Wild frame at Welsh Open as Neil Robertson misses 12 snooker escapes before push shot dispute forces VAR review against Jak Jones

Thursday's action at the Welsh Open saw perhaps the most entertaining afternoon session of any tournament so far this season. After Barry Hawkins' thrilling 4-2 win over Mark Williams, Neil Robertson took on Jak Jones - and it was a match brimming with drama that went right down to its bitter end. The fourth frame, in particular, provided plenty of weird and wonderful moments.

As dramatic snooker matches go, the Welsh Open third-round clash between Neil Robertson and Jak Jones must rank highly.

Despite Robertson's superior ranking, Jones has largely had the measure of the Australian in their previous meetings - winning five of their six prior clashes.

But the Thunder from Down Under ultimately prevailed in a tense afternoon encounter, edging a decider which had hearts in mouths.

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The match had the early makings of a break-building masterclass on both sides as Jones' 126 break was instantly countered by a 122 from his opponent.

Jones, who revealed in an interview with TNT Sports before the match that he had fully recovered from breaking his fourth and fifth metacarpals after punching a table in a practice session, fell 2-1 behind before a mammoth fourth frame full of drama lasting 44 minutes unfolded on Table 1.

Not long into the frame, Jones laid a snooker and it quickly became apparent it was one Robertson would struggle to escape.

'Try playing that again!' - Robertson lets out wry laugh after wild foul in tricky snooker

Video credit: TNT Sports

Robertson's intent was clear as he attempted to bounce off the right cushion and into the crowd of reds which occupied the bottom left end of the table, though they were well covered by the colours.

And the Australian let out a wry laugh when, on his second attempt, he bounced off the cushion, into a nearby pink, which sailed into the bottom left pocket.

"Goodness me," TNT Sports commentator Neal Foulds said. "He’s hit the pink and potted it. I’ll be honest I didn’t imagine that was going to happen. I was looking at all the reds."

Alongside him in the commentary box, Philip Studd said: "Try playing that again, you can be there for the rest of the year."

In a remarkable turn of events, Robertson would finally hit a red - on his 13th attempt.

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Having led 8-6 before the snooker, Robertson was 61-8 behind with Jones having stayed in his seat throughout the 10-minute stand-off.

But while it was deemed by referee Ian Wagstaff that Robertson had made contact with the red before the nearby black, Foulds was not in agreement.

"Well this time it’s apparently good?" Foulds questioned. "I think that was black [first]. But there you are. I’m not the referee and he’s got a better view."

Upon viewing the incident again, Foulds was not deterred in his view. "I think it's black I’m afraid. But it doesn’t matter what I think. I’m not refereeing - thankfully."

Studd intervened: "That stand-off has lasted 10 minutes. And that’s got to be one of the greatest snookers ever laid hasn’t it."

'One of the best snookers ever laid?' - Robertson finally escapes after 12 misses

Video credit: TNT Sports

There was yet more room for drama in the fourth frame as Robertson argued to referee Wagstaff that Jones had fouled via a push shot.

A push shot is a stroke which is deemed a foul due to the cue tip remaining in contact with the cue ball after it has begun its motion.

Jones was bridging over a red in order to reach his desired target and impressively sunk the pot for a 67-8 lead - with Robertson keenly watching on as he prepared to flag the incident.

The alleged infringement sparked a video review, as Jones and Wagstaff both went to the monitor. But replays did not hold up Robertson's claim.

Wagstaff was heard on TNT Sports' coverage saying "I don't think so" as he watched the replays - and Foulds was in agreement.

"Neil walked to the table straight away thinking, 'That's my shot because he's fouled,'" Foulds said. "It was hard to tell.

"I didn't think it was, personally. But it's not easy. Who would be a referee? Goodness me, poor Ian. It's a legal shot, I think."

Robertson sat resigned in his chair as his appeal was batted away but he did manage to eat into Jones' big lead and threatened an almighty steal as he had just the colours remaining.

Push shot controversy as Robertson makes claim against Jones sparking VAR review

Video credit: TNT Sports

But his attempted brown to the middle crashed out and aligned perfectly for a grateful Jones to level the match.

The pair traded frames to set up a dramatic and tense decider, which saw both affected by the pressure with uncharacteristic misses - and an impromptu mid-frame bathroom break.

The battle went all the way down to the final four colours, with Robertson eventually finding the breakthrough to sink the brown hanging over the top right pocket and work the cue ball back to baulk for blue.

'Enraged' Jones thumps cue against table after skewing red

Video credit: TNT Sports

From blue, he again had to work the cue ball to the opposite end of the table, where he landed right on top of the pink, but made no mistake with a clinical pot.

Robertson will face Barry Hawkins, who beat Mark Williams in a high-quality affair, for a spot in the semi-finals.

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