STUART BINGHAM slammed an ‘all over the place’ performance after being knocked out of the English Open in the second round.

The Basildon potter and 2015 world champion succumbed to a shock 4-2 defeat against world number 42 Ben Woollaston in Milton Keynes as his mixed run of form on the circuit continued.

World number 11 Bingham, who was dumped out of the World Championship in the second round, blasted his inability to take chances and says he struggled with the conditions at the Marshall Arena.

“It was just poor really and the first couple of frames I was all over the place,” the 44-year-old said.

“I had a golden chance to make it 1-1 but I just seemed to be over-cutting everything.

“I don’t know if the table cloth was a bit different but it was just throwing me - I just missed too many chances today.

“It just threw me - the very first shot I broke off I hit a bit thick and then I overcompensated for everything and started hitting everything thin. It was just a poor day really.”

Woollaston raced into a 2-0 lead at the first Home Nations event of the season as breaks of 98 and 53 left the reigning Masters champion slumped in the chair.

Six-time ranking event winner Bingham hit back, however, restoring parity in the fourth with a majestic visit of 136.

But a century of his own from Woollaston helped him topple the Essex player and march into the last 32.

Bingham’s attention will now turn to events such as the UK Championship, which is conventionally held at the York Barbican but may be moved to Milton Keynes owing to Covid-19 restrictions.

The former king of the Crucible is a man for the big occasion and says he longs for the day when crowds can return.

“It just seems a bit like a practice session and a bit too relaxed,” he added.

“There’s no get going in me. If it’s good, it’s good, if not it’s frustrating, but that’s how it goes sometimes.

“If there’s no crowds why does it matter [where it’s held]? York’s a lovely city but if it’s social distancing and things like that, we’re here to play snooker and it doesn’t matter where you are.

“Not really [I’d prefer to see the UK Championship here] but it is what it is and if we can play the tournament and it has to be here then so be it.

“But York’s a lovely city and it would be sorely missed on the tour.”

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