PICKERING's Paul Davison will move up the world rankings after reaching the second round of the Betway UK Snooker Championship.

Davison was knocked out by world number 27 Ben Woollaston on Sunday after beating Newcastle's Gary Wilson in the first round last week.

His performance netted £5,000 in prize money and took his total winnings for the season to £8,000.

The result will push the 45-year-old back into the top 90 ahead of next week's German Masters qualifiers at Barnsley Metrodome.

Speaking after his 6-4 defeat to Woollaston, Davison said: "It was disappointing to lose. It would have been nice to get through to the third round and play in the main arena.

"It just didn't go my way in the second half of the match. I had to dig in a bit to get it to 5-4 and I wanted to get to a decider to give myself a chance of winning - but it wasn't to be."

Buoyed by a 6-3 victory over Wilson in the first round, Davison had been aiming to reach the last 32 of his 'home' tournament for the first time in his career.

But Woollaston, a finalist in last year's Welsh Open, was a stubborn opponent whose safety kept him under constant pressure.

Davison lost the first frame but was leading 2-1 before Woollaston levelled courtesy of a 63 break just before the interval.

He made a break of 54 at the start of the fifth frame but Woollaston responded with a 66 break to go 3-2 ahead.

Davison then made his biggest break of the tournament (96) in the sixth frame, missing a pink that would have chalked up a century.

World champion Mark Selby, who lives near Woollaston in Leicester, had joined the crowd in the sports hall to watch two frames of the game.

His presence seemed to inspire Woollaston who hit a break of 87 to win the seventh frame 101-0 as well as the subsequent frame 70-0 with Selby in the seats.

The ninth frame was an absorbing affair which stretched for nearly an hour.

With only one point separating the two players, and only pink and black remaining, there was a lengthy game of cat-and-mouse. Davison finally potted the black to make it 5-4.

All other tables at the Barbican had long since been vacated as the two players continued their tussle. A few extra supporters had also drifted into the sports hall to catch the finale.

Unfortunately for Davison, he never truly secured a foothold in the tenth frame.

Woollaston sailed into a 67-0 lead with 67 points remaining. Although Davison potted two reds and two blacks to raise the possibility of a re-spotted black, he left his next red over the pocket and duly conceded.

"You have no time to dwell on things these days," he reflected. "I will have a day or two off now and then get back on the practice table. The events come thick and fast. You have got to get it out of your system as quick as you can and get back on the saddle."