was a prime example. He just jabbed

at that. Look at his head and his back arm. Just no confidence at all.

Every time he's playing stunned shop, he's got no confidence at all

in the shot. -- every time he's playing a stun shot.

An unexpected opportunity now for David Grace. And sometimes, Willie,

these are the easier ones, aren't they? The fact that you're sat there

in your chair, to all intents and purposes you have lost the frame,

and now you come to the table and it's a bit of a bonus. Absolutely.

And the fact that he's behind, he's not getting excited thinking I can

win frame and match at this visit, he just wants to get back into the

frame, and when he gets onto the last red then the pressure comes

about the frame and match. He's just got to mind his work. He had a

chance in the previous frame to pinch it.

Wasn't a bad idea, that. I think he was thinking he may have had a

choice of two reds, but obviously he got too close to the 1 that would

have been a possible maybe into the middle. But he's on this and he can

just stun out and play for the pink in the middle. Just got enough

angle. This break would put him 23 points

behind. He would like to have been a bit straighter on this pink. He may

have to play a little cannon now to develop the red that's just below

the pink. Don't take your eyes off the pot.

Played it beautifully. Good shot. APPLAUSE

After the last red, hopefully he will be able to play for the blue,

which makes it a lot easier to get to the yellow, or even baulk colour.

Doesn't matter. So this is now the key shop, I think. Yes, and if he

gets reasonably high value colours, he will not need the black.

He's got a nice angle to get onto baulk colour. If he rolls it in, he

will be on the green or yellow. He's putting a bit of back spin on which

makes this slightly more difficult than it needs to be. He caught the

near shore, but it's gone in. Not too nicely on the blue. Just caught

the near jaw. Look at this thread. That's nervous for you. -- look at

this red. If he plays to hold it he will be OK, but if he plays to go in

and out of baulk, whatever you do don't hit one of the baulk colours.

He's played that nicely. He has played that nicely. Well, not. Not

perfect. He needs up to and including the

pink for a place in the quarterfinal of the UK championship.

Well, that was a pressure pot. He's played it nicely. As JV is always

says, brown the blue should be the only problem. But the advantage is

he doesn't need the black. He will be feeling it out there.

This is one of the biggest matches of his snooker playing career.

Oh! He's overhit this. Needs to slow down. Just a little bit of

adrenaline, there. As I say, it's not that important, but he can't get

close to the pink now. But he only needs the pink. If he needed pink

and black, he would have a problem. Peter Ebdon may think there is a

slight chance of him getting back to the table. This pink for the match.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE It's there, it's there! Peter Ebdon

will be very disappointed but he gives a warm handshake to David

Grace. Peter Ebdon never found his game, but that won't bother David

Grace, he is in the quarterfinal of the United Kingdom Championship. He

struggled sometimes to get over the line, but he took those really well

at the end. A deserved winner, and he goes through, beating the former

UK and world champion by six frames to two. He's in the quarterfinal!

Not only is he in the quarterfinal but he is also with us in the

studio. Lovely applause from the York crowd. Being a Yorkshire man

and a boy from Leeds as well. How does that sound, UK championship

quarterfinalists? Brilliant, can't believe it. Lost for words really!

You hung on in there today and were you surprised at how many chances

you had to win that match today? Yeah, obviously Peter did not play

anywhere near as well as he did against Stuart, but I was just

sticking in there and trying to take my chances when they came. Last

season you were saying you won ?5,000 prize money. Now all of a

sudden you have quadrupled that in one hit. What is the difference in

your game, it has all come together, you're being patient?

Possibly patients, enjoying it a bit more. Happier of the table, getting

married next year to Gemma. I think that's probably part of it. You're

also at the northern snooker centre where there is a good competitive

scene and some good people, Peter lines, Oliver lines... You have a

day of practice in there and people think you have retired! Were you

surprised how relaxed you were? People thought it being your first

major TV appearance, when it goes close you might freeze a bit but you

were very relaxed on the last few colours and the last few balls you

ported. I have been quite relaxed, I've had the same attitude from the

first round. I've been enjoying it and things have been going my Way

which has helped. When the pressure has been on, I have felt like I

could do it. You appeared to be so relaxed and yet Peter seemed to be

very jittery this afternoon. Did you detect that? Yeah, yeah. He didn't

play that great but he was getting a lot of kicks as well. The balls

weren't playing that clever. I probably had the same amount but I

was just trying to not let it affect me. When you got income you scored

quite well, didn't you? Yeah, yeah. Peter Ebdon has just given this

reaction to his defeat, once again talking about kicks. It was

frightening, absolutely ridiculous. Never seen anything like it. Time

and time again. It was absolutely told destroying. I thought the table

played very different today than a couple of days ago, quite a lot

heavier. A number of bounces and a number of kicks was just soul

destroying. You had no confidence in the shots you were playing because

you just kept getting bad contact after bad contact, losing position,

bad bounces. It was very, very difficult. When Peter won the

seventh frame, we saw Peter walking out and he was very frustrated us

that he appeared to say something. Did you hear what he had to say? Was

it just frustration about the kicks? I think it was just frustration,

yeah. He was getting a lot of kicks. Yeah, difficult. It looked like he

was upset within self, though. He was fighting with himself and the

way he was playing and the table. It he was jumping up an awful lot. The

boys noticed it in commentary, they said he was jabbing. A lot of body

movement, more than we have ever seen from him. The modern-day

techniques are a lot stronger than Peter's now. Perhaps he will have to

keep his head still more on the shot. You looks a lot more solid on

the shot. Yeah, possibly. Peter is still playing good snooker. He

proved that the other day. It just wasn't there for him today. We have

spent a lot of time talking about kicks and table conditions. Do you

have a general view on how well the tables have been performing? Quite

well for me! When you're playing well and winning matches, nobody is

coming in here and going on television and moaning about the

tables, and yet those people who are losing, in Barry Hawkins's case, the

tables should be burned! From round two round they play differently.

It's just something you have to get on with. Obviously the players that

have balls that cost them are going to be more aggrieved than a player

who might have some bad contacts but it doesn't necessarily seem to cost

them. I don't know the answer but from David's perspective, if the

other guy is getting annoyed, the best thing you can do is just get on

with it. Let him take the hole for himself. Isn't it amazing, we had

two tables out there in the arena, side-by-side, Mark Selby on the

other table didn't really moan about any kicks and made so many big

breaks and won 6-1 and the kicks tables they completely different.

Barry Hawkins saying they should be set on fire," soul destroying" from

Peter Ebdon. Strong words. He's coming in and winning and saying no

problem for me! I want to buy the table!

LAUGHTER You won't be able to if Barry

Hawkins gets his way! Next up for you it is Martin Gould or Joe Swail.

Yes, obviously it doesn't get any easier but I'm the King forward to

getting back out there. What about your art? It has been fascinating.

Yeah, I did it at school. I never touched it for a few years until a

few years ago and then pick it back up again. That thing you did Peter

Ebdon was marvellous. We've had a few artists over the years in the

game and it's nice to see another one. Will you be going out to paint

the town red tonight? LAUGHTER

Here is a new one, he will have to come out to new music,