Maguire needs huge Crucible comeback as Gould storms into 7-2 lead

Stephen Maguire’s World Championship hopes are hanging by a thread after a disastrous first session at the Crucible.

The Scot trails Martin Gould 7-2 at the halfway stage in Sheffield, with the English qualifier needing just three more frames to knock his opponent out of the tournament. Maguire, right, has enjoyed something of a resurgence over the past 12 months, winning the Tour Championship in June having reached the UK Championship final late last year.

But another run to a Triple Crown final looks in doubt for the 2004 UK champion, who needs a huge comeback just to put Gould under pressure when the two resume this evening. On the evidence of the first session, it’s a fightback that looks unlikely in the race to ten.

Maguire was noticeably frustrated with himself through large parts of the contest, missing key shots while running out of position on numerous occasions.

But Gould, a former German Masters champion, was in inspired form – with the four century breaks he mustered in the first nine frames better than his previous tally for the entire season.

The two knocked in 50-plus breaks to share the first two frames but thereon it was all Gould, reeling off efforts of 103 and 77 to go into the midsession interval 3-1 to the good. Still he wasn’t done, scoring 103, 100 and 83 to leave Maguire rooted to his seat – racking up just 26 points in a five-frame period.

The Scot finally got time at the table, closing the deficit to 6-2 after battling his way through an edgy eighth frame.

But another break of 103 enabled Gould to eke out a five-frame advantage – with Maguire requiring eight of the last ten frames to reach the second round.

● Live snooker returns to Eurosport and the Eurosport app. Watch the World Championship from 31st July – 16th August with analysis from Jimmy White.