Joe Swail 4-1 Dechawat Poomjaeng - Swail needed plenty of chances today but was able to keep Poomjaeng at bay and you could see how disappointed the Thai was as he left the arena. He just didn't keep it tight enough or make enough of the difficult balls that Swail was able to, but coming as close as he did to a tour return you have to think he can still do it. Despite some of the unnecessary stress he caused himself at times, Swail should be happy enough with that and put that down as a good start to the season having got the opening match out of the way. In the end he was a deserved 4-1 winner.
Just when he needed it his cue ball control has let Swail down. After wobbling a couple in there was to be no third escape and he misses with the rest after just adding 20 to his lead. There's nothing left for Poomjaeng but he is still right in this.
Poomjaeng's opportunity doesn't amount to enough for him to take the lead. Shortly after he misses a red along the bottom cushion that looked like it should drop. That's allowed Swail in with reds open and a real match clinching chance.
Frame 5 - It's been a slow start again to this frame but it's Swail who has the early advantage as he eyes up the frame he needs for victory. Poomjaeng has just caught the bump of the middle with his safety, letting out a cue bang but Swail fails to take advantage.
Frame Poomjaeng - Poomjaeng developed the reds well but was still not over the winning line when his break of 53 came to an end, following a miss on a thin red. Swail was 66 behind with just five reds left so needed blacks with each red, but missed the first black. He carried on for snookers for a long period but eventually Poomjaeng doubled the final red to make sure he got a frame on the board. 3-1 to Swail now.
After a long safety battle Poomjaeng is now back in but a lot of reds have been pushed to the cushion during the safety, so it's tough to call this a really good opportunity.
Frame 4 - Poomjaeng is in first after a great long pot in the fourth and it would be nice to see him get a frame, but he just has not been comfortable out there today from the start.
Frame Swail - The pressure was off towards the end of the break, but Swail clears the remaining reds and only an in-off on the green going around the table to get on the brown prevented his contribution being higher than the 61 he ends up with. He won't mind though as he's surged into a 3-0 lead.
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| Swail sets about building a big lead both in this frame and the match. |
An excellent long pot and cannon to hold for a choice of black or pink has Swail back in again and into a commanding position now, just a few pots from a 3-0 lead despite his lack of scoring power so far.
Frame 3 - A very nice red into the middle gives Swail the first chance of frame three and thus far he has been able to keep the cue ball under reasonable control. This is the point in the match now where he should be looking to kill his opponent off. The cue ball gets out of control on 32 though, missing a thin red as a result but it has not cost him.
Frame Swail - After that let off, Poomjaeng returns the favour by clipping the blue thinking he could get through to the yellow. That foul left him needing a snooker but Swail soon plays an excellent long yellow followed by green and brown to make sure of doubling his lead. 2-0 Swail and there is not much hope for the Thai if he fails to improve.
Further chances have come and gone for Swail including one on the last red which would have been frame ball, only to pot it and go in-off, keeping Poomjaeng alive in this second frame.
Swail loses control of the cue ball, but pulls out a good recovery pot only to lose the cue ball from that shot. Poomjaeng then gets back in shortly after but breaks down early and really has not settled yet. Swail is in now with another good opening but his positional play needs to improve.
After a bit of safety Swail gets himself in now with plenty of reds available. The black is not on it's spot but the pink is currently on the black spot which is helpful to Swail and he should build a good lead here.
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| Poomjaeng would only make 16 from this great opening. |
Frame 2 - A poor containing safety from Swail leaves Poomjaeng right in amongst the reds and with quite a few open after an aggressive safety from the Thai a shot previously. Poor positional play costs him though as he can only make 16 before playing safe.
Frame Swail - At the fourth time of asking Swail appears to settle down and despite a missed black with four reds left, his lead of 65 is enough to force a concession from Poomjaeng. A decent start for Swail. 1-0.
Another chance now for Swail after Poomjaeng's attacking safety leaves a red over the corner. Plenty of reds are open here but Swail misses a pretty easy one. Poomjaeng then misses to the middle and allows Swail straight back in.
Frame 1 - Early days it may be but the early signs are that Poomjaeng is going for everything. Swail on his second opening of the frame now but does not look to have settled yet, missing but leaving everything safe
This is more than likely my last live blog offering of the week and it's sure to be a good one between Joe Swail and Dechawat Poomjaeng.
Swail is into the second year of his two year card and will need to play well this season to avoid another trip to Q School. Perhaps a good omen for him is the fact that fellow Northern Irishman Gerard Greene won at the same time, on the same table yesterday. Given that his opponent is no longer on tour you would have to make Swail favourite, but you never know what to expect from Poomjaeng.
The Thai was so close to getting back on tour this year, making the final round of both the first two Q School events only to lose out to Sam Craigie and Zhao Xintong. Then he was beaten in round four of the third event as he seemed to run out of steam after a long stretch of snooker. This will be the second season since Poomjaeng dropped off though, and even as a Q School top up, it will be good to see this maverick back in action.
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