Dechawat Poomjaeng’s sparking Snooker Shoot Out run continues with win over Mark Williams, Ali Carter makes high break

Dechawat Poomjaeng’s dream Snooker Shoot Out continued as he sent tournament favourite Mark Williams crashing out.

Williams has a fine pedigree at the Shoot Out, having made it to the final last year.

He progressed to finals day as the favourite, but ran into an inspired Poomjaeng at the Morningside Arena.

It was a slow burner, as Williams eked out a narrow 12-point lead. It took almost five minutes for Poomjaeng to craft a chance, but from the moment he knocked in the starting red the momentum shifted.

He knocked in a clever blue for a soft cannon of the pack, and that allowed him to work a telling break.

Williams had one chance to counter, but a red from a tight angle failed to drop and Poomjaeng was able to celebrate with his adoring public in Leicester.

“I am surprised,” Poomjaeng told Eurosport following his 53-12 win. “Many people support me, it is unbelievable.”

Wiliams said: “It was a great atmosphere. I had him in trouble, he fluked a red and made 45 and I had no chance from there.

“He knocked in a good blue and made some good pots, and from there I had no chance.”

An error off the break, as he brought a ball up the table, cost Martin Gould dear as Liam Highfield knocked it in and raced through a break of 80 to set up a clash with Poomjaeng.

Jack Lisowski crafted a superb break of 41 while under a bit of pressure, and it secured a win over Mark Davis to set up a clash with 2020 Shoot Out winner Michael Holt who saw off Fan Zhengyi.

Dominic Dale advanced to the last 16, but not without a bit of drama in his match with Asjad Iqbal.

It gave Iqbal ball in hand, but he broke down and Dale steadied his nerves to secure the win.

The Welshman’s reward for keeping his composure is a meeting with Zhou Yuelong who proved too good for Gary Wilson.

Moldova’s 14-year-old sensation Vladislav Gradinari bowed out at the hands of Tom Ford, while Julien Leclercq edged out Fergal O’Brien to set up a clash with Yuan Sijun who beat Lukas Kleckers.

Ali Carter put himself in pole position for the high-break prize, as a run of 117 helped him secure a win over Cao Yupeng. Carter will take on Ford later on Saturday.

Referee Tatiana Woollaston will fly the flag for her family for the remainder of the tournament, after her husband Ben was beaten by Daniel Wells while Chris Wakelin got the better of Joe Perry.

Noppon Saengkham has returned to form this season and he advanced to the round of 16 with an impressive win over Dylan Emery, and his opponent will Ben Woollaston’s conqueror, Wells.

Fourth Round

• 19:00 – Tom Ford v Ali Carter
• 19:10 – Yuan Sijun v Julien LeClercq
• 19:20 – Dominic Dale v Zhou Yuelong
• 19:30 – Michael White v David Grace
• 19:40 – Jak Jones v Chris Wakelin
• 19:50 – Noppon Saengkham v Daniel Wells
• 20:00 – Michael Holt v Jack Lisowski
• 20:10 – Liam Highfield v Dechawat Poomjaeng

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