UK Championship Day 7

Shaun Murphy is Sunday's first finalist after defeating Ali
Carter 9-8 in an extraordinary first semi-final

Shaun Murphy produced an astonishing comeback to book his place in the UK Championship final. The Sale man was trailing 8-4 to Ali Carter at one point but he strung together five frames in a row to secure his place in Sunday’s final.

Carter took the early initiative in the match, seizing the first frame at the second attempt after Murphy let him in following a second error. The Captain also took frame two but Murphy won frames three and four, the latter with a break of 89, to go into the interval on level terms. But Carter fought back to retain his two frame lead by winning the next two, with a break of 101 in frame six. Murphy made it 4-3 in frame seven but Carter retained his slender advantage by winning the final frame of the session, to lead 5-3.

The Essex man continued his assault on a spot in the final by winning frame nine but Murphy made it 6-4 by winning the next. Carter went three ahead again by making a break of 80 in frame eleven and took a seemingly unassailable lead by taking the last frame before  the interval to go 8-4 up and within a frame of victory. However few would have expected what was to come in the following five frames. Murphy clawed one back by securing frame 13 before two breaks of 105 saw him close in at 8-7 before a 78 break ensured a final frame decider. Carter got the first chance in the decider but was only able to make 32 which allowed Murphy to make two separate breaks to finalise the incredible comeback.