Robert Milkins succumbs to Rory McLeod in final qualifying round – Australian Goldfields Open 2011
Rory McLeod has defeated Robert Milkins by a frame score of 5-2 in the best-of-nine frames final qualifying match of the 2011 Australian Goldfields Open tournament.
This event is being staged at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield.
It was a dominating performance from the 40-year-old, McLeod, whose best performance came up in the 2011 World Snooker Championship where he reached the last 16 before losing out to the eventual winner John Higgins.
The overall score-line between both players was 89-7 (Milkins 88), 0-66 (McLeod 54), 17-82 (McLeod 73), 29-49, 65-37, 10-72 (McLeod 72) and 24-69 (McLeod 61).
The world number 33, Milkins, started off in a straight forward fashion by hitting a magnificent break of 88 to draw the first blood 1-0. However, any early nerves were soon removed by McLeod who gave him no chance in the following second frame and levelled
the things at 1-1 with a modest break of 54.
In the third frame, the first chance fell for Milkins but he could only manage a break of 17 and was punished by McLeod with another classy break of 73.
The fourth frame was a scrappy affair. A bout of safety play was seen among the players but in the end, it was McLeod who came on top with his flawless safety skills to further extend his lead at 3-1.
It was an exactly opposite story in the fifth frame, which was also cagey. Milkins somehow managed in winning it to come within one frame at 2-3 but there was no use, as he lost the following two in a row.
Though the 35-year-old Milkins was the first one to be among the balls in both the sixth and seventh frames, he lost his nerves, breaking down on 10 and 24 respectively. However, McLeod was in no mood of giving away any more chances, as he knocked in carving
breaks of 72 and 61 in both frames respectively to seal his win.
Rory McLeod will now face former world champion Peter Ebdon in the last 32 in Australia.
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