It's just not quite happening for Mark Allen.

He takes three reds with colours to open up a 17-point lead but leaves a missable last red into the yellow pocket - and it hits the jaw and stays out.

Another chance for Allen though now - and another miss. But he's snookered Ding on the red behind the green.

After lengthy consideration, Ding attempts one of those tricky reds but misses it and brings another into play.

Massive chance for Allen to get on the board now.

Allen's safety forces the mistake John mentioned.

Ding leaves a red over the middle but it's an incredibly fine cut and Mark Allen can't make it.

He doesn't leave a red on but Ding lays a snooker behind the pink. Easy to escape but he's left a couple of half-chances.

John Parrott
1991 world champion on BBC Two

Whoever gets in next has a very good chance of winning the frame so the next mistake is crucial.

Mark Allen has put Ding in some trouble in this frame with his safety.

Mark Allen's back in this frame, a break of 32 and counting.

He finishes the wrong side of the blue so goes full-bloodedly for a tough red down the cushion. Cues it beautifully but no easy colour so it's a safety.

36-32 to Ding.

Perhaps not surprisingly for a big final, the players are taking time over their shots.

Both Mark Allen and Ding Junhui have an average shot time this year of about 21.5 seconds.

But that has risen to above 30 seconds each in the opening exchanges here.

Maybe we're getting a bit far ahead of ourselves with this qualifier triumph talk.

Ding Junhui makes an error and Mark Allen is in with a good chance now, one he really needs to make the most of.

Image source, Getty Images

Re: 14:14 entry, I'm reliably informed by snooker journalist Shane McDermott that a qualifier has previously won the event.

And it's the same man who might repeat the feat today - Ding Junhui had to come through qualification when he won the UK title as an 18-year-old in 2005, beating Steve Davis in the final.

A key safety exchange ongoing at the minute.

The reds are all out in the open and with Ding 36-0 up, he will be heavy favourite to go three frames up if he gets in next.

Allen no stranger to deficits, he's been 2-0 down in three of his four matches in York this past week.

Jon Hayes: Has a qualifier ever won the UK Championship before?

Good question, Jon - qualifying has only been re-introduced recently, the tournament used to be a flat draw. Looking down the list of previous winners, it doesn't seem like a qualifier has won before. Ding could well be the first, should he triumph tonight.

Ding compiles 36 but, again, his positional play is far from perfect and eventually lets him down, forcing a safety.

Big frame this for Mark Allen - even at such an early juncture, a 3-0 deficit would be pretty daunting, even for a man who has won from behind several times in this tournament.

Steve Davis
Six-time world champion on BBC Two

The last thing Mark wants to do is let Ding Junhui get away from him because he's such a great frontrunner.

He looks relaxed whereas Mark is back in a hole and he's got to dig his way back into the match. He can do it but you'd much prefer to be Ding Junhui at the moment.

Stephen Hendry is spot on there.

Mark Allen misses a long red to start frame three and Ding Junhui is in again...

Stephen Hendry
Seven-time world champion on BBC Two

If there's a slight weakness over a season for Mark Allen, it's his consistency of long potting - and his long game is going to be tested today.

Michael Emons
BBC Sport at York Barbican

After an opening frame that lasted more than half an hour, Ding Junhui wraps up the second much quicker with a break of 70 after an effort of 52 in the opener.

There will certainly be no panic from Mark Allen, who spoke of how good his mental strength has been during this tournament, but it's Ding who sits the happier after two frames.

The cue ball wasn't exactly on a string in that break but it was a frame winner nonetheless as a run of 70 makes it 2-0 to the Chinese player.

Plenty for Mark Allen to ponder in his seat.

Those seats look very comfortable at the Barbican, although the players don't want to spend too much time in them obviously.

John Parrott
1991 world champion on BBC Two

Ding Junhui is mustard around the pink and black spots - he doesn't miss many tricks.

Ding has had the edge in previous meetings between the pair.

And he has the edge at the moment - this chance in the reds is a great opportunity to double his lead.

Quite staggering he's slipped to number 38 in the world - although he'll rocket back up those rankings with the points he's earned in his tournament.

Both players' long games are on point here - Mark Allen's break ended on 13 but he pulls out another long red.

No easy colour so he goes for a very tough yellow with difficult cueing - and misses.

Gift-wrapped chance for Ding Junhui now.