Welsh Open - Rd 2

Wednesday Morning 

17th February 2021.

Featured Match –

Report by Graeme Drayton from The 15 Red Podcast team 

Matthew Stevens v Stephen Maguire 1 – 4

Highest Breaks 104 Maguire (Frame 2), 100 (Frame 5)

Frame 1, Maguire broke off, Stevens missed a red which allowed Maguire an early chance to get his cue arm going, with the break on 24 he potted a difficult red into left centre to keep the break going. And again, he had nearly came unstuck at 40 but potted yet another tricky red into the left middle to keep on the black. With the break on 72, he took on a long red into the yellow pocket in an attempt to keep on the black for the maximum but missed it. Maguire went onto to make a further break of 24 to win the opener.

Frame 2, after some excellent safety play, Maguire gave away a foul after he attempt to land on a red near the bottom cushion behind the black, he hit it the second time. The safety battle continued as Maguire got a nice flick off the brown to put Stevens behind the green. It was Steven’s turn to commit a foul, he hit on the second time of asking. Maguire attempted a long red which he missed and even though two reds followed the cue-ball into baulk somehow nothing was left on. After Seven’s safety shot, Maguire potted a fluke plant, he played safe of a red and knocked another red into the right bottom corner. Maguire was the more comfortable of the two, he was gaining some momentum and showing some class. Every ball potted was going straight into the heart of the pockets. He won the second frame with a century break of 104. Stevens had not the opportunity to settle in, he had only picked up 4 points from Maguire’s foul.

Frame 3, Stevens missed another long red and Maguire was back in again. With the break on 25, he did not finish perfect on the black, but he potted it with the rest to make an excellent recovery to continue building the break. Maguire’s break broke down on 60. Stevens missed yet another chance, he was looking all out of sorts, could not get anything going. Maguire’s performance was superb, he was in full control of the match. His pace around the table was different from the previous match against Dale, Maguire’s rhythm, cue action and cue ball control were exquisite. He went to make another sensational break of 71. It was now 307 points without reply.

Frame 4, finally Stevens potted his first red of the match but missed a simple black from the spot. He played an attacking shot into the pack of reds, which allowed Maguire the opportunity to clinch frame and match but missed a red while on a break of 26. With the quality he had produced in the previous 2 frames that red seemed unmissable, but Stevens potted another red and was now beginning to show a bit more confidence in his play. He missed a brown with the break on 51. Stevens led for the first 52 – 26, with two reds remaining a war of tactical play followed. Stevens laid a snooker behind yellow and blue, covering a red of the right bottom corner pocket, Maguire escaped but left the red on for Stevens, he made a frame winning break of 11, to put his frame on the board.

 

Frame 5 began with Stevens making another error on safety play, but Maguire failed to pot the red. Just as the tide was beginning to turn in Stevens’s favour, Maguire potted a tricky red down the cushion and accumulated 25 points but ran out of position and forced to play safe. Stevens missed a long red which he left hanging over the right middle pocket which Maguire cleared it and had another chance to win the match for the second time. Maguire took full advantage as he cleared the table making his second century break of the match with 100. Matthew Stevens was left disappointed will the mistakes he had made. Steven Maguire marches on to the last 16