Mark Allen admits to feeling 'depressed' by struggles on snooker table

Battling Northern Irish potter Mark Allen admitted snooker is “depressing” him at the minute. The struggling world No.3 kicked off his UK Championship title bid with a hard-fought 6-4 victory over Jackson Page in the last 32 at York’s Barbican.

Antrim ace Allen topped the rankings at the start of the season, after six big titles in the previous two campaigns, but has struggled for form this term.

Downbeat Allen, champion two years ago, grumbled: “It’s actually quite depressing the way I’m playing at the minute.

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“It’s not a lot of fun to be a part of right now. I just can’t play. I don’t know where to go. I’ve tried so much in the past few months and it’s really getting me down.

“But, it’s hard when you get down on the shot and don’t know where the balls going to go.

“There’s something technical not right and I’m missing so many balls. I feel like I’m giving every shot so much attention and nothing’s going right.

“It’s hard to take any confidence from that other than I got to six frames first.

“Everything’s good in my life, but snooker’s awful.

“Only two or three months ago I was the number one player in the world, but you’re only as good as your last result and I’m just not playing well.

“I feel like I’m only one good performance away from turning it around.”

Allen made a top break of just 56 as he survived a potential banana skin against talented Welsh potter Page.

And he added: “I turned down a lot of shots because I didn’t think I’d pot them. That's how bad it is.

“I felt if I played a good safety with Jackson’s inexperience I might get some easier chances.”

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