Cao Yupeng 6-5 Tian Pengfei - What a match this was and what bottle Cao Yupeng showed at the end. The punch of the table as he potted match ball showed just how much frustration had been boiling up from how his lead had slipped and how he lost last week in Belfast. Unlucky for Tian though who could easily have won the first two frames after the interval but lost them both.
Great chance now for Cao. The last couple of reds are out in the open and he clears them well and with the colours on their spots he should clear and win here
Both players have had early chances in the decider that did not come to much but Cao had a decent chance until missing with the rest, and leaving the chance for Tian. He is straight into the pack off the first black in the break and now has the reds nicely open but just couldn't hold onto position. Frame in the balance with six reds left.
Frame 11 - Worth remembering that in the first round of the Northern Ireland Open Cao lost from 3-0 ahead, 4-3 to Li Hang so he's going to be under huge pressure here to make sure he doesn't lose from being way in front again.
Frame Tian - A very poor safety has cost Cao here. Already trailing by so much he couldn't afford that and an additional 36 from Tian has forced the decider from 5-2 adrift. 5-5
Frame 10 - Tian has a 49 point lead early in this frame though most of that has come from a snooker laid in the early stages. Reds are going scrappy though so could be a valuable lead and a long frame coming up.
Frame Tian - These last two frames from Tian Pengfei have really been excellent. After the break of 92 in the eighth he has followed it up as I suggested he would. A timely 88 and Tian has quickly clawed his way back to just one frame behind. 5-4 Cao
Frame 9 - Fantastic long pot gets Tian in first in frame nine and with the pack of reds open this is certainly a good scoring chance. After his good break in the last he may well have another here.
Frame Tian - Tian is looking a lot more relaxed now as he stares defeat in the face. A very quick and composed break of 92 has reduced the deficit. 5-3 Cao
Frame 8 - Tian has a mountain to climb here but all great comebacks have to start somewhere. After Cao missed early in the frame Tian is swiftly into the fifties and looking like pegging a frame back.
Frame Cao - The break ends at 72 for Cao with nine reds and nine blacks. There was still 75 remaining when he missed and Tian had a brief chance but missed the black from his first red and conceded as he required snookers. 5-2 Cao
Frame 7 - Looking to seize the moment here, Cao Yupeng has the first chance following an error from Tian and he's taking advantage so far. With his break into the forties he'll be hoping to clinch this in one visit and not let Tian do what Cao has done to him in the last two frames.
Frame Cao - A bad way to lose a frame again for Tian. He took a handy lead on to the colours but gave away a couple of fouls on the green attempting to escape from a good snooker Cao laid. Tian did pot the green in the end but could not land on the brown and when Cao's chance came soon after he cleared the four remaining colours to double his lead. 4-2 Cao
Tian ended up missing on 55 and leaving a chance for Cao, but the safe reds have saved Tian from seeing another big clearance from his opponent and with three reds left he still has a very handy lead.
Frame 6 - Tian in first again in frame six and needs to take advantage this time. Into the forties with a few reds open that could see him clinch the frame at this visit.
Frame Cao - As expected there was to be no mistake from Cao as he clears with a break of 69 to go back in front. 3-2 Cao
Tian missed the black off it's spot on 47 and now Cao is on the counter. Looking good so far, red on the side cushion is going to be the big hurdle. He's decided to bring out with a cannon and now looks set with the balls positioned nicely to clear.
Frame 5 - Back from the interval in this all-Chinese clash and Tian has the first good chance of the frame. He's building a decent lead with a few reds open but will need to get into the pack to win it at this visit.
Frame Tian - After missing an earlier chance when he couldn't negotiate position from green to brown, Tian had another chance when Cao later missed the blue, clearing to pinch the frame and square the match again. 2-2
Cao missed again in the 40's, on 48 this time with a red to the middle and a couple of shots later Tian played a beautiful red into the yellow pocket and is now taking out Cao's lead. Last three reds difficultly placed though and he's had to play safe on 43 just five points adrift.
Frame 4 - Great chance being forged here in frame four by Cao who will be happy to have won the last frame. Having got to 40 and gotten the pack open this is a great chance to lead at the mid-session interval.
Frame Cao - A lot happening at the end of frame three there. A long battle on the green saw a frustrating miss for Tian followed by a Cao mis-cue. That left Tian a golden chance but he didn't land nicely on the pink, and went in-off trying to go around the table for the black. From ball in hand Cao cut the pink in to take a long frame. 2-1 Cao
Cao's initial break ended on 43 and after a period of safety Tian is in now with the chance for a clearance. He's not on the final red but has a nice safety and has drawn the scores even after that contribution.
Frame 3 - Cao in first this time and into the 30's. A few reds open for him here but will probably need to get into the pack again to win the frame at this visit.
Frame Tian - An additional 46 to go with the earlier 32 is more than enough for Tian to level this match and already you can tell we have two players in good form here. 1-1
Frame 2 - Tian was in first with 32 before going into the reds from a red and not landing nicely on a colour. He snookered Cao behind the black though and the resulting escape left Tian another chance and he'll be hoping to level the match from here.
Frame Cao - A break of 60 in his laid back manner is enough for Cao Yupeng to take the first frame against Tian Pengfei. Cao sporting some sparkly shoes tonight that wouldn't look out of place on Strictly Come Dancing. 1-0 Cao
Frame 1 - After an early chance each, Cao is in now with a good scoring chance and with the form he has been in he would certainly hope to win the frame at this visit.
Call me dedicated but I'm ready to go again. Didn't want to miss this clash that could be key down the line in the battle for tour survival. Tian Pengfei was a quarter-finalist last week in Belfast while Cao Yupeng has been a semi-finalist this season. Should be a cracker.
Also in the sports hall we have Yu De Lu against Ian Preece on the next table, Yan Bingtao makes his return on table 7 while David Grace and Jak Jones is on table 8 at the far end.
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