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Hendry through to second round after Crucible thriller

21/04/2008

Seven-time champion Stephen Hendry survived a huge scare to beat Mark Allen 10-9 in the first round of the world championships at the Crucible.

Hendry, trailing 6-3 overnight, took the first three frames this morning to level.

Allen then hit back by taking an 8-6 lead including a break of 89. The Scot reduced his deficit with a 65 before Allen went 9-7 ahead with a break of 55.

But Hendry, 39, then snatched victory by taking the next three frames with a break of 72 in the decider.

Hendry said it was the greatest first round match he had ever played in Sheffield.

"I was up against it the whole time, I felt outplayed a lot of the time and just hung in there basically and refused to go down, Hendry said.

"I've got to take confidence from a win like this, to be up against it all the way and come through in the end, and to win the last frame in style in one visit is very pleasing."

Meanwhile, Allen burst into tears as he reflected on missed opportunities in frame ten and the decider to seal victory.

"I thought I played the better snooker but I had my chance in the last frame and didn't take it," Allen said.

"The way Stephen took the last frame shows what he is still capable of and it shows how experience matters at The Crucible.

"A lot of players would have crumbled in that last frame but he played a perfect frame."

Elsewhere, Welshman Ryan Day booked his place in the second round with a 10-6 victory over Irishman Michael Judge.

Last year's runner-up Mark Selby will resume tomorrow morning with a 5-4 lead over Mark King.