A FIT and healthy Mike Dunn finally broke his UK Snooker Championship drought at the Barbican in York but the Redcar potter is not content to stop there.

Various injuries and illnesses have ensured Dunn has not won a UK Championship match since 2009 but that run came to an end yesterday afternoon.

Dunn saw off Welshman Andrew Pagett 6-2 in his first-round encounter to set up a clash with world No.12 Joe Perry, who had the luxury of a walkover into the second round.

The pair met in last month’s International Championship, when Dunn won the first three frames only to lose six on the bounce, but he’s convinced now he has one UK Championship win under the belt, more can soon follow.

“I was very shaky out there – I haven’t won a match for the last three or four seasons in the UK because I have had cracked ribs, kidney stones or man-flu,” he said.

“And every time I’ve turned up here, I’ve been fighting something out of my control. I felt okay coming into this one and I thought I’ve got to try and break the duck.

“I’m doing alright at the other tournaments but when you start losing at this one it starts playing on your mind.

“I hope I can go from strength to strength this week – I’ve got Joe Perry next and Joe is a world-class player.

“I know I can take frames off him and beat him but I know will be the underdog.”

Meanwhile, there was no such joy for Gateshead’s John Astley who was knocked out of the tournament by Jamie Cope, losing 6-2.

And the 25-year-old, who beat former world champion Ken Doherty at last year’s tournament, is already eager to return to the Barbican in 2015.

“I did believe I could win and go a bit further but things seem to be a bit tough at the minute,” he said. “Unfortunately, that’s the nature of the game.

“It’s probably the biggest tournament of the season for me, so I’m more disappointed than I normally would be.

“It’s both the fact that it’s here at the Barbican and that I have great memories of playing here last season.

“But hopefully I’ve got many more years of playing here and I’ll have more good experiences.

“It has been tough over the last couple of months but I’ve been practicing well and if I stay positive I can turn it around.”

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