STUART Bingham’s World Championship hopes were ended at the first hurdle following a morning to forget against Ken Doherty.

The 1997 world champion was trailing 5-4 overnight against Vange professional Bingham.

But the Irishman reeled off six straight frames this morning to secure a 10-5 victory over the world number six.

Bingham was unable to get into his stride and made some costly misses, including three attempts at the same ball while attempting to play a safety shot.

Things had looked different earlier in the match as Bingham took the first frame 74-40 at the Crucible in Sheffield and then compiled a break of 85 to take the second 91-0.

The Essex player edged the third 57-49 to take a 3-0 lead but Doherty, the oldest player in the tournament at 44, hit a break of 66 to take the fourth 74-51.

Doherty took the fifth 78-53 to pull to within a frame of 37-year-old Bingham but he made it 4-2 with a 56-25 success in the sixth.

A break of 91 earned Doherty a 91-16 seventh frame win but Bingham took the eighth 63-52. But Doherty’s 70-37 win in the final frame yesterday made it 5-4 going into this morning’s session.

Doherty levelled the match in the 10th frame with a 68-51 success and followed it up with a break of 55 to win the 11th 79-11 and take the lead for the first time.

The Irish player had kissed the theatre’s carpet on his way into the arena to face Bingham on Saturday after winning through qualifying to join the world’s top 16 ranked players.

And he was determined to extend his stay in the competition as a break of 60 secured the 12th frame 106-28.

A 67-20 win in the 13th, an 83-0 in the 14th and a break of 60 to claim the 15th 73-30 wrapped up the win.

Bingham was knocked out in the quarter-final stage last year by defending world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan.

Rocket Ronnie became the first man to make the second round today when he completed a 10-4 win over Robin Hull.

Colchester-born Ali Carter concludes his first round match this afternoon against Xiao Guodong leading 5-4.