Doherty delight despite missed maximum

Ken Doherty significantly improved his chances of remaining among snooker's elite top 16 next season with a hard-fought 5-2 win over Australia’s Quinten Hann – but still left the venue rueing an expensive mistake.

In the opening frame the Dubliner potted 15 reds and 14 blacks but, only seven shots short of his first maximum in tournament play, he failed to sink a straightforward black off its’ spot with the remaining colours ideally placed.