DIGEST:Ken Doherty, provisionally the world number one for next season, opened a 5-3 lead over Joe Perry in the first session of their third round tie at the UK Championships in York. Play resumes today with Doherty on course for a quarter-final place.

Meanwhile, Ronnie O'Sullivan and John Higgins progressed towards a potential championship final showdown.

O'Sullivan capitalised on a series of mistakes by Stephen Maguire to emerge a 9-3 winner and become the first man to reach the quarter-finals.

Higgins swiftly joined him, completing a 9-2 trouncing of Stephen Lee and adding another century break to the three in consecutive frames he made in the opening session.