Without hesitation he drove a ferocious shot beyond Peter Schmeichel to equalise. United had themselves to blame, but often they need just such a reminder.Predictably, they re-emerged from a tea-time conversation that would not have pleased the vicar Ears burning, they tore into Leicester Beckham took a wider role. Ryan Giggs roamed extensively and was deep in midfield in the 49th minute to flight a long ball over Gerry Taggart to the feet of Cole who took it under control before sliding it past Kasey Keller.A knock-down by Yorke should have seen Cole do more than sky the ball but, no matter, two goals in under two minutes dismissed that particular memory. Yorke sidled past Steve Walsh before releasing Cole who slipped the ball inside the far post.A minute later Irwin threaded the ball down the left and Yorke scored a spectacular goal verging on the insulting. As Keller came out and tried to spread himself, Yorke moved almost to the goal-line but just inside the penalty area.

Keller made no contact and Yorke shot in from that absurd angle.To their immense credit Leicester dragged themselves back with typical defiance. Stuart Campbell, brought on as a substitute, placed a dangerous centre into the area. The ever-resourceful Steve Guppy hammered a shot which hit Walsh and flew past Schmeichel, who moments later was flinging himself to palm away a goal-bound shot from another Leicester substitute, Garry Parker. Nevertheless Yorke ought to have snatched United's fifth earlier than he did but dwelt fractionally on the ball to allow Keller to save.

Yorke compensated by completing his hat-trick, again in liaison with Cole who took advantage of a weak back-header by Taggart. Cole clipped the bar and there was Yorke to make an easy goal become a gift. The result turned into one that Leicester must have feared with an injury- time sixth goal smuggled in by Stam from another fine long ball by the outstanding Beckham.. JOE DAVIS'S 147 break at Leicester Square Hall, London, on 22 January 1955, was snooker's equivalent of Sir Roger Bannister's four-minute mile. Fractions have been progressively shaved from the best time for the mile just as snooker's official break record crept up in ones and twos to Davis's 146. Only the ultimate - 15 reds, 15 blacks, and all the colours, 147, stood beyond. Four-minute miles have become commonplace; so have 147s in practice - Willie Thorne has made almost 200 - and exhibitions. There have been 25 on the WPBSA circuit, five by Stephen Hendry; Ronnie O'Sullivan earned pounds 165,000 in bonuses for making one in five minutes, 20 seconds at the Crucible two years ago; Kevin McCollum made one in Division Three of the King's Lynn League.Davis's was made at the age of 53, not in a tournament but against Willie Smith, a veteran with whom he was playing a week's exhibition of billiards and snooker one week before Leicester Square Hall, the home of the professional game, was due to close.It had 220 plush fauteuil seats Ted Lowe, later the doyen of commentators, was the manager.

Davis was a one-third shareholder, as was Bob Jelks, a tablemaker, and Sidney Smith, whose own claim to immortality, snooker's first ever total clearance, 133, unfortunately slipped off the news agenda as it was made on the evening of Edward VII's abdication.Anyone who played Leicester Square Hall was on a percentage of the gate for his match, 20 per cent for the leading lights except for Davis, who was on 30 per cent. An almost papal audience with Davis was needed before a newcomer was allowed into the professional coterie. His word was law and when television came along it was with him that negotiations were conducted.It was a cosy little world. Most of the Leicester Square season was filled by the News of the World handicap tournament, a round-robin in which each match lasted three days. Older players tended not to retire but simply to receive more start, up to 30 points a frame from Davis. The prize fund was pounds 1,500, of which the winner pocketed pounds 500.After holding the world title from its inception in 1927 - through his initiative - to 1946, Davis chose not to risk his reputation by playing in the championship even though the prospect of losing, except possibly to his younger brother, Fred, was minimal. With the best player not in it, the championship lost credibility and with the public growing weary of the same old permutations snooker was on the skids.Leicester Square Hall's fate was sealed when the Automobile Association decided to increase the rent beyond the figure which snooker could support.