Carrington plays well - but can’t quite get over the line
GRIMSBY POTTER CAN’T TURN THE SCREW WHEN IT MATTERS IN TENSE UK CHAMPIONSHIP CLASH
STUART Carrington believes his performances are not getting the rewards they deserve after going down 6-4 against Stephen Maguire in the second round of the UK Championship.
The Grimsby player made the world No.9 battle hard but Maguire, who won the Triple Crown tournament in 2004, knocked in a fine break of 135 to advance to the last 32. World No.54 Carrington has slipped to a string of recent second round defeats but reckons his baize displays are offering signs of encouragement. “Performance-wise, it was probably the best performance of the last few tournaments, so I was really pleased with that,” said the 30-yearold.
“I started off really well with a century in the first, he hit back and the start of the match we fed off each other and it was a really good standard.
“We both missed a couple in the middle of the match, but other than that it was a solid performance and there are positives to take, definitely.
“Result-wise I’m disappointed because if I could have kicked on in the middle of the match, he was there for the taking.
“But performance-wise, there were positives. I feel like I got something out of the game whereas previously, I’ve won but not won in a good way. I’ve scraped through and not played well.
“Even though I lost yesterday, it’s probably the best performance that I’ve put in out of the four or five matches I’ve played [recently]. Overall, I’m more pleased than I was last week. “Each match that I’ve played it’s got better and felt better. Yesterday was probably an extra 10 per cent on top of all my other matches, so hopefully with a bit more practice and getting more confidence from playing better, it will kick-start my season properly.” Carrington slumped to a 4-0 defeat against world No.27 Matthew Selt in the second round of the Northern Ireland Open and was unable
Result-wise I’m disappointed because if I could have kicked on in the middle of the match, he was there for the taking... but performancewise, there were positives.
Stuart Carrington
to go one better against six-time ranking event winner Maguire.
The Grimsby player got off to a flyer with a first frame break of 128 but Maguire hit back with a similarly classy 122. Carrington teed up a grandstand finish by taking Maguire to 4-4 but the 2004 UK champion showed his experience to book his place in round three.
Next up for Carrington is a tilt at the Scottish Open, where he meets world No.21 Barry Hawkins in the first round after a week back in Lincolnshire on the practice table.
He’s sick and tired of the lockdown restrictions – Grimsby will be a Tier Three area after Wednesday – but hopes having a reliable practice facility can catalyse his progress.
“I’ve got a key to the club which is good, so I can practice whenever I like,” he added.
“But other than that, there’s just nothing to do. It’s eat, sleep and practice at the moment.
“Everyone’s getting a bit fed up of it all now.
It is what it is and it’s probably going to be like this for another two or three months, I imagine. Hopefully we get Christmas and new year out of the way and the world starts picking up again.
“It’s just back to the practice table for four or five hours a day, and getting ready for next week.”
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