ALI CARTER takes a 5-3 lead into tonight's final session of his williamhill.com UK Championship semi-final with Shaun Murphy.
The 'Captain' took a scrappy 50 minute final frame to secure the priceless advantage in the best-of-17 encounter.
Carter led 2-0 but Murphy fought back to level only to see his opponent once again take a two frame lead after the interval.
Murphy, whose long potting was spectacular at times during the afternoon, reduced the deficit to 4-3 with some thunderous accurate efforts from range.
But the balls were running in Carter's favour and, helped by an outrageous fluke for the second time in the session, he won the eighth frame and stands four away from victory ahead of the resumption this evening.
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