David Gray v Joe Perry 2004 UK Championships Semi Final Frame 17

David Gray booked his place in the final of the UK Championship after staging a thrilling fightback to edge out Joe Perry in York.
Perry had produced some impressive snooker to take a 5-3 lead after the end of the first session.

But Gray came back to the table and wiped out the deficit to take the match to 7-7 and grabbed a vital snooker with Perry 8-7 up to force the decider.

The 25-year-old held his nerve, sealing victory with a 139 total clearance.

Perry had started the match in impressive form, grabbing a 102 break to win the first frame but Gray responded immediately with a 105.

The duo then shared the next four frames but Perry took a 5-3 lead as he cut in a fine blue before sinking the crucial pink to take charge of the contest.

But the world number 20 could not respond to Gray's pressure in the final session and saw his lead cut back and finally overhauled.

"It's hard not to think you are out when you get into the position I was in and I was ready to shake Joe's hand," admitted Gray.

"But once I had made it 8-8 I never felt I would lose."

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• snooker
• ronnie
• o'sullivan
• crucible
• theatre
• barbican
• hendry
• higgins
• williams
• doherty
• dott
• maguire
• ebdon
• carter
• lee
• fu
• stevens
• selby
• robertson
• bbc
• everton
• taylor
• babylon
• ronaldo
• thorne
• virgo
• day
• 147

[MarineParadeBoy]

he is back on the tour and all the best to him

gutted for joe perry too. one of the nicest gentlemen of the game - hope he wins his first title soon

[Thekingofpop1958]

David Gray looks like Gary Sinise I think. Maybe it is the reason why David doesn't play at his best anymore...... Maybe he prefers being characters in movies, getting the Gary Sinise name and getting the Mac Taylor's character! :D

[reverseside]

Forgotten how good this guy was, at least I'll remember him more for this type of quality rather than his passing similarity to Marty Feldman.

Saw a guy on this youtube vid making a century (goo dot gl/VH2YI) that reminds me of mr.gray's assured style.

[kirjon1972]

Gray shovels it up his hooter.

[davisreardon]

David Gray had or should I say has the ability to be world champion but didnt take snooker that seriously and preferred to enjoy himself. Nice kid had a few drinks with him at the old wembley conference centre a few times.

[ArsenalTomas]

Great match, but Maguire aced him in the final 10-1!!

[manpreet5553]

What a remarkable performancy by David Gray under pressure !!!

I normally prefer to watch Ronnie O Sullivan's matches, but this performance by David was right up there .. he is one of my favorites now ;)

[SnookerStefan]

He is so brilliant!!!

What a break in this pressure situation!

Nice performance from David, just perfect!

Is saw him last year at the Paul Hunter Classics in Fürth/Germany, he was so great! And he his a very friendly Guy! This season he is back on the Main Tour, because he got a Wildcard! Come on David!!!!!!

[samasnookerfan]

What a great match.

Strange how both these players snooker careers have gone since then. Perry now established in the top 16 whereas Gray just about on the tour.

Hope Perry wins an event sooner or later, he deserves too. It would be good to see Gray make a bit of a comeback too.

[DoctorSnooker]

Can't believe that David is out of the Main Tour...