Snooker: Hugill’s big break earns crack at York Masters quarter-finals

The aspiring professional who, along with Steve Gregson, is considered the favourite for the crown, struck breaks of 74 and 62 as he stormed into the last eight.

Borg actually looked like taking the opening frame at Layerthorpe when he potted the green only to snooker himself on the brown.

Hugill pinched the frame and never looked back, securing a number of tough pots to secure the second before his 74, the highest of the tournament, wrapped up the match.

The competition, which is being held on a World Snooker standard tournament table above city player Adrian Barraclough’s Quickslide showroom, aims to find York’s best player.

Lee Taylor booked his spot in the quarter-finals with a 3-1 victory over Paul Holmes. Both players produced some fantastic safety play in the opening frame but it was Taylor who got the breakthrough with a 55-30 success.

Defensive play ruled in the second frame as well but Holmes kept his cool to level the match. Taylor forged back in front 66-29 and it was 69-22 in the fourth frame as the Malton player went through.

Heworth’s Kevin Gall also reached the next stage with a hard-fought 3-1 win over Burton Lane’s Daz Colledge.

Colledge, the winner of group ‘C’, couldn’t get his potting arm going in the opening two frames and Gall took advantage of a number of chances to forge into a 2-0 lead.

A number of long reds helped Colledge hit back to take the third frame but Gall won the match with a 67-22 success in frame four.

Gall said of his tournament hopes: “I will certainly have to raise my level for the next match, although I am looking forward to the challenge.”

Pete Glover was the first person to get through when he beat John Dowd 3-1.

In the remaining second round matches, Dan Potter meets Paul Mahoney tomorrow, Glen Mountain and Roland Cox square off the following day and the last 16 concludes with Gregson versus Jordan Worobec on Tuesday.