UK Championship sensation Mitchell Travis stands in the way of Pickering potter Paul Davison today as his campaign to rejoin the main snooker tour enters a crucial stage, writes Steve Carroll.

The Sheffield amateur produced the biggest shock of the York Barbican tournament 12 months ago when dumping out world number six Marco Fu before defeating Kurt Maflin.

His fairytale run was ended 6-1 by David Gilbert in the third round but not before the 22-year-old had hit national headlines for his exploits on the baize.

Now with Travis and 43-year-old Davison heading the amateur rankings this season, the pair clash in the first round of the Ruhr Open in Germany a few days before hostilities resume in York in the game’s second biggest tournament.

Both players are ranked around the top eight in the European Tour rankings for those competitors who do not already have a tour card. If Davison can remain in that box seat, he would return to the circuit next season.

All of which means the match with Travis is of huge importance to the Quickslide-sponsored veteran.

“He’s a very open player and he hits the ball hard,” Davison said. “He can be hard to beat but I’ve got to be more than happy with that draw. I’ve been playing very well.”

With the top 16 amateurs also going into an end-of-season play-off competition with the two finalists gaining tour cards, and Q-School as a last resort, Davison has a number of options as he bids to reclaim his place among the elite.

But he said he is not looking at ranking lists working out every statistic and eventuality. “I have never been one for looking at rankings.

“I can’t try harder and want to win more than I already do. I haven’t lost an amateur game yet. I should be beating those players and I have got three chances to get back on to the tour.

“If I can’t do it then I don’t deserve to be playing on the main tour.”

Davison will also be kicking his heels during the UK Championship at York, his performance at Q-School earlier in the year not good enough to gain him a spot in the 128-man tournament.

He played two matches in the main arena in last year’s competition - beating Gerard Greene before losing to Shaun Murphy, after leading 3-0, in the second round.

Davison said: “I didn’t deserve to be in it. Q-School came a bit too early for me. I could have done with a few weeks off and come back fresher - I had just dropped off the tour. Now I am playing really well.

“I played Sanderson Lam recently and it was the best I have ever played in practice.”