Pure Gold from the Nugget
Steve Davis rolled back the years to produce an epic 10-9 win over Mark King in the 2010 Betfred.com World Championship at the Crucible.
Six times World Champion at the Crucible, Steve Davis proved that age is no barrier as he produced one of his grittiest performances to edge out Mark King in an evening full of roller-coaster emotions and dramatic snooker.
Davis resumed the evening trailing 5-4 and half an hour later he was 6-4 down and things didn't look too good for Davis fans.
And then he found something. A run of 54 and a blue to black clearance clawed a frame back. A dour thirty-six minute frame went to Davis on the pink and he left King scoreless in the next to lead 7-6 at the interval.
King was clearly frustrated at this time and by his own admission after the match. "I suppose to be 6-4 up then 7-6 down I wasn't going to be back flipping to the dressing room. I just got a little bit frustrated with myself.
"I've never had a crowd so against me ever. It's understandable but I let it get to me a couple of times.
"There was a geezer right in my ear, even if the ball was hanging, going 'Shot Steve' and it did my head in a bit."
Davis went further ahead, aided by a 49 break, before King pulled back to 8-7 in another tension-packed twenty-five minute frame.
Davis faltered on 44 in the next and King cleared with 54, the scores were level and somehow you knew it was going to go to a decider.
An imperious run of 91 took Davis to within a frame of victory and sent the partisan crowd delirious.
But they had to stiful their cheers as the obdurate King opened frame eighteen with a run of 48 and held on to level the match, despite Davis attempting to get the snookers he needed.
And so in the decider. It wasn't pretty but Davis controlled it pretty much from start to finish. King had aq chance but butchered a pink to centre. Davis' only meaningful contribution was 27, but he picked off the reds, kept King pinned to the baulk cushion and in trouble.
Davis let out a roar of delight when he potted the penultimate red that left King needing snookers, but a couple of loose safeties then gave King chances to lay snookers.
King succeeded in getting one foul from Davis but he couldn't hide the white again and eventually, after thirty-seven tortuous minutes Davis sank the pink for victory.
The Crucible crowd roared their delight and gave Davis a standing ovation.
The Legend, as Davis tends to be know as these days, was understandably as excited as a kid in a sweet shop after the match as he reflected on the two day match.
"It's quite amazing, it was such a great reception when I came out, both times. If It wasn't so serious and I was on a mission, I would have had a lump in my throat.
"And I got off to such a ropey start yesterday, the first couple of frames I just had to hang on in there.
"At 5-3 down I got an ocular migraine when you get sparky lights in front of your eyes and you can't see. The balls were blurry. I hadn't eaten and the stress and pressure maybe affected me. Somehow I made a 40 odd break to take the last frame.
"I had a couple of bananas tonight in the interval and that helped. At least I didn't get another migraine.
"Tonight I was very pleased to be in front at the interval. I think Mark was getting a bit frustrated.
"I just kept my head down and stuck to my job. It wasn't the greatest but I got over the line. The last frame was torture. What a feeling.
"I was in prime position and messed up the safety shots. I thought you idiot. I gave him lots of opportunities to get snookers and he made some great shots.
"He's like granite, he never gives up.
"Once I potted the red to leave him needing snookers. I was gone. It should be the other way round, you should be strong.
"I've only produced one decent performance all season, that was against Hendry in UK to get to 6-6.
"I've got some dog in the next round! I'd love to play John [Higgins]. He's a great player. To play John when he's the world champion, I just love it. Hopefully I can raise my standard a bit.
"I'll be going in to try and win it. I'm tired of making the numbers up. Three sessions of granite, that's what I want!
"I prepared very well for this tournament. I got mentally prepared. It's only the first round but I feel like I've won it.
"If the game goes down the road next year of more tournaments. I will give it a go of trying to play all the events.
"I'll try and become a snooker player agian instead of a part time player.
"The problem has been I don't play enough. well none of the players have played enough. 
"I will go to everything and try and be a snooker player again, pay my dues and see what happens. It is goes wrong. so be it. It's quite inspired me that there could be lots of tournaments.
"Tonight has given me hope that I can compete. I feel like I can compete but I have to make myself and focus and give it 100%."
A disappointed Mark King reflected "I suppose to be 6-4 up then 7-6 down I wasn't going to be back flipping to the dressing room.
"I just got a little bit frustrated with myself. I never had a crowd so against me ever.
"It's understandable but I let it get to me a couple of times. There was a geezer right in my ear, even if the ball was hanging going 'Shot Steve' and it did my head in a bit.
"I had my chances. I missed a pink in the last frame. I twitched it so much my elbow was in the bag before the ball. I'm gutted cos I wanted to have a season when I didn't lose any first rounds.
"I had a few texts from players when draw came through saying 'steve was s***' and suggesting I had an easy draw.
"Players like that annoy me. Never in a million years is Steve an easy draw whether's he's 52 or 72. He's a class act.
"He's one of those people who's looked after himself, in the gym and he doesn't goes clubbing and that's why he's still number 20 odd in the rankings at 52. If I'm that ranking at 52 I'd be over the moon. People who say those things should grow up.
"I think he played solid. His safety is second to none. The Top 16 put together are a mile behind his tactical game. He kept putting me bang in trouble.
"He didn't bog me down but I should have opened the balls up more. In the tactical side I'm not in the same league as him and the tactical side he's just outplayed me tonight and thoroughly deserved to win."
