Oliver Lines won a dramatic match against world No 3 Mark Allen in the second round of the Northern Ireland Open, but suffered a ‘nightmare scenario’ in the opening frame.
Allen held a 42-1 lead with Lines stepping up to the table to try and get back into the frame.
After potting his first red of the match, Lines left himself with an awkwardly long black into the corner pocket.
Lines needed to pull out the telescopic snooker rest to play the shot and he managed to pot the black.
Oliver Lines was able to smile about the unfortunate foul
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However, Lines was unable to get his cue and the rest out of the way before the cue ball bounced off the cushion and hit the equipment.
The referee called a foul against the world No 83 as he walked back to his chair.
Snooker commentator Neal Foulds felt sorry for Lines after the unfortunate foul.
“Oh goodness me,” Foulds said.
“That is one of those nightmare scenarios.
“You can’t get the equipment away quick enough. That is something he’s smiling about but it’s made a huge difference.
“He would have been in behind the red, but he just couldn’t get the equipment away quick eonugh.
“That is just an absolute nightmare scenario for anybody.”
Allen was unable to capitalise on Lines’ error as the underdog managed to complete an unlikely comeback to clinch the first frame on the black.
Oliver Lines was unable to move the rest out of the way
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The match was back-and-forth after that frame with Allen looking in control with a 3-2 lead.
However, Lines won the next two frames to knock out the home favourite in a huge shock.
Allen admitted he was ultimately punished by Lines for not playing anywhere close to his usual best.
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Oliver Lines still ended up winning the frame
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“It wasn’t a good performance. I felt edgy when I went out and it showed in the first frame when I had a couple of chances to close it out and I lost it on the black,” Allen told the BBC.
“I never really settled at all today. I don’t know what to put that down to.
“I prepared properly for it, mentally I was pretty good, I just didn’t perform.”