Stephen Lee's opening victory in the World Championship at Sheffield yesterday was the best possible medicine for a troublesome neck complaint that almost caused his non appearance at this year's event.

Defeat against Scotsman John Lardner would have been a bitter pill for the 1998 Grand Prix champion to swallow.

And a painful exit looked a possibility as world number nine Lee struggled to get the better of the determined Sheffield newcomer.

After dictating matters for most of the match he found himself unable to cross the winning line.

From 9-3 down, world number 94 Lardner closed to within two frames at 9-7.

But the 26-year-old Scot played one loose shot too many as he attempted to lay one of the two snookers required to stay in frame 17. Lee potted blue and pink to secure a second-round best-of-25 frames meeting with Lardner's countryman Alan McManus.

Lee withdrew from the British Open earlier this month after pulling a neck muscle while answering the phone at his Trowbridge home. And while putting a brave face on his injury Lee admitted it was still causing him problems.

As Lardner grew in confidence Lee began to sense history repeating itself. He lost leads of 5-0 and 8-4 against Stephen Hendry in the Irish Masters final last month and went down 9-8.

This time there was no repeat performance as Lardner left himself with too much to do.

"For the first couple of frames I was shaking like a leaf," said Lardner. "When the curtains went back I felt like Bono out of U2 taking all the cheers of the crowd. Hopefully I'll be back next year."

Chris Small and John Parrott have enjoyed a couple of titanic struggles in the last year. So, it came as no surprise when they finished the first session of their second-round game deadlocked at 4-4.

The world number 25, a winner and loser by a 5-4 margin in his last meetings with Parrott, made an encouraging start.

It took him nearly 50 minutes but Small clinched a couple of tactical opening frames with a best break of just 27.