Stephen Maguire ends Mark J Williams run in the quarter-finals of the Welsh Open 2011
The “Welsh potting machine” Mark J Williams, the home town favourite, has been beaten by Stephen Maguire by a frame score of 5-3 in the last 8 matches at Wyldecrest Parks Homes Welsh Open.
The Welsh ace had not dropped even a single match previously playing against Marco Fu and Jamie Cope and was looking forward to become the first player, since Ronnie O’Sullivan 2003, to win two ranking titles in one season.
It was a best-of-eleven in which many unforced errors and a few kick were seen by both players.
In the first frame Maguire was first to be among the balls but he ran out of position after potting 15 bringing Williams back on the table who could only pot 8 there before missing a red in the left centre pocket giving his opponent a great match winning
chance. Maguire with a couple of quick breaks like 21 and 45 had the opening frame 1-0.
Williams didn’t show any signs of reeling after losing the frame instead on getting a chance launched a quick fire 54 in the second frame equalling the scores 1-1.
In the third frame, Williams and Maguire were going cagey as they were having a bout of safety in between them. Williams accidentally nudged the cue ball while lining up a long safety from tight to the baulk cushion leaving the Scottish player a long
pot which he also missed. Reds were all bunched up against the pink and things were tight till Williams tried opening the reds at a lead of 45-10. They were fighting on the last three reds when later on Williams missed an unbelievable blue, as simplest as
any, on a lead of 66-39 but was lucky though to have the frame as the blue was left tight and Maguire clipped the pink accidentally. Williams went ahead by 2-1.
In the fourth frame, Williams blasted a pot and was off with a flying start but he went out of position after 42 letting Maguire back on the table. Williams was lucky to get back soon as a slight kick on the red from Maguire helped him but again he
broke down at 12 leaving his opponent many options this time. Maguire trailing Williams by 54-0, pulled some magnificent shots and made a superb clearance, 65, to win the frame 2-2.
Fifth frame was taken by the Welshman with dominant breaks of 63 and 25. The frame score now was 3-2 in the favour of Williams but Maguire did not give the world number 2 any chance to have any other frame afterwards.
Making a great comeback, Maguire 3-2 down came up to beat Williams 5-3. He took the sixth and seventh frame with classy breaks of 105 and 68 respectively. Following frame was also taken by the Scotsman after a tough safety bout to seal his win 5-3.
The overall score line was 8-85, 61-0, 75-39, 54-65, 88-15, 16-109, and 8-78.
The local hero Mark Williams has been finally sent home by Stephen Maguire who now will play Mark Selby in the Semi-final on February 19, 2011.
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