Mixed fortunes for local duo

Bexhill-based Jimmy Robertson won his match on Sunday evening, but St Leonards potter Mark Davis suffered a surprise defeat yesterday (Monday) afternoon.

World number 51 Robertson came from 2-0 and 3-1 down to see off English amateur Sydney Wilson. Runs of 46, 45 and 31 put Wilson ahead at the interval, with Robertson having made a 44 and 39.

Robertson won the fifth with the aid of 33 points in fouls and overturned Wilson’s opening 47 with a 65 to make it 3-3. A run of 50 put Wilson 42 points in front in the seventh, but Robertson clinched it with a 73 and a 39 in frame eight helped complete the turnaround.

Former English Amateur champion Robertson will take on ex-world champion Peter Ebdon or Fraser Patrick at the venue stage of the event, which will take place from March 31-April 6.

World number 13 Davis won the opening frame against 89th-ranked David Morris with a break of 54, but it all went horribly wrong thereafter as the Irish cueman reeled off five in a row for a 5-1 victory.

Morris rattled through the second with a run of 118 and a 62 clearance gave him the third on the black after Davis had opened up a 60-point lead. Two 30-plus efforts earned Morris the fourth and fifth frames, and although Davis began the sixth with a 49, Morris came back to clinch it.

Next up for the local duo is the Welsh Open. Robertson will face young Belgian talent Luca Brecel tomorrow afternoon, while Davis will begin his campaign against Alexander Ursenbacher on Friday morning.