WITH York's Barbican getting ready for another fortnight of UK Championship snooker, Evening Press reporter STEVE CARROLL tackles reigning champion Stephen Maguire in a challenge frame...

CHALK cue, head down and smoothly back and through on the shot.

My cue action was nothing like this as I bent down, applied a touch of right-hand side and sent the ball spinning down into the pyramid of reds.

Standing opposite at a quiet table in the Cueball Snooker Club, in James Street, York, is the UK Champion, Stephen Maguire, a man who has promised to leave me scattered across the green baize.

Amazingly, the white arcs back into the baulk area and I breathe a sigh of relief. Then Maguire hits the table.

The 24-year-old picks up a cue straight off the rack and proceeds to dazzle me with an array of fantastic pots and superb ball control.

Before I know it, he's scored a 40 break and I am 57-0 behind and looking down the barrel. Watching him play is like viewing an artist at work - all grace and poise, but with deadly precision.

I've had two shots - one of which was the break - when I come to the table. "You've left me nothing again," I tell Maguire, who responds only with an impish grin.

And then it happens, the moment I spent the night before dreaming about. I pot a red - and it's a 12-footer, up the table into the right-hand corner pocket. I even fluke position on a colour.

"Shot of the day," Maguire says. I find it hard not to blush. A blue, a red and a black later and suddenly I've got 14 points on the board. Is it too late for a comeback?

Not when Maguire misses the fiendishly difficult chance I've left, and I roll in another red and a blue to bridge the gap further.

Unfortunately for me, it's nothing more than a fleeting moment in an otherwise clinical display of potting from the champion.

I return to the table a few shots later to learn I need six snookers. Needless to say, I am soon shaking hands and scuttling back to my seat following a 68-27 defeat.

"Any tips?" I ask Maguire. "Don't give up your day job," he laughs. There's not a chance of that.

The UK Championship starts on Monday. Don't miss tomorrow's Evening Press for your chance to win tickets to the final.

Head to head

Stephen Maguire

Age: 24

World ranking: 3

Honours: European Open champion 2004, Travis Perkins UK Championship winner 2004

Highest break: 147

Career prize money: £316,020

Nickname: 'On Fire' Maguire

Stephen Carroll

Age: 28

World ranking: 8,456,567 (approx)

Honours: Once came second in a boys' billiards tournament in 1991

Highest break: 39

Career prize money: £10 and a book token

Nickname: 'Christmas' Carroll

Updated: 10:44 Friday, December 02, 2005