PICKERING potter Paul Davison could face a North Yorkshire foe in a battle of the baize - in Poland.

Davison is in line to meet York cueist Ashley Hugill in the third round of the Gydnia Open this month should the pair get through their opening matches.

Davison must first see off Kobi Mates and Kevin Hanssens, while 20-year-old Hugill must defeat either Tony Corrigan or Jan Bosseart to make the clash happen.

And former two-decade tour professional Davison, who is bidding to get back on to the main circuit after dropping off at the end of last season, admitted the prospect of meeting Hugill could give the qualifiers some added spice.

He said: “From my point of view it is just another game, just another opponent you have got to beat to try to win the tournament.

“I have never played Ashley before so, if we both got through to the third round, I am sure it would be a good game.”

The winner will meet Dominic Dale, a player Davison has met frequently in the last couple of campaigns, and he said of the two-time ranking event winner: “We’ve played lots of times in the last two or three years. They are always good games.

“They are always pretty close either way. He’s a good player. He has won ranking events and he won the shoot-out last year.”

Meanwhile, Davison was in action on Sunday at the Northern Snooker Centre, in Leeds, in the Yorkshire qualifiers for the English Amateur Championship.

It turned out to be a successful day as he bagged one of the six qualifying spots, after coming through the best-of-seven encounters.

Said Davison of the championship: “When I dropped off the tour in 2000/2001, I played in it and I lost in the final. I beat Mark Selby and Ricky Walden on the way and they were just coming through. It would be a feather in the cap to win it but it won’t be easy.”

The 43-year-old believes he is in decent form after also beating Chinese amateur starlet Zhao Xintong 4-3 before falling to former world champion Graeme Dott 4-1 in the Xuzhou Open in China last month.

On those exploits, he said: “Zhao played well and so did I. I was 3-1 down and I suppose I was a bit fortunate to win as I was 50 behind in the decider but he’s certainly one to watch in the future. He’s only 17 and, talent-wise, he’s up there with anyone.

“Graeme is one of the most under-rated players there is. If you look at his Crucible record - three world finals - he is up there with any of them. He’s a very good match player.”