World Snooker Championship
Date: 18 April-4 May Venue: Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
Coverage: Live coverage each day on BBC Two, BBC Red Button and BBC Sport website (UK only), updates on BBC Radio 5 Live.

Allen surveys a shot in Tuesday's opening session against Day

Mark Allen was pleased to take a 5-3 lead after a "slow start" in his World Championship quarter-final against Ryan Day on Tuesday.

The Northern Irishman trailed 3-2 against Day but breaks of 103 and 80 helped him move into a two-frame lead by the end of the first session.

"Both of us didn't play well in the first four frames," Allen told the BBC.

"But I gradually got into the match after the interval and 5-3 isn't too bad considering how I played."

Allen, conqueror of Ronnie of Sullivan in the previous round, added:"There were a few balls missed in the early part of the match but I made a century to go 3-3.

"I then made a well-taken break to go 4-3 up and had the 80 break in the last frame so I definitely finished the session well.

"If I can win the next session 5-3, I'd be 10-6 up and I would be very happy with that."

606: DEBATE Allen controlled the white ball better after the mid-session interval davysteen

The Antrim man also expressed delight at the news that the World Championship is to remain at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield until at least 2014.

"It's brilliant. There's a lot of history attached to the Crucible and Sheffield is known as a snooker city.

"To take it away from here would have been disappointing."

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