10-9
And HENDRY's done it. What a superb comeback from the supposed old-timer!
9-9
HENDRY is surely going to take this now. He's 62-0 up and ALLEN needs snookers.
9-9
What a missed chance from ALLEN. He sinks a red but the cue ball ends up in the middle pocket.
9-9
HENDRY wraps it up and we're into the 19th and final frame.
8-9
ANOTHER TWIST! HENDRY is back at the table. Great green to the middle pocket and he's set to take this match to a deciding frame.
8-9
Miss from HENDRY, and ALLEN is presented with a glorious opening to win the match.
8-9
HENDRY has an opportunity, but he makes a positional mistake and is forced to adjust...he makes the pot but has to make do with a blue for colour.
8-9
ALLEN bags an early red and leaves HENDRY snuck behind the yellow in balk. The Scot fouls at this first attempt and leaves a chance with his second.
8-9
This is set up a treat now. HENDRY pulls it back to 9-8, and the tension is growing.
7-9
ALLEN moves to within a frame of knocking HENDRY out with a break of 55 to take it to 9-7.
7-8
Ooooohhh. ALLEN misses a long red to the top left and HENDRY has a chance.
7-8
ALLEN has a decent chance here. He's going well with a break of 48, and needs some clever positional play to see out the frame.
7-8
HENDRY with a fine break of 65 to bring the match into its "business end". This one could go all the way.
6-8
And ALLEN goes 8-6 ahead with a composed finish to the frame. HENDRY's momentum from the start of the session has been extinguished. Is there another twist in this one?
6-7
ALLEN is in the balls, with a break of 74 so far. The frame is his, and HENDRY has to work to do.
6-7
Welcome back, and it's ALLEN who gets an early chance after the interval. The reds are dispersed nicely and he has a wonderful opportunity to go 8-6 up here.
6-7
ALLEN wraps up the session with solid break to lead 7-6 at the interval. He needed that, and we've got an intriguing final session the cards here. Back shortly.
6-6
ALLEN is in here. He's in the 40s and looking smooth and composed. Psychologically this is a key frame, coming as it does right before the mid-interval break.
6-6
HENDRY pulls back to 6-6. What a performance from the Scot in this session, he's taken his chances expertly. From ALLEN's perspective, it's been a miserable hour. He's made some woeful mistakes and let HENDRY back in.
6-5
ALLEN has a break of 56 so far - all reds and blacks. It's all looking very promising UNTIL he fouls the red with his hand and lets HENDRY back in.
6-5
And HENDRY is right back in this now. SELBY must be kicking himself. That could, and should have been 7-4.
6-4
SELBY had a glorious chance to wrap HENDRY up in a world of pain behind the blue, but played it too strongly.
6-4
ALLEN is 60 behind with 59 on the table - he needs a snooker clearly, but he'll be hopeful with the number of balls left.
6-4
WELL WELL!! HENDRY wins the vital first frame with two snookers followed by the clean-up. That could prove pivotal.
6-3
ALLEN leads 51-31 with just blue, pink and black left on the table. Tense stuff. ALLEN has a chance at a double...goes begging.
6-3
Good afternoon and welcome back to eurosport.yahoo.com's LIVE coverage of Stephen HENDRY against Mark ALLEN. We'll be under way shortly, with this match playing to a finish.
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Thanks for joining me this afternoon; make sure you stick around for the remainder of the day's action from the Crucible...
6-3
Hendry needs a snooker when he comes to the table...he can't find it, eventually leaves Allen half a chance...which he takes with a stunning long red to close out a 6-3 session...
5-3
Allen makes a fine 62 before just running out of position on the black...he plays safe, Hendry comes to the table well down, although there are still 75 left...
5-3
Hendry just misses out on a second ton in three frames, missing the final red to end a break of 93...fine effort, and it means he has the chance to end the session just a frame behind the free-scoring Allen...
5-2
Allen fires right back! Another ton, 102, re-establishes his three-frame lead, with two frames to play this session...fine performance from the County Antrim youngster...he has gone for everything this afternoon - and most shots have come off.
4-2
Hendry finally comes to the party with a superb 110 clearance...that will make him feel a lot better, and just remind Allen of the calibre of opponent he is facing...
4-1
Allen continues his domination in the first frame back, breaks of 39 and 49 extending his lead to 4-1...Hendry hasn't had a chance to get into this match as yet...
3-1
Hendry and Allen are back out after their break...has the former champ pulled himself together after that onslaught from the youngster...
3-1
Allen is on fire here...he emerges at the end of a short bout of safety following the re-rack to cream a lightening- quick break of 91 to take a 3-1 lead into the mid-session interval.
2-1
We have a re-rack here...Allen and Hendry are unable to get the white free of the pack of reds, and both players agree to the referee's suggestion of a re-rack...
2-1
Allen makes another fluent frame-winning contribution, ending on 87 only when he relaxed as he came to the colours...superb stuff from the Antrim youngster...
1-1
...but Hendry eventually fails with another chance, and Allen sweeps up to level the match at 1-1.
1-0
Allen responds with a fine break of 70 before missing a red into the far corner with five reds remaining...Hendry steps up, misses his chance at a long red...
1-0
Hendry makes two meaningful contributions to win the opening frame, although it is a very scrappy affair...Allen took on some reckless shots...and missed them all.
0-0
The players are out and the action is underway...
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Hi there; welcome to our coverage of the first session of this intriguing first-round clash...