ASHLEY HUGILL has been knocked out of the Betway UK Snooker Championship following a gripping encounter at the Barbican against Iranian Hossein Vafaei.
The Melbourne cueman lost 6-5 in a pulsating first-round tie, in which Hugill battled back from two frames down to level before losing the decider.
Vafaei will face world number 26 Martin Gould in the next round.
Hugill took an early two-frame lead before Vafaei made it 3-2. The 24-year-old Hugill took the sixth frame to level before falling two behind.
He pulled it back to 5-5 but went down 77-0 in the last frame.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here