Focused Perry ready to thwart inconsistent Maflin

Third round
BBC2, BBCi & Eurosport 1, 1pm & 7pm

Joe Perry has started the Betway UK Championship firmly on the front foot and there could be plenty more to come from the Fen Tiger in York.

There are few better match-players than Perry when he hits peak form and that all-round baize nous was seen to good effect when he dismissed in-form Jack Lisowski 6-3 in round two at the Barbican Centre.

Lisowski has had a couple of sniffs at decent titles this season so the form could work out well.

Maflin has been compiling some seriously high breaks on occasions this season, but it's the frames in which he fails to shine that should be a concern for his supporters.

The nationalised Norwegian could take the game to Perry the way he did successfully against another veteran, Jimmy White, in a 6-2 last-64 triumph. But it's more likely that the favourite will find a way to dominate the table-time and Betfred's offer of 8-13 about Perry looks more than fair.

It's difficult to be confident about the way other matches will pan out.

Mark Selby's conqueror Scott Donaldson has the talent to become a seriously decent performer. He scored well in his 6-3 victory over the world number one, in his first victory over the season, and could continue to produce the goods against Li Hang but is not certain to.

Ryan Day could be the fresher party in his all-Welsh clash with Mark Williams, but the Northern Ireland Open champ has carried over his winning form well.

Recommendation
J Perry
2pts 8-13 Betfred

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport

Like us on FacebookRacingPostSport