Controversy in Blackpool: Ashley Hugill Left Seething After Technical Error Hands Michael Holt Dramatic Win at Snooker Shoot Out
The high-octane Snooker Shoot Out is famous for its frantic pace, but a technical failure in Blackpool has left the snooker world in shock. World Amateur Champion Ashley Hugill was dumped out of the competition in a “farcical” first-round exit after the arena’s shot-clock beeps failed to sound, leading to a game-changing time foul.
In the closing minute of his match against Michael Holt, Hugill was leading 39-31. Under the strict Shoot Out rules, players have only 10 seconds to hit the cue ball. Crucially, a timer is supposed to bleep during the final five seconds to alert the player.
The Glitch: The beeps never came. Hugill, trying to run the clock down while planning a tricky escape, was met with silence until a solitary bleep sounded with just two seconds left.
The Penalty: Hugill ran out of time. The resulting “ball-in-hand” allowed Holt to calmly pot two reds and a pink, snatching a 43-39 victory from the jaws of defeat.
Hugill did not hide his fury, waving his arms in disbelief on the table before taking to X (formerly Twitter) to vent his frustration:
“Waiting for the beeps to run the clock down, leading with less than a minute to play. They decide to not use any beeps on my shot, so I end up time fouling. Thanks for coming.”
TNT Sports commentators Alan McManus and Neal Foulds were quick to side with the Yorkshireman, suggesting the match should have been settled differently.
McManus: “It was unfair on Ashley. I’ll be quite honest with you, I would give them a blue ball shoot out to find a winner.”
Foulds: “It’s pretty difficult to know who has won this match based on that.” Fans on social media were even harsher, labeling the incident an “absolute farce” and claiming Hugill was “robbed” by the officials.
While Michael Holt progresses to the second round, the shadow of the “silent timer” looms large over the tournament. For Hugill, a professional performance was undone by a technical oversight, leaving a bitter taste in the mouth of players and spectators alike in Blackpool.