• Snooker World Championship

Robertson edges ahead at halfway point of final

Graeme Dott has work to do after trailing at the halfway point © Getty Images

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Neil Robertson came from behind in the evening session to build a 9-7 lead over Graeme Dott in the Snooker World Championship final ahead of Monday's deciding frames.

Dott, who won the tournament in 2006, led 5-3 after the afternoon session, but Robertson regrouped in the evening to claim the advantage in what has been a match of scrappy quality. The day one turnaround will serve to remind both players that all is left to play for in the second half of the final.

The match is yet to produce a century break after 16 frames and only one player has scored more than 100 on a single frame, that coming for Robertson in the final frame of the day as his break of 70 helped him to a 113-23 win and ended Dott's hopes of staying level at the halfway mark.

Robertson was accompanied by a sizable Australian contingent at the Crucible - including his mother - for his first appearance in a world final and he got off to a nervous start in the afternoon as Dott raced to a 3-1 lead, started by a break of 80 in the first frame of the match.

A brief turning point arrived in frame five when Dott, who was in amongst the balls on 52, missed a black to leave the door ajar. Robertson held his nerve for an important 62 clearance which dragged him back into a match that he had previously been something of a spectator to.

By clearing the colours in the sixth Robertson restored parity, but the contest continued to limp from one scrappy frame to another as Dott's 57 regained the lead.

Dott was forced to produce a testing clearance in the final frame of the session in order to prevent Robertson coming out with an undeserved 4-4 scoreline. The Scot is something of a surprise name in the final after battling back from personal problems to regain his top-16 status, and he continues to suggest that his revival could have the happiest of endings.

Robertson came out firing though in the evening session winning the first five frames to shoot out to a three-frame lead. He took the first two with breaks of 61 and 90 - the best of the match so far - and then he celebrated like a footballer as he claimed frame 11 and the lead after snookering Dott to force a respot and finishing it off.

The Aussie was really on a roll as he shot a break of 79 and claimed a low-scoring frame to push three frames ahead with three to play, but a despondent looking Dott clawed his way back into the contest with breaks of 56 and 53.

Like Dott had in the first session, Robertson ensured his advantage would remain with a strong 70 to finish up. How much the psychological advantage of an overnight lead will affect day two can only be revealed at the Crucible on Monday but it's anybody's final on the evidence of Sunday's play.

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