ROBERT MILKINS’ stunning UK Championship pot was so good that it has the world of snooker torn on if he meant it or not.
Milkins pulled off a sensational shot to pot a red during his last 32 clash with Junhui Ding in York.
https://twitter.com/WeAreWST/status/1860447619647996309Milkins found himself backed into a corner and surrounded by two colours in the eighth frame of the intense game.
But while it looked like for all the world that he would have to bail himself out and allow Ding to return to the table, the 48-year-old had other ideas.
He delicately hit the cue ball off two cushions at the perfect angle to pot the red and continue playing.
The otherworldly shot had commentators flabbergasted and fans scratching their heads as to whether he meant it or not.
The official WST X account labelled the shot as a “craze fluke”, while fans thought that Milkins had meant the whole thing.
One wrote: “Not a fluke. Played that red and it was close to the pocket.”
While another added: “Played for it and got it!”
Other snooker fans were in agreement that The Milkman didn’t mean to squeeze the red in from such an impossible angle.
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One joked: “What a fluke. However he played it nicely, so it’s a well deserved fluke”.
And a second posted: “Just call it a fluke please! With the red so close to the pocket.”
Unfortunately for Milkins there wasn’t much time to milk his shot as he saw his UK Championship efforts end against Ding.
A tightly fought affair ended with the Chinese potter winding up 6-5 victor.
Milkins had looked in control until a 135 break by Ding in frame 10 forced a decider, where the 37-year-old won it with a break of 63.
Three-time UK Champion Ding will now face Shaun Murphy in the Last 16 on Wednesday.
Speaking after his win, he said: “Winning is all that matters. Whether you are struggling or playing very good, you just have to win.
“I have confidence to compete in matches. Even when I’m just making 30 or 40 breaks and playing some good safety shots, I feel good. It is different to how I have felt at other times.
“I always like playing here at the Barbican Centre. I think I have had the most success in my career in this venue.”
