UK Championship snooker: Leicester's Tom Ford beats Barry Pinches in first round at York

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Leicester’s Tom Ford admitted frustrations got the better of him in his UK Championship clash with Barry Pinches – but it all worked out for the best.

Ford and Pinches were the last pair at the table on the opening day at the Barbican in York as their first-round clash finished shortly after midnight.

It could have gone on much longer had Ford not had breaks of 85 and 68 in the final two frames to wrap up a 6-4 victory.

The 31-year-old conceded his opponent’s slow play throughout caused him to break the mould and chase the game late on.

“I was going for a bit more because I was getting a bit more cheesed off but, luckily enough, they were starting to go in,” said Ford.

“If you can loosen your arm and start going for a few and they’re going in, then your confidence gets a bit of a boost and it just showed.

“It was a nightmare because it was so slow, so it was hard for me to get going. It does get to you and it got to me early on and it just affected my game, which showed.

“But I felt good towards the end when the pressure was on, so it’s nice to know that if there’s a bit of pressure on I can still feel okay because I have been struggling for a while.

“Winning that match has really given me a confidence boost.”

After a near five-hour slog against Pinches, Ford will face 20-year-old Joel Walker in the second round in another evening clash on Sunday.

Walker dismantled experienced Scotsman Alan McManus 6-1 in his first-round contest and knows he faces a stiff challenge to continue his progression.

However, he is hoping a short trip back home before the weekend will re-charge the batteries and prepare him for another important scalp.

“I’ve only won one match all year and that’s including PTCs so I know I’ve been struggling,” he added.

“And I know I’ve got a touch match next. I played him last year and I played really well and only just won 5-4 so I know I’ve got a tough match.

“He is a very good potter, a very good break builder – I’ve not seen too much of his safety play but I guess he doesn’t really need it.

“I’m nowhere near my prime at the minute. Just winning one match at a time, that’s all I can do.”

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