Michael Emons
BBC Sport at York Barbican

Mark Allen winning the last frame of the first session means he is at least certain of avoiding the heaviest loss in a UK Championship final since it became the best of 19 frames in 1993.

Both Ken Doherty and David Gray have lost 10-1 in finals of this event - against Ronnie O’Sullivan in 2001 and Stephen Maguire in 2004 respectively.

Since then, only Maguire in a 10-2 loss to O’Sullivan in 2007 has failed to win less than five frames in a final.

There is a historical timeline of the event backstage at York Barbican and Allen may want to look at this part - talking about how John Higgins fought back from 9-5 down in the 2010 final before recovering to beat Mark Williams and win the title.

Image source, BBC Sport

Shaun Murphy
2005 world champion on BBC Two

Mark Allen has done exactly what he didn't want to do in missing that long red.

He's handed Ding Junhui the chance to settle down.

The players are back in the arena and we are under way pretty sharpish.

Not a great start for Mark Allen, though.

It's reminiscent of the afternoon session - he misses a long red and Ding Junhui is the first man in.

Michael Emons
BBC Sport at York Barbican

Image source, BBC Sport

We have a minimum of four frames tonight and a maximum of 11 before we find out who will be the winner of the 2022 UK Championship.

Mark Allen needs to win eight of the 11 frames to become the champion, Ding Junhui four.

Considering three of the frames earlier lasted more than 30 minutes, it could still be a late night if the Northern Irishman can rediscover his top form.

BBC Two

You can watch every ball of tonight's final and decisive session between two of the game's best players live on BBC Two.

Coverage will also be available on iPlayer and, of course, right at the top of this page where you can click on the "play" icon to watch proceedings in conjunction with our live text coverage summing up the action.

Right, thanks for re-joining us.

Will Ding Junhui wrap up a quickfire victory or are we in it for the long haul with a Mark Allen fightback?

The 'Dragon' needs just four frames to win the UK title for a fourth time. Welcome back to an intriguing final session from the York Barbican.

if you fancy reliving the afternoon's action, just scroll down below to see how Ding established a commanding advantage in the 2022 UK final.

Right, that brings to an end our coverage of the afternoon session of the UK Championship final.

We will be back here in approximately two hours' time for the evening instalment.

Will this man, Ding Junhui, claim the four frames he needs for a fourth UK title? Or can Mark Allen mount a comeback of all comebacks to cap the fightbacks he's already produced in this tournament?

Find out by joining us back here on this very page at 19:00 GMT.

Image source, Getty Images

Fancy a quick recap of the afternoon session?

Of course you do - and luckily Michael Emons' report from the Barbican is on hand right here.

Stephen Hendry
Seven-time world champion on BBC Two

I don't think Mark is playing well enough to come back to beat Ding tonight.

Michael Emons
BBC Sport at York Barbican

Mark Allen can at least go into the dressing room with something to cling on after a break of 79, his best of the match which saw him claim the last frame of the first session.

However, it has still been a hugely disappointing afternoon for the Northern Irishman, losing six of the eight frames as he bids to win the tournament for the first time after twice losing in the final.

Allen talked up his mental strength in his semi-final win again and will need something special if it is to be third time lucky in UK Championship finals.

Ding made three centuries - 126, 135 and 102 - and only needs four more frames for victory. We get going again at 19:00 GMT.

In case you missed it earlier...

Image source, .

Steve Davis
Six-time world champion on BBC Two

He's just had the scraps today. It could have different if he'd won the fifth frame, which he should have done.

That made a massive difference. He's playing massive catch-up against a player who's a great frontrunner.

Stephen Hendry
Seven-time world champion on BBC Two

That was a very important frame for Mark Allen. I think 7-1 would have been too much, even with his battling qualities.

Ding, at the start of the session, would have bitten your hand off for 6-2 but having got to 6-1 you always want more so it will be a bit of a sour taste at the end.

But 6-2, you've got to be happy with that.

I wouldn't say he's had to work hard to get his chances - Mark has been poor in a lot of frames and missed a lot of pots but you've still got to do the business when you get in, and Ding has been clinical.

That was more like the Mark Allen we know.

He misses the third-last red but a 79, his highest break of the afternoon, reduces Allen's deficit to four frames.

Mark Allen taking John Virgo's advice. Well he hasn't heard it obviously but you know what I mean.

He's registered his first 50 break of the final. Just a few balls needed to pull a frame back and give himself some encouragement going into the evening session.

John Virgo
1979 UK Championship winner on BBC Two

In these situations it's debilitating if you look at the scoreboard - so don't look at the scoreboard, take one shot at a time.

There will be plenty of time for reflection in between the sessions so concentrate on the job at hand.

Mark's done well to keep his chin up as a lot of things weren't going his way - it's easy to think it's not your day but never do that.

Now then. Ding leaves a long red, Allen gets it and follows that up with a middle-distance blue to the corner, the kind of shot he's been missing.

So many reds open. Allen has to take this chance. Seems like we've said that a lot the past hour but this really is a must-take opportunity.

Even unluckier now.

Ding goes for a long red, misses and cannons a host of other reds. The white lands right by the pink spot.

Mark Allen simply has to be on a red. He isn't. A sheepish Ding holds up a hand in apology. Allen smiles but inside I don't think he's smiling.

Ken Doherty
1997 world champion on BBC Two

He's been very unlucky there.

Oh dear.

Mark Allen pots the brown to bring the cue ball in and out of baulk. There's 14 reds there but he lands right on top of one and has to play safe.