Colchester’s Ali Carter faces an uphill struggle to retain his place in the World Snooker Championships despite winning the final two frames of a largely forgettable Sunday at the Crucible.

Resuming 6-2 behind, Carter saw every error punished ruthlessly by world No4 Neil Robertson and ended the afternoon session trailing 11-5 in the best of 25-frames encounter.

Carter, twice a world finalist, looked to have made a storming start with a break of 61. However, Robertson clawed his way back to within nine points, but missed an attempted cross double on the pink.

The Australian was given a let off when Carter saw his long pot rattle the jaws. Yet he could not take advantage, going in off on his next shot to gift the captain the opening frame.

Robertson, sporting an electric blue shirt, was back to his best in frame 10, patiently piecing together a 72-break to regain a four-frame advantage.

Frame 11 was a test of concentration, nerve and geometry. Carter had Robertson in all manner of trouble behind the baulk colours, the Australian escaping the awkward snooker on the fifth attempt.

The pair then traded blows in equal measure before Carter finally got his hand on the table, but his potentially frame-clinching break came to an end on 43 when he missed a straightforward pink into the middle pocket.

And Robertson cleared the table to win the frame by two points, punching the air after rolling the black in along the bottom rail, as Carter stayed slumped in his chair.

The 2010 world champion, with a fresh spring in his step, took a six-frame lead into the mid-session interval with an impressive 119 break.

Robertson continued to be ruthless in frame 13, while Carter was wasteful. Chances for the Essex man to get a frame on the board came and went and Robertson showed all the grit of a champion to move 10-3 ahead.

A break of 71 in the next, left Carter facing the possibility of going home from Sheffield with a session to spare.

But the former world No2 is made of strong stuff and put the pain of losing five frames in a row to the back of his mind with a delightful break of 70.

And the damage limitation exercise leaves him six frames behind, after edging a weary final frame, with a cross-table double on the pink.

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