WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: Perry out after final session slump

Chatteris potter Joe Perry lost five frames in a row to bow out of the World Championsips at the second round stage tonight (April 27).
Joe Perry in action against Mark Allen at the World Championships. Photo: Tony Rushmer.Joe Perry in action against Mark Allen at the World Championships. Photo: Tony Rushmer.
Joe Perry in action against Mark Allen at the World Championships. Photo: Tony Rushmer.

The 43 year-old, the oldest player in the 32-man field at the Crucible, started the final session against 16th seed Mark Allen at 8-8 after a terrific fightback from 5-3 and 8-6 down.

But he couldn’t get going tonight and Allen reeled off the first five frames to book his place in the quarter-finals. The Norther Irishman completed victory with a rapid 127 break.

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Perry appeared out of sorts, missing pots he would normally make and mistiming several safety shots that let Allen in too easily.

“It was a horror show,” said Perry. “It was one of those sessions at the Crucible you pray you are never going to have.

“It was horrific, I cannot believe how bad my safety was and that is normally a strong part of my game and I gave it to him.

“Full credit to Mark, he is in very good form. You cannot give great players easy chances and a lot of my mistakes were unforced errors and I don’t know where they have come from.

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“I have been pretty solid in the last two weeks and that has come out of the blue.”

Perry had off a stunning 10-4 victory against defending champion and world number one Mark Selby in the first round.

He added: “Hopefully I can have my day in the sun again. It is a great life and I am just happy to be a snooker player. I will now go and have some time off and try and get my golf handicap down and come back next year.”