Snooker: Ricky Walden knocked-out of UK Championship by John Higgins

Dec 10 2009 Chester Chronicle

A BRAVE fightback proved in vain for Ricky Walden as he crashed out of the UK Championship to reigning world champion John Higgins.

Chester-born Walden lost the first four frames in Sunday’s best-of-17 first-round clash in Telford.

But the world number 20, who co-owns The Q Bar in Chester, fought back to win seven of the next 11 frames to close the gap to one.

World number four Higgins was not to be denied, however, and he took the 16th frame to seal a 9-7 success.

Liberal closed the gap on the Chester & District League Olympic Trophies Division Two leaders with a 6-0 victory at United Services B.

Conservative B, thanks to John Dutton, Mike Davis, Martin Peaker and match-winner Pat Fergus, won 4-2 at home to Upton RBL B, for whom Brian Sharratt and Alan Coombes had set up a thrilling finish.

CCO (Paul Heaney, Mark Lloyd, John Cunningham, Nigel Middlehurst) triumphed 4-2 at Conservative C, as did St Saviours A (Steve Proctor, Paul Bradley, Brian Conde, Jay Saxby) at home to Waverton.

The Q Bar A maintained pole position in Rileys Division One with a 4-2 win at home to Rileys, a score matched by Chester Bus at home to Utd Services A and Broughton Wings at home to Christleton A.

Second-placed Conservative A romped home 6-0 at Upton RBL A.