Engert Remains On Course For Second Masters Title

FORMER World Pool Masters champion Thomas Engert has reached another final.

Engert, who won the 2004 event, beat Nick van den Berg 8-4 and will now play Spain's David Alcaide in the final later this evening.

Van den Berg made the first error when he missed the blue two and that helped Engert to take the opening rack in this race to eight.

The German, who had been struggling with an illness in the earlier part of the day, then doubled his lead, before van den Berg won his opening rack - to the delight of the home fans.

But Engert was soon to regain his two-rack advantage as a fine break left the balls well positioned for a routine run out.

Van den Berg then clinched his second rack but Engert regained control of the match by winning the next two. The latter saw van den Berg leave the 9-ball over the pocket leaving a simple shot for the German.

With the score at 5-2, van den Berg needed to raise his game if he was to delight the home supporters and make the final. But a poor safety saw him slump on to the table as he showed his disappointment as the match was slipping away from him.

Engert though was happy to seal another rack as he now lead 6-2, only two away from the final and with the alternate break format was now clear favourite to get the glory.

Van den Berg was also having problems with his breaking and a dry break came at the start of the ninth with a shot at the 1-ball for Engert. The Dutchman was soon back in action as Engert missed the pink 4 with the rest and then failed with a jump shot on the same ball.

It became 6-3, although Engert produced a dry break of his own in the 10th. But it did not matter as a bad positional shot going from the four to the five meant van den Berg had to use the jump cue. As a result he missed the five-ball and Engert punished this mistake fully for 7-3.

He then had a shot to win the match but his attempted 3-9 combination failed as van den Berg kept his slight hopes alive by taking the score to 7-4.

But it proved to be in vain as Engert sealed an 8-4 victory and on course to repeat his previous Masters triumph.