Snooker: New kid quick out of the blocks

Robert Milkins gave an assured performance on his Crucible debut to forge a 5-4 lead over experienced Irishman Fergal O’Brien today.

O’Brien, seeded 16, seemed anxious to avoid a repeat of last year’s first round exit to Mark King played well only in patches.

Gloucester’s Milkins, ranked 54, beat Andy Hicks and Malta’s Tony Drago to qualify for the Embassy World Championship and is the only debutant left in the field.

The 26-year-old made a couple of vital frame-winning clearances to keep the Dubliner at bay and take a slender lead into tonight’s final session.

Milkins took a 3-1 lead into the interval - helped by breaks of 57 and 69. The Englishman added a 58 in the next to open up a three-frame cushion.

Former British Open champion O’Brien pulled one back with a 52 clearance but he broke down on 38 in the next when he missed a blue to a baulk pocket -allowing Milkins to steal it with a cool 50.

Battling O’Brien kept his chances intact by winning frames eight and nine - knocking in an 86 in the last of the session.

But he will have to improve his game if he has aspirations of reaching the quarter-finals - as he did in 2000.