Only 'one good player' in Allen's Crucible exit

Northern Ireland's Mark Allen felt he was "very poor" during his second-round loss to Chris Wakelin in the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre.

The world number eight became just the 11th player to make a 147 at the famous Sheffield venue and an attempt at a second maximum stalled after 11 reds and 10 blacks.

But England's Wakelin, 33, was ultimately a comfortable victor and won 13-6 after delivering the single frame he needed during the evening session at the third attempt.

"I thought Chris was superb, but as much as he was superb, I was very poor," said Allen.

"I felt like it could have been closer than the scoreline, but there was only one good player out there."

Allen lost each of the opening sessions 6-2, and had chances to extend the match in the final frame.

The 39-year-old felt his failure to deliver the tight frames proved crucial in his exit.

"The last frame sort of summed up the whole match for me, I think there were seven close frames and I didn't win any," he added.

"That's not something that I normally do. Normally I'm good at those close frames and the scrappy ones, the ones where you need to pull out a good pot or play a good safety.

"That's the difference in the match. Seven close frames in a best-of-25, if you don't win any, you're not going to win."

The 147 was the fifth of Allen's career and the second of his season having previously made a maximum at the British Open.

Had he completed a second in the match it would have been worth £147,000, the prize on offer should any player achieve the feat at the World Championship, Masters, UK Championship or Saudi Masters.

Allen said the attempt to make history was "a good buzz", but that he would "swap it in a heartbeat" to still be in the tournament.

"I don't just come here to make 147s. I would rather have made lots of 30s and still been in the event," he said.

"I always come here to become world champion so anything less than that will always be disappointing.

"I made a 147 at the Crucible and many people would be happy with that but it [losing in the second round] is a million miles away from where I want to be."

A former world number one who has won both the Masters and UK Championship, Allen has still never been crowned world champion.

Six-time world champion Steve Davis said Allen "will win more events" but that "you never know" if he will complete the Triple Crown.

A beaten semi-finalist at the Crucible in 2009 and 2023, he will be 40-years-old by the time of next year's World Championship.

"He's not just a journeyman within the game, he's not just a player that's going to win occasional events, in his own mind," said Davis on BBC Four.

"He's a player that is putting himself up there to win the absolute majors, so when they go wrong you've got to be disappointed.

"But from his perspective he'll bounce back next year, and he's such an accurate player, he will win more events."