Dott trails to Gray at UK Championship

David Gray, who made a maximum 147 break at the Travis Perkins UK Championship last week, was on course to continue his memorable tournament by reaching the semi-finals tonight.

The 14th seed led 5-3 after the opening session against World Championship runner-up Graeme Dott and was certainly the more fluent player having recorded breaks of 74, 71 twice, 61 and 53.

But Dott, whose highest contribution was a mere 47, gave himself a chance of turning the match around by taking the final two frames before the rest break including the last on the black.

On the other table, English duo Ali Carter and Joe Perry were level at 4-4 although there was no doubt who would be happier with the scoreline.

That was Perry, for Carter will know he should have been 7-1 up having thrown away the last three frames of the session.

The 25-year-old from Essex, who had beaten Jimmy White and Paul Hunter to reach this stage, knocked in breaks of 84, 66 and 63 as he went 4-1 ahead.

But he then allowed Perry to pinch two frames from being 47 and 52 points adrift respectively and then ran out of position on the yellow in the last when looking set to clear up.

Carter snookered himself behind the brown and conceded 16 points in fouls as the world number 20 completed his comeback to go into tonight’s finale on terms.