NIGEL BOND is revelling in a licence to thrill after pulling off one of the UK Championship’s great comebacks.

The former Crucible finalist trailed world number five Barry Hawkins 5-0 in his second round match but somehow managed to win six in a row to claim a huge, and unlikely, scalp at the York Barbican.

Bond, who has slipped to 60th in the world rankings, has been in danger of dropping off the tour and looked set for a quick exit after Hawkins stormed in front with the help of an 80 break in the third frame.

But the 35-year-old admitted he took his foot “off the gas” and Bond, famous for producing one of the biggest fightbacks in World Championship history when rallying from 9-2 down to beat Cliff Thorburn 10-9 in 1994, battled hard to get a foothold in the match.

A break of 116 brought him back to 5-4 and he played a tactical decider - eking out reds and colours in six separate visits - to grab an unlikely victory.

“Apart from the Thorburn match at the Crucible, that’s probably the best comeback that I have ever made in my career,” Bond said.

“I was just trying to get a foothold in the game - just one frame. At 5-0 down you are just trying to win a frame for a bit of pride.

“It is just unbelievable really. I can’t describe it.

“At 5-1, Barry missed a green when he had a chance to finish me off. Up until the 116 break I made, I just could not score. Then, after the hundred, I seemed to get a bit of rhythm. He was starting to miss just one or two balls.

“You don’t expect it. He’s such a good solid match player, he doesn’t miss easy balls. That is one of his strengths.

“In the last frame, I was just making a couple of reds and colours and just trying to build up a bit of a lead. You can’t describe it. From 5-0 down to win 6-5 is unthinkable.

“In the past couple of seasons I have been struggling for wins and in danger of dropping off the tour. It’s important and it proves to people I still can play.”

Hawkins said he had “thrown it away”.

He explained: “I took it too easy at 5-0 up. There was a lack of concentration. I just thought ‘that’s it, I am going home now'.

“I fell asleep in the end and I couldn’t do anything. I probably deserved that, to be honest. I don’t know why but I just felt like a result like that was coming, for some reason.”

Hawkins added: “I don’t know what it is but I am really annoyed with the game at the moment. I can’t put my finger on it.

“I sound like a spoiled brat but I just can’t get myself up for it. Even at 5-0 I wasn’t playing well. Nigel didn’t play well - he played a bit better towards the end - but I have just handed it to him on a plate.

“You won’t see a worse performance from the number five in the world.”