LIVE BLOG: Robin Hull Vs Alan McManus

Alan McManus 6-3 Robin Hull - Hull did have a half chance in the ninth before running out of position. McManus already with a handy lead knocked in a good long red and then played a good shot on the penultimate red to the yellow pocket and the resulting brown left Hull needing a snooker. It was not to be though and McManus is over the line. Hull had his chances today, frame six is the key one that comes to mind but in the end McManus looked much more solid among the balls after the break and was the better of the two tactically. A well deserved victory it is for McManus.

Hull was unable to find the snookers he required to stay in the match

Frame 9 - McManus in after a missed half chance for Hull and it's a good opening for the Scot as he looks to at least build a lead and hopes to put this match to bed.

McManus looks to put this match to bed with a good chance in frame 9

Frame Hull - Some good work at the end of the break after mopping up the easy reds makes this a frame winner. A run of 50 it is and Hull pulls a frame back. 5-3 McManus

Frame 8 - Slow start to this one with plenty of tactical play. Balls scattered around though means if either player can get in a good chance awaits. With that Hull has just potted from range and landed on the black and could make a few here.

Frame McManus - McManus really making Hull pay now for his errors, he doubles the pain of winning frame six by claiming this seventh frame in one visit. A superb break of 82 is enough to put him one away from the second round. 5-2 McManus

Frame 7 - Hull attempted a risky red and missed at the start of the seventh and that's opened things up for McManus. He's having to work a little harder now as the break enters the forties but it is looking good for the Scotsman

Frame McManus - Hull misses frame ball red with the rest and extensions to leave McManus in with the chance to clear. It was fairly plain sailing until the blue where he was the wrong side and had to come around the angles to get nicely on the pink. He over hit it but still potted the pink but was unable to land on the black. A poor safety though from Hull thereafter left McManus an easy enough black to clinch the frame. 4-2 McManus

After a period of safety that has seen the reds pushed towards the bottom right corner as I look, McManus comes up short with a safety shot and leaves Hull with a chance. Staying in good position on the colours is going to be the biggest challenge of this break but it's certainly a chance to level the scores.

Frame 6 - Chances for both players at the start of the sixth frame. Hull misses a tricky black along the bottom rail on 18 while McManus runs out of position on 16.

Frame McManus - Despite a miss on the final red it was a nice break from McManus to leave Hull needing snookers but he's still not looking happy out there at all. 3-2 McManus

McManus back in with another decent long pot and has had to play a couple of nice reds since to keep the break going. With the balls at his mercy now he should move in front again.

Frame 5 - McManus wobbles a long cut in the jaws, how it does not fall in is beyond me. That leaves Hull in and he makes 28 before also wobbling a red in the same corner pocket. McManus now can make him pay but cannons the reds on 16 and lands on nothing and plays safe.

Frame Hull - It was McManus who won the battle on the yellow after a couple of misses on it from Hull but with the blue awkward at a tight angle into the middle, McManus does not end up ideal on it and leaves it on the far jaw. Hull is able to clip it in and the pink follows to complete a 41 minute frame. 2-2

Hull pots both reds on the cushion well but from the black he ends up in front of the blue and can only take on the yellow with the spider. He did not get that close to it understandably but it fell safe and the pair are still locked an important battle.

McManus misses on 37 and is fuming with himself once again. Chance for Hull now though the last two reds are both on the bottom cushion

Frame 4 - Hull was in early in this frame with a nice chance until a horrible mis-cue ended his break. It didn't leave McManus in but it was not long before he smashed in a nice long red and now has an excellent chance to double his lead going into the break.

Frame McManus - McManus wins the battle on the final two reds with a nice pot to get back in, and with the remaining balls in the open, he is able to do enough to get back in front. 2-1 McManus

Hull misses the black off it's spot on 38 leaving McManus in. He makes 28 but cannot get on either of the last two reds and has to play safe eight points adrift. Important battle now ongoing in this third frame.

Frame 3 - McManus really isn't happy here. Already in this frame he's been aggravated on a shot by his Betway logo and ripped that off his waistcoat, played a bad roll up that left a chance for Hull, and when the Finn missed that McManus potted a red but missed the black to leave Hull right in amongst them.

Finland's Robin Hull looks in good touch as he levels the match. 

Frame Hull - There was to be no way back in this second frame for McManus with that missed black proving costly. A calm and composed break of 90 from Hull, particularly given frame ball that required a lot of focus to block out the noise from the crowd, and the match is all square. 1-1

McManus can only look on in frustration after his error lets Hull off the hook. 

Hull misses a tricky red along the bottom cushion on just 19 but leaves nothing. Soon after McManus powers a good long red in but misses the black, potentially suggesting a bad contact by his body language. That has give Hull a third chance and I can't see the Scotsman coming back to the table again in this frame.

A second chance is not long in coming for Hull. A two cushion escape from McManus aiming to clip the pack thin and run back to baulk misses the pack and hits the blue leaving a red for Robin. A great opportunity for him if he can keep ideal position.

Frame 2 - A good pot from Hull gives him the first chance in this frame and after thin pots on the green and the following red he looked to play a soft cannon from the blue into the reds. With a few already open you'd have expected him to land on one but he doesn't and has to play safe on 13.

Frame McManus - Hull breaks down on 57 after missing a red I expected him to get in all honesty. After that a bad safety on the two remaining reds left one on from range into the yellow pocket. McManus pots it and with the remaining balls in the open he clears with 37 to win the first frame. 1-0 McManus

McManus misses a mid range red on 24 and now Hull is in with a really nice opening here. With his scoring prowess I would not be surprised if he mopped up in one visit.

Frame 1 - It's been a nervy start to this match. Both players have had tricky pot attempts and missed but it is McManus with the first decent chance here now with a few reds available.

One for all of my Finnish followers this afternoon as the live blog will be coming from Robin Hull's match on table 3 against Alan McManus.

McManus has a bit of a battle on if you look at the provisional end of season money list. He could drop off tour theoretically and defeat today would be a dent on that list too.

As for Hull he has shown some decent form in recent weeks beating Zhou Yuelong twice in the space of a month by comfortable margins. He was very close to making the last 16 last week in Belfast and looks to be back scoring well after a quiet period. I can see this being a really tight match this afternoon if both players perform well.