On-song Davis motors past Ford

The St Leonards potter, ranked 18th in the world, produced a fine performance to see off 26th-ranked Tom Ford 4-1 in Galway, Ireland.

Davis opened the first frame with a break of 64. He then shut Ford out in the second via a run of 84 and threatened to overturn a 63-point deficit in the third when he rallied with a 51 only for Ford to take it in the end.

Thirty-nine-year-old Davis went 3-1 up by opening frame four with a 72 break and a run of 47 helped him seal victory over Ford, a 27-year-old from Leicester, in the next.

Davis then threatened to pull off a fourth successive victory against Stephen Maguire, the world no.10 and recent German Masters finalist, in round two.

Two breaks of 47 helped Davis win the first two frames and he led 51-13 in the next before Glasgow cueman Maguire hit back to win it with a colours clearance.

Thirty-one-year-old Maguire, who has won four ranking event titles including the 2004 UK Championship, took the next two frames with runs of 54 and 59 to lead 3-2.

Davis had a chance to force a decider, but missed a tricky slow-rolled green to a centre pocket at 53-40 in frame six and Maguire finished the job.

Davis is due to be back in action tomorrow (Wednesday) and Thursday in the Championship League winners group at Crondon Park Golf Club in Essex.

See Friday’s Hastings Observer for the full article.