HEAD BANGERS

Mark Williams has been more Frank Spencer than John Spencer this season.

First, he broke his arm before the Shanghai Masters. Today he suffered a couple of hefty blows to his head on one of the light shades in the Pro Challenge Series at Willie Thorne's, Leicester.

Williams was beaten 4-1 by Jamie Cope.

The story put me in mind of Steve Davis, who banged his head on a thick steel door shortly before playing Ricky Walden in the 2005 China Open.

He became so dizzy that he had to withdraw midway through the third frame and was taken to hospital.

I know this will come as a shock to many of you but journalists tend not to be the most sympathetic of people.

There were a few jokes at Steve's expense backstage but fate got its own back.

As we left the venue that night, I banged my head on the same door.

It was the only time I was ever likely to emulate anything Steve had done.

And, yes, it hurt...