Captain Carter Crashes in Telford
Allister Carter suffered what will be described as a surprise defeat in the first round of 12Bet.com UK Championship in Telford going down 9-6 against Mark Joyce.
Joyce, a 27-year-old journeyman professional from Walsall, looked at ease with the unfamiliar surroundings in front of the bright lights and television cameras from the word ‘go’.
A break of 97 in the opening frame helped to settle any nerves, and after finishing the first session all-square, he took control of the match early in the second.
The world number 60, belied his ranking position and punishing Carter’s every mistake.
Leading 7-5, he moved within one frame of the biggest win of his career with a superb 103 break. Carter did come out fighting in the next making two breaks of 40-plus, but he could only delay the inevitable as the younger of the two players outscored the Shanghai Masters champion to seal the win.
In round two, he will face either Jamie Cope of Judd Trump.
Elsewhere, two-time world champion Mark Williams secured a place in the last 16 at a stroll, beating world 6-red champion, Mark Davis by nine-frames-to-three.
