VETERAN potter Alan McManus faces an uphill battle to qualify for the World Snooker Championship second round after trailing Ali Carter in their first-round encounter in Sheffield.

The 44-year-old shared the opening four frames of what was a scrappy match with his 35-year-old opponent before Carter won three of the next four to lead 5-3 on Monday evening.

It was Carter's first World Championship since being given the all-clear from lung cancer and he was deservedly given a rousing reception upon entering the arena.

That reception seemed to inspire the Essex cueman and he began the match in fairytale fashion, notching an impressive 127 break in the opening frame to take a 1-0 lead.

McManus is renowned for his battling qualities though and after Carter broke down on 16 in frame two, the Glaswegian made a run of 66 to level things up.

The pair then split frames three and four, both of which lasted over half an hour, to head into the mid-session interval all-square at 2-2.

McManus is not short of World Championship pedigree, having been a semi-finalist on two occasions - although the last of those was in 1993.

It is now an incredible 24 years since the world No.23's Crucible debut and he will need to come from behind when the pair resume on Tuesday afternoon after Carter really hit his straps following the break.

An impressive 51 handed him a 3-2 lead before that advantage became two frames as contributions of 40 and 63 were enough in the next.

As McManus, resplendent in all tartan, began talking to himself while sitting in his chair, his opponent refused to let up and yet another half-century made it 5-2.

But the veteran is a wily customer and held his nerve in the eighth with a 52, to narrow the deficit to two frames.

If the Scot can earn a place in the second round, where 2010 world champion Neil Robertson lies in wait, he will join three of his fellow countryman.

Former champions Graeme Dott and John Higgins were 10-8 and 10-5 winners respectively but the most impressive result belongs to 24-year-old Anthony McGill, who held off a Stephen Maguire comeback to triumph 10-9 on Sunday evening.

McGill will now face defending champion Mark Selby, who needed a final-frame decider of his own to see off Kurt Maflin, in round two starting on Thursday.

And while it is undoubtedly a tough draw for the Crucible debutant, he insists it is a tie he is relishing.

"I was hoping Mark would win because I thought if I got through then I'll get a match against the defending champion, best-of-25 at the Crucible and I can't wait," explained McGill.

"No-one will be expecting anything of me so the pressure will be off - I've not really done anything in the game whereas he has won everything there is to win.

"I can go out and enjoy it but the plan is to win - that's what I'll be aiming for."

To book the Selby clash, McGill had to hold off a dogged Maguire, who recovered from 9-5 down to force a decider.

Breaks of 51, 81 and 56 helped the 33-year-old reel off four frames on the trot before his younger opponent produced a remarkably composed 122 in the last - becoming just the third player in crucible history to win a decider with a century.

And while the result qualifies as an upset, McGill claims he fancied his chances as soon as the draw was made.

"Stephen was one of the better draws I could have got, not because of his standard of snooker but because of the familiarity," added McGill.

"I know Stephen, I talk to him and practise with him now and again. It didn't feel like I was at the Crucible - it felt like I was at home with my mate in the club which helped.

"It was just relief and joy when I got over the line - to win on my debut and beat Stephen, who is a great player, is unbelievable really."

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