Stephen Maguire says table used for UK Championship defeat needs to be 'set on fire'

Stephen Maguire says the table he lost to Mark Allen on needs to be "set on fire" after he bowed out of the UK Championship in the quarter-finals.

The Scot, 37, lost 6-1 as Northern Irishman Allen progressed to a semi-final against England's Stuart Bingham on Saturday at 19:00 GMT.

Maguire did not put his defeat down to the table, saying he "never put up a fight" at the York Barbican.

But he added: "You can't play good snooker on that."

Maguire had recovered from 4-0 down to beat world champion Mark Williams in the previous round and found himself 4-0 down again before taking the fifth frame, only for Allen to see out victory.

Ronnie O'Sullivan had earlier beaten Martin O'Donnell 6-1 on the same table to book a semi-final with fellow Englishman Tom Ford on Saturday at 13:00.

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"I knew it wasn't going to be a good game from halfway through the first frame because that table needs to be burned, that table needs to be set on fire," said Maguire.

"I hope you ask Mark the question because he's won the match and I'm sure he'll back me up. I watched Ronnie's match today and he was garbage. If he can't play good snooker on it, then we're not going to.

"It's very disappointing for quarter-finals. It's a big match out there. I never played well. I'm not saying if the table's nice and recovered, I would play well. It was tough out there. It wasn't a proper game of snooker.

"Even the chances I was leaving Mark there, usually he would score, he would make 100, he would make 90. He couldn't get the table either. He just couldn't get position so I don't think it's just me.

"I never put up a fight and Mark just picked up the pieces, really, so I think 6-1 is a fair result. I was a wee bit embarrassed about how bad I was. I hold my hands up. It could've been a great game."