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Ding claims two-frame lead
17:45, Dec 11 2009
Ding Junhui is in pole position to claim a place in the UK Championship final after establishing a 5-3 lead over Stephen Maguire in the opening semi-final in Telford.
The world number 14 from China strung together a three-frame winning streak after the mid-session interval to move 5-2 ahead, but Maguire recovered to claim the final frame of the afternoon session to remain in touch.
World number two Maguire went into the match with the psychological edge having won six of seven prior meetings, but the momentum was with Ding, whose lone win came with a 5-1 triumph at October's Grand Prix in Glasgow.
It was the Scot, however, who drew first blood, rattling off 73 unanswered points in the opening frame.
Ding built a steady break of 35 to move into control of the next frame but a miss on an easy red gave Maguire the chance to come back.
The 28-year-old failed to make the most of his chance, however, and when Ding returned to the table a break of 66 pulled him level.
The Chinese star moved into the lead for the first time in the next, an assured break of 75 putting him firmly in the driving seat.
Maguire roared back in the following frame with a well-constructed break of 97 to ensure the players went into the mid-session interval locked at 2-2, but the remainder of the afternoon largely belonged to 2005 champion Ding.
He won a scrappy fifth frame and 3-2 became 4-2 as Ding's break of 83 further frustrated Maguire, who had grown increasingly agitated following several errors.
Ding sealed the sixth frame with a break of 54 but Maguire dug deep to narrow the deficit to two before the interval with breaks of 35 and 64.
Charnley inspires Wigan triumph 20:45, Feb 11 2012
Winger Josh Charnley scored a hat-trick of tries as Wigan bounced back from their shock opening home defeat by Huddersfield with a clinical 20-6 destruction of Stobart Super League champions Leeds. more
Spurs fans show Redknapp the love 20:45, Feb 11 2012
Tottenham's fans pleaded with Harry Redknapp to snub England and stay at White Hart Lane as the Spurs boss masterminded a brutal 5-0 hammering of Newcastle. more
France/Ireland clash called off 20:45, Feb 11 2012
Ireland's RBS 6 Nations clash with France has been postponed due to the weather conditions in Paris. more
Adebayor inspires Spurs romp 19:45, Feb 11 2012
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp ended an emotional week on a huge high as his team ruthlessly hammered Newcastle 5-0 at White Hart Lane. more
England claim narrow Italy victory 18:45, Feb 11 2012
England dug themselves out of a snow-hole in freezing Rome to beat Italy 19-15 with another charge-down try from Charlie Hodgson and Owen Farrell's perfect kicking display. more
Chelsea suffer defeat at Everton 17:45, Feb 11 2012
Steven Pienaar and Denis Stracqualursi struck as Everton piled on the pressure for Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas with a 2-0 victory. more
Late Henry winner rescues Arsenal 17:45, Feb 11 2012
Substitute Thierry Henry marked the final league game of his loan spell at Arsenal with a last-gasp winner to see off Sunderland 2-1. more
McArthur clinches Wigan victory 17:45, Feb 11 2012
James McArthur boosted Wigan's survival hopes with a dramatic goal which handed the Latics a 2-1 win over fellow Barclays Premier League strugglers Bolton at the Reebok Stadium. more
Williams inspires Quins win 17:45, Feb 11 2012
Harlequins returned to winning ways as winger Tom Williams helped orchestrate a 30-23 victory over London Irish which extended their lead at the top of the Aviva Premiership. more
Fleming and Hutchins put GB ahead 16:45, Feb 11 2012
Great Britain moved to within one rubber of a fifth consecutive Davis Cup win under captain Leon Smith after Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchins beat Michal Mertinak and Filip Polasek of Slovakia at Glasgow's Braehead Arena. more
Cold snap affects sporting weekend 15:45, Feb 11 2012
The cold snap continued to wreak further havoc with the sporting calendar on Saturday after the npower Championship clash between Peterborough and West Ham was postponed due to a frozen pitch along with a number of League One and League Two matches. more
Rangers ease to win at Dunfermline 15:45, Feb 11 2012
Lee McCulloch grabbed his first goal of the season as Rangers fought back from behind to claim a 4-1 win and deny Dunfermline their first home victory of the season in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League. more
