Mark Allen just had his Steve Davis moment – this heartbreak will wreck him | Other | Sport

It was a classic piece of sport. Pure unscripted theatre.

After three days of a marathon World Snooker Championship semi-final, it looked like Mark Allen had finally broken Wu Yize. Allen was 16-15 ahead and faced with a routine black to make the final. Somehow, Allen missed it. The Northern Irishman folded his arms and looked up to the crowd with a rueful smile. Everywhere in the theatre, people threw their hands in the air. The collective gasp went on for what seemed like an age.

It will go down as one of the most infamous missed pots in snooker history. We’re talking Steve Davis and his missed black in the 1985 final here in Sheffield – Ted Lowe’s “No” from the commentary box sticks in the memory for fans from certain generations – as Dennis Taylor won the title.

There was Willie Thorne’s missed blue in the UK Championship final later that year when well clear against Davis. Thorne went on to lose the match.

Jimmy White looked set for victory over Stephen Hendry in the 1994 world final, when he missed a black off its spot in the deciding frame. White never did get his hands on the trophy.

Ken Doherty meanwhile is still asked most days about his missed black to make a 147 in his Masters final against Matthew Stevens in 2000.

This is up there with anything. This was to reach the sport’s biggest showpiece for the first time for 40-year-old Allen.

To Allen’s credit, he did bounce back to take a lead in the deciding frame. But Wu came back to win it with a nerveless break of 71, sealing the match 17-16.

Even for a sport known for serving up thrilling twists and turns, this was quite outrageous. A packed Crucible crowd was in raptures, with millions of viewers gripped by the action on television.

It was the most unlikely of outbursts, at a moment when the sporting drama was at its highest.

The crowd was entirely bemused by it, while referee Marcel Eckardt asked security to remove the spectator.

Wu faced a tough red while the outburst took place, which he eventually missed.

Former professional and now BBC commentator Joe Perry said: “You really like to think that shot that shot wasn’t caused by the distraction in the crowd.”

What on earth can this World Championship throw up next?