White avoids Premier League wooden spoon - 22/11/2007

Rothes Halls, Glenrothes
Neil Robertson 3-3 Jimmy White
Robertson's scores first
36-69 (Robertson 36, White 40), 13-69 (White 42), 65-27 (Robertson 51), 42-60, 63-24 (Robertson 63), 71-17 (Robertson 50)

JIMMY White has avoided the dreaded wooden spoon in the 2007 PartyBets.com Premier League Snooker.

White clinched the third point of his campaign to condemn Australian Neil Robertson to last place in his debut season in the competition.

"I've learnt a lot but it's really disappointing to finish bottom," said Robertson.

"I had a lot of expectations coming into this and really hoped to make the top four. But if I get the opportunity to play in this again I will do better."

White added: "I've been in front a few times, against Stephen Hendry, Ding Junhui and again here so I could've had more points and qualified."

The Londoner was first to come to the table in a good position and he made a break of 40 before missing a thin cut on a red.

But he was soon back in action after Robertson made 36 but later left an available red on into the side centre pocket.

White, who drew his first two matches but then failed to gain any points from his next three, took advantage for an early lead.

The second started in scrappy fashion before a Robertson safety error let The Whirlwind back in. Similar to the first frame, White reached a score in his 40s, missed a pot but again the Australian did not capitalise and the score became 2-0 to the Londonder.

Both players made a number of the mistakes at the third, although a break of 51, the highest so far, from Robertson moved him close to the finish line. He missed an attempt at the yellow but White still needed one snooker.

The frame ended when White himself was snookered and hit the black instead of his target of the yellow ball and it was 2-1.

It was proving to be an error-strewn contest and both men missed chances to win the fourth frame. White held a three-point lead with only the brown, blue, pink and black remaining before a tense five-minute safety exchange.

The crucial point came when White swerved around the black to pot the brown to ensure he would get at least a draw and therefore not come in seventh out of seven competitors.

But there was still money available for Robertson and he earned another £1,000 for winning the fifth frame, thanks to a break of 63. He had looked on course for another £1,000 with a century break but stalled in his 60s after a horrible kick on the pink.

White missed a red with the rest and then conceded the frame, even though there was still enough points on the table for a fightback. Robertson took the last, largely due to a run of 50, as the contest ended 3-3.