Gerard Greene was beaten by last year’s finalist Ali Carter in the first round of the World Snooker Championships at The Crucible on Sunday.

Rainham cue-man Greene (pictured right) lost 10-5 after qualifying for the sport’s number one competition in Sheffield for the fourth time in his career.

It was the fourth time, Greene has suffered a first round elimination.

Greene was 6-3 down after the opening session on Saturday but he took the first frame as play resumed on Sunday.

Carter was up against it in the 11th frame, but Greene lost from a winnable position and at the interval he was 8-4 behind.

With Greene trailing 8-5, he missed the chance to reduce the margin to 8-6 after failing to sink a simple red and Carter went on to wrap up the match.

Greene’s previous first round exits came at the hands of John Higgins in 1999, Peter Ebdon in 2003 and Steve Davis in 2005.