ert y ▁ 1 0 – 4 ▁to ▁qual ify ▁for ▁the ▁final ▁stages ▁at ▁the ▁Cru cible ▁Theatre ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁his ▁career . ▁M ell ish ▁was ▁drawn ▁to ▁play ▁Will ie ▁Thor ne ▁but , ▁having ▁recovered ▁from ▁ 1 – 5 ▁to ▁trail ▁only ▁ 6 – 7 , ▁could ▁not ▁prevent ▁a ▁ 6 – 1 0 ▁defeat . ▁ ▁The ▁performance ▁in ▁the ▁World ▁Championship ▁had ▁earned ▁M ell ish ▁£ 8 , 0 0 0 , ▁and ▁he ▁began ▁the ▁following ▁season ▁ranked ▁ 8 5 th ▁- ▁a ▁career ▁best . ▁However , ▁that ▁season ▁went ▁poor ly , ▁producing ▁only ▁two ▁match ▁wins ▁- ▁over ▁Dec lan ▁Hugh es ▁in ▁the ▁European ▁Open , ▁and ▁Brad ley ▁Jones ▁in ▁the ▁International ▁Open ▁- ▁and ▁he ▁dropped ▁to ▁ 9 4 th ▁as ▁a ▁result . ▁ ▁M ell ish ▁improved ▁with ▁three ▁wins ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 4 / 1 9 9 5 ▁season , ▁but ▁earned ▁no ▁prize ▁money ; ▁the ▁next ▁two ▁years ▁brought ▁no ▁u pt urn ▁in ▁fort unes , ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁re leg ated ▁from ▁the ▁main ▁tour , ▁ranked ▁ 3 1 4 th , ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁ ▁M ell ish ▁next ▁played ▁compet it ively ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁World ▁Championship , ▁where ▁he ▁reached ▁the ▁fourth ▁qual ifying ▁round ▁before ▁losing ▁ 4 – 5 ▁to ▁R icky ▁Wal den . ▁During ▁the