My first match was the ball spotting exercise I knew it would be. Nick Pearce is quality, no getting away from it. He had a 50 odd in the first then a 67 then a couple of 30s in the 3rd but in the 4th he missed a few and gave me a couple of chances, or rather I actually carved the chances out for myself with some good safety as I like to think, even though I didn't pot more than about 3 balls in a row. Anyway, it came down to me being 2 points ahead and facing this shot. Given how tight the pockets are I thought there was no danger in potting the pink, I just wanted to develop it so if I did get a chance on the blue the pink would be pottable. Anyway, he potted blue and a good pink to win.
The second match started right after the first and I won the first frame but stupidly in my mind I was so delighted to have won a frame I lost concentration which resulted in my worst spell of form since coming here. I was awful, I dragged the other guy down something rotten but I should've won the second frame but missed about 3 frame balls, then I should've won the 3rd as well which also came down to the pink. But during the 4th frame my head was in a mess and I was dreading having to play another match, I couldn't see the shots or pot a thing. Anyway, at 3-1 I pulled myself together and kept it tight and won it fairly easily then won the next after he made a 48 break when the scores were level. 3 reds left I think and I managed to win the frame potting a pressure black to keep the match going. I learnt my lesson from last night by this time using the mini but so I could reach the shot.
I had chances in the decider but all I could think about was how good it would be to win the match. It's so hard not to think about winning. I should have won the match and I thought I'd won the match but a few careless shots here and there left the door open and in the end the fella won on the blue after I stuck the yellow up for him. I can't remember what happened or what I missed, just that I should've won.
Anyway, before I had chance to eat I was back on again for the "Snooker Island grudge match" as people have been calling it but there's no grudges, Alex is a nice bloke and we had a bit of banter when we played. I thought he would be fresh and would kick my bottom but even though I was tired from the previous match I caught him cold and he couldn't get going so I kept it tight because I could see he was getting frustrated. Sometimes you've just gotta do it.
There was one scenario where he was about 15 ahead I think and I laid him in a good snooker when the score was 2-0:
and he thought about it for ages, and then played a shot and didn't even get close to be fair. I had the balls replaced but then he went another way and still didn't get close. This is where the miss rule is tough because I had no idea of his standard but I reckon he could've got a lot closer than he did. I felt bad but then figured what would anyone else do in that situation? It came down to the black and I had one chance at pocket weight which I missed and he potted. So it didn't matter in the end. But after the second attempt the shot I had facing me wasn't one I fancied and wasn't one I would be happy putting him in to bat so what do you do?
Anyway, ended up winning an entertaining last frame with pink over the pocket so I'm through to tomorrow where I'll get pumped 4-0 but I don't care.
Right, a quick catch up on the forum and I'm back across. I do want to do some interviews but I don't really feel like it at the moment so I'll probably watch a few games and have some food and a couple of beers and see what happens.