PAUL DAVISON is planning a Barbican blitz as he bids to send Shaun Murphy packing from the williamhill.com UK Snooker Championship today.

The Pickering potter takes on the 2008 tournament winner, and last year’s finalist, in front of a sell-out crowd in the main arena this afternoon following his 6-4 first round win over Gerard Greene on Thursday.

Thrilled to have won a match in front of a home audience, Davison reckons he can now relax and play against Murphy – a heavy 1-5 favourite with the tournament sponsors to reach the last 32.

But while acknowledging the odds will be stacked against him, against an opponent he has never beaten in three previous meetings, he declared he was not there simply to “make up the numbers”.

“If I can do the things I did leading up to my win, keep myself composed and put a good performance in then I do fancy a scalp,” he said.

“You have to. I have played on the match table so I will certainly be up for it. I won’t be there just to make the numbers up. I’ll be there to try to beat him.

“I can try to relax a little bit more. Murphy will be a strong favourite and, in a way, I have got nothing to lose so I will try to enjoy it as much as I can.

“I have to keep my attitude right and that was good on Thursday. I didn’t get myself down or get upset when things went against me. I tried to keep the same composure all the way through and that’s probably what got me over the line in the end.

“I am looking forward to the game, I can’t wait. I respect him massively. He’s a fantastic player and a nice lad as well. He has a great all round game and can beat anybody.

“He can blow anyone off the table and, for me, he’s probably slightly underachieved in a way – considering how well he can play the game.

“Shaun got to the final here last year, he has won this tournament before and he knows what the conditions are like.”

Asked how it felt to walk out into a Barbican arena as a player, having been a spectator there on so many occasions, Davison added: “It was brilliant. Fantastic. It was an edgy start but these first round matches are a bit cut-throat. They are very difficult and all-or-nothing with the prize money.

“For me, playing in front of my home crowd, and having never qualified here before, was absolutely fantastic for me and to win a match – I couldn’t have asked for anything more.

“I really enjoyed it, even the frames I lost I still just tried to enjoy the match. I tried to stay focus and do all the things you do in practice.”

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