KEN DOHERTY defeated Steve Davis 5-4 in a gruelling four hour battle to squeeze into the quarter finals of the Liverpool Victoria Charity Challenge in Birmingham last night.

Doherty needed two hours and 13 minutes to establish a 3-1 lead at the mid session interval but Davis started his recovery by pinching frame five on the pink after Doherty suffered an expensive in off.

Davis, searching for his first title since the 1995 Regal Welsh Open, gamely levelled at 3-3 and again at 4-4 but Doherty saved his best until last. After Davis had left him the opportunity to pot a solitary long red from the break off, Doherty thumped it into a top pocket to launch a 96 break.