Fortunes mixed as Bexhill ace returns to snooker table

The world number 24 from Bexhill lined up in the Championship League at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes on Saturday.

Robertson finished second in group eight, behind Ben Woollaston, after winning one and drawing two of his three matches.

The 34-year-old made a splendid start to the event, winning his first five frames, only to lose four of the subsequent six.

Robertson began with a 3-0 victory over Malaysian cueman Thor Chuan Leong, aided by a break of 81 in frame two.

He then went 2-0 up against Liam Highfield, conceding just five points in the process, but a run of 95 in the third helped Highfield hit back to earn a 2-2 draw.

That meant Robertson would have to beat Woollaston in his final match to top the group and advance to the group winners' stage this week.

World number 38 Woollaston, however, clinched the first two frames with breaks of 70 and 71 to secure top spot.

Robertson - the 2018 European Masters winner - did at least take the final two frames, aided by a 73 in the last, to salvage a draw and stay undefeated.

Held behind closed doors and televised on ITV4, the Championship League featured 64 leading players, including world champion Judd Trump and Ronnie O'Sullivan.

In line with government guidelines regarding Covid-19, all players, staff and contractors were tested before entering the venue, and kept in isolation until their results were known.

Players required a negative test in order to be eligible for the event and a range of other safety measures were in place.

As previously reported, Mark Davis - the world number 32 from St Leonards - finished second in group three on Tuesday, last week.