Ken Doherty maintained the 100 percent record of the world's top eight players at the UK Championship in York as he beat Dominic Dale to reach the quarter-finals today.
The Dubliner’s 9-3 victory meant all six of the leading octet to have completed their third-round matches had filled their designated place, with John Higgins and Mark Williams bidding to join them tonight.
It makes for a thrilling last few days at the game's second most prestigious ranking tournament, with 1997 world champion Doherty one of several live contenders for the Stg£100,000 first prize.
Doherty led his Welsh opponent 6-2 overnight and although Dale won the first frame of today's concluding session, it proved his only joy and Doherty claimed three in succession to book a clash with Matthew Stevens.
"We both played very well yesterday, Dominic must have been very frustrated to have made breaks of 81 and 140 and be 6-2 down," said world number four Doherty.
"He gave me a few chances today and all I had to do was take them. It got a bit scrappy towards the end but to get through is the most important thing."
Higgins and Williams, who contested last year's final, were both level after the opening session of their respective third-round matches this afternoon.
The duo, ranked among the world's top three players, had to fight back from unpromising positions to restore parity heading into tonight's conclusion.
World number one Williams, winner of this title in 1999 and runner-up in Bournemouth 12 months ago, lost the first three frames to Scotland's Alan McManus.
But even though his highest single contribution was a mere 62, the Welshman took four of the last five to reestablish himself as strong favourite to progress.
Defending champion Higgins trailed Benson and Hedges Masters hero Paul Hunter 3-1, but reeled off three successive frames before the Yorkshireman claimed the last before the interval.
PA