TWO of the tournament outsiders will clash in York tomorrow for a place in the final of snooker's second biggest tournament.

And tonight a former world and UK champion and the new hot-shot of the season bid to get into the last four.

Joe Perry, the world number 20, and world number 14 David Gray both won their quarter-finals in the Travis Perkins UK Snooker Championship at the Barbican Centre.

Perry, of Cambridgeshire, came from 4-1 down to topple world number 19 Allister Carter 9-7, while Gray, from Surrey, battled to a 9-7 victory over world championship finalist Graeme Dott, from Glasgow.

"I'm chuffed to bits and I don't want it to end there," Perry said after a far from flowing match.

"To get to the semi-finals of snooker's second biggest event is a mega achievement."

"I was prepared to win whatever way it took. It wasn't pretty but some games are like that."

Carter, who saw off Jimmy White and Paul Hunter in earlier rounds, lost his way after going 4-1 up and started last night level at 4-4.

There was no more than a frame in it until the clincher. Perry made a 114 break to level at 7-7 and in the 15th made a fine 51 clearance to win the frame and go on in the next to make sure of his semi-final spot.

Gray said after his victory that the 147 maximum break he made in the second round has taken the pressure off him and he felt relaxed last night.

Leading 5-3 at the end of the afternoon session he won a remarkable opening frame last night by scoring 16 penalty points from two snookers and two free balls to take the frame when all had seemed lost.

Dott rallied from 7-4 down to have a chance of levelling at 8-8 but he went in off a hard-hit failed attempt to sink the pink and Gray potted it to win the frame and match.

John Parrott finishes his quarter-final against Mark King tonight, while world number nine Stephen Lee is up against 23-year-old Scot Stephen Maguire, conqueror of Ronnie O'Sullivan and Steve Davis in the past week.

Last night's results

Quarter-finals

Joe Perry 9, Allister Carter 7; David Gray 9, Graeme Dott 7.

Tonight's matches

Quarter-finals (7pm, final session of matches started this afternoon): Mark King v John Parrott, Stephen Lee v Stephen Maguire.

Tomorrow's match

First semi-final (1.30pm and 7pm): Joe Perry v David Gray.

Updated: 09:36 Thursday, November 25, 2004