GRAEME DOTT admits missing out on the Crucible Theatre experience 12 months ago spurred him to success after battling into the second round of the Betfred World Snooker Championship.

The Larkhall potter failed to qualify for the main draw in 2014, but won three best-of-19 qualifying matches this year and celebrated by grinding out a 10-8 win over Ricky Walden in round one.

Dott held a narrow 5-4 advantage coming into Sunday afternoon's session and, although he extended that with a run of 49, Walden reeled off three frames on the spin, including a majestic 104 break, to lead 7-6.

The 2006 world champion is famed for his fighting qualities, however, and contributions of 78 and 65 helped him win four of the next five to seal a narrow triumph.

At 37 years old, the world No.19 knows he may not have many more World Championships left in him and says he is relishing every moment, especially after his battle to qualify.

"I wasn't here last year which was a horrible feeling," explained Dott. "I didn't watch any of the first week, I just tried to avoid the snooker.

"It's nice to know I can still do it at the Crucible because you think, at 37 years old, maybe that is me finished and I'll never qualify again.

"Even when I was being introduced I was trying to savour it because you have to win three matches to get here and that's not easy, so you think you might never be here again.

"It was great to come here and do myself justice. It was pleasing when the pressure was on that I held myself together."

Dott, who has played in three World Championship finals in his career, will now face Mark Allen or Ryan Day in round two as he tries to extend his latest Crucible adventure.

He has been very vocal about his distaste at having to win three matches to qualify for the event, but acknowledges that the games certainly mean he is match-sharp.

And while he is concerned that fatigue will catch up with him later in the week, the Scot is adamant the longer format that the tournament offers plays right into his hands.

"There's no doubt this longer format suits me, even if I don't quite know why," added Dott.

"To compare it to horse racing, it's like I'm a Grand National horse, but with the amount of shorter events, all I'm ever running in is seven furlongs and that's not far enough.

"I've won a lot of games here, and that was the same, where I thought Ricky was probably better than me.

"I got there eventually, but I wouldn't have if it was best-of-seven or best-of-nine. I would have been beaten 5-2. That's the big problem for me."

* British Eurosport is the Home of Snooker, showing 19 tournaments per season including the World Championship, UK Championship the Masters and all other ranking events. Available on Sky, Virgin Media & BT TV or online/mobile via eurosportplayer.com #eurosportsnooker