Michael Holt the charismatic cueist from Nottingham, entered the Crucible knowing that a good start was an absolute must after trailing 7-2 overnight.The World number 12 Joe Perry who produced some great clearances in the first session,had other plans and quickly extended his lead to 8-2 with a very efficient 60 break.
Despite this early set back, Holt battled away taking the next with runs of 56 and 23. Perry looked almost certain to win frame twelve, when leading by 56 points. Holt was given a lifeline and produced an excellent 54 clearance to keep his hopes alive.
Perry who reached the semi-finals in 2008, was not to let this mini rally from Holt worry him and edged within one frame of victory at 9-4 with his main contribution being a run of 46. He didn't have to wait long for that final frame to reach the second round for the fifth time in his career, and more important keep alive his hopes of remaining in snookers' elite top 16.
Perry is scheduled to play the winner of Allister Carter or Jamie Cope, starting Saturday 24th at 7pm.
Post Match Reaction
Joe Perry
I’m really pleased to win, it’s never nice playing a friend but I had to put that out of me head and try and get the job done. I played well yesterday but I was absolutely flattered by the score line. I made some really good clearances under pressure which got me the 7-2 up but it could have been different. If I hadn’t been playing Michael I would have felt sorry for him because yesterday was unfortunate.
I won’t shy away from it Michael has been fool to himself with some of the matches his has lost over the years due to his loose temperament. He didn’t crack today so credit to him. He has been working hard on his temperament and I think he held himself together really well. He had a lot of bad things in the match that would have cracked him up in the past.
I am just pleased to be in it, I have had a bit of a tough year and overcome a few atrocities and am just looking forward to playing again. Carter beat me 17-15 in the World Semi-Final and his career went that way and mine went the other. Maybe I owe him one.
I will go home tomorrow as I don’t play until Saturday and go back and see my little girl.
Michael Holt
I had chances tonight, I lost couple of frames I could have won. I missed a pink clearing up and that was the story of the match for me to be honest. I missed about five big balls that I don’t miss in the qualifiers, that’s why I win all the time there.
It’s not because I can’t play out there, I know that I can. When I can get in the balls I can score, I feel good out there and I really enjoy it. I am just trying to break through. I am trying so hard to break through. I have been here five or six years on the verge of things but I am just trying so hard. I just need a few wins to give me that belief.
I think at 7-2 down, I have had a 100 break, two 60 breaks, a fifty break and maybe a forty and a thirty. If I was told before the match begun I would have those breaks I would said it would definitely been at least 6-3. It’s frustrating because I know I can play, what do I need to do?
Joe is a great mate and I wish him well and I hope he goes on to do well here. I just play the game and focus on myself. It’s frustrating because I love it out there. I thought in the last frame when he was potting, I’m going to miss playing out there. It’s so frustrating because I am better than that, so much better than that that it is scary. But I need to prove that and hopefully I will one day.
I might need to twitch up a few times to win and get away with it and get on that roll, but I don’t, I keep getting beaten. But I do win pressure games with good clearances all the time, that’s why I win so much in qualifying. The standard of snooker in Prestatyn is the same, just full of players that don’t play very well at venues. It is just frustrating.
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