The penultimate week of the Snooker Premier League arrived at Grimsby as the three places to join Marco Fu in the finals week-end became hotly contested. Shaun Murphy was first up, playing his penultimate fixture against Williams who was playing his final match. If Murphy won he would need Ronnie O'Sullivan to win later to be guaranteed of qualifying whereas Williams would qualify if he won. The Welshman made a tactical error in the first frame that almost won it for him. He decided to concede a time foul consisting of five points to avoid wasting a time-out, it seemed to have been a good decision as he then raced to a break of 36. But he squandered the following shot and was left to rue the time foul as Murphy took the first frame 69-36. Murphy then went to double his lead with a whitewash of 101-o but he didn't make a century break. Williams also replied in the third frame with a whitewash of his own, he also required two visits to win the frame 84-0. As the tension rose and the wind whistled around the arena, the match became a lot more tentative and more snookers were applied. Murphy guaranteed himself a point after taking the fourth frame 69-58. The penultimate frame went to a black ball finish which Murphy fluked to make sure he was going to win the match. With the pressure off Williams restored a two frame deficit by winning the final frame 63-35. Murphy now sits on six points with Robertson his opponent next week whereas Williams anxiously sits on five points and has to hope results go his way to qualify.
After his win, Murphy watched intently on the other match of the night between O'Sullivan and Robertson, knowing that an O'Sullivan win would put them both through to finals week-end. Despite Ronnie and Robertson being arguably the best attacking players in the world the first frame had a six minute snooker rally. O'Sullivan emerged from it victorious by winning the frame 83-40. The second frame continued in the same vain as both players showed off their defensive skill. But when then chances arrived O'Sullivan capitalised the better as he also took the second frame with an 85-20 scoreline. The third frame was secured by O'Sullivan to guarantee himself at least a point when he took two visits to win it 128-0. The fourth frame was over before it started as O'Sullivan wasn't to be denied the victory and took the only the century break of the night of 130 to win the frame 134-0. Robertson then came into the game and restored some pride to give himself a possible chance to qualify next week by taking the final to frames. He won the fifth frame 64-32 and then took the final frame 79-59. With O'Sullivan now qualified on seven points, Robertson knows that a win next week against Murphy might not be enough to progress as he is on three points.
For Robertson to qualify next week he was to beat Murphy and hope that Selby loses to O'Sullivan. If Robertson wins 4-2 Selby has to lose 5-1 for the Aussie to progress, if he wins 5-1 then Selby has to lose 4-2 or worse and if Robertson secures another 6-0 whitewash then Selby just has to lose for Robertson to progress. All Selby needs to do next week is secure a point to be guaranteed that final place in finals week-end. As for Williams he can qualify if Robertson loses or draws and if Selby loses 6-0. If Selby loses 5-1 then he will go through on money won because frame wins would be equal between him and Williams.
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