KEEPING positive under intense pressure helped Yorkshire star Paul Hunter stay on course in his bid to capture the Travis Perkins UK Snooker Championship.

Playing well below his best form, Hunter was taken to a deciding frame by Romford's Mark King at York's Barbican Centre.

The 25-year-old world number eight from Leeds led 5-3 at the start of yesterday's session and increased the gap to three frames with a century break to lead 7-4 but King took the next three to level at 7-7.

It went to 8-8 and in the decider it was seven minutes before the first point was scored. Hunter potted a superb length-of-the-table red from the bottom cushion and went on to make a 37 break but it ended with a poor shot on red.

Leading 60-0, he got an astonishing fluke. He missed a fine cut on a red into the yellow pocket, but the cue ball bounced off three cushions and rolled back up the table to nudge the red into the pocket.

King conceded at 76-0 down and the Yorkshireman lived to fight another day. His quarter-final against either Matthew Stevens or James Wattana will be on Wednesday, starting at 1pm. Stevens and Wattana played the first session of their third round match last night and were finishing late this afternoon.

"You can't play well all the time, but I tried to keep positive all the time," Hunter said. "When it goes to a deciding frame it's anybody's. Whoever gets in first will win. I had a tricky red and got a bit of luck. I'm still in the tournament and it's great."

Former world champion Peter Ebdon and world number five Stephen Lee suffered shock defeats yesterday. Ebdon fell 9-6 to Australian Quinten Hann while Lee crashed to a 9-6 defeat to rank outsider Barry Pinches, who before the match bookies Ladbrokes had at 125-1 to win.

Pinches, from Norwich, is through to the quarter-finals of a tournament for the first time in his 14-year career. He plays either Stephen Hendry or Allister Carter on Thursday for a place in the semi-finals. Hendry and Carter were playing today, with the second session tonight.

Nigel Bond, who knocked out Ken Doherety in the second round, came from behind to beat Joe Perry 9-8 last night and will next play Jimmy White or Fergal O'Brien, who were tied 4-4 at the start of the second session of their third round match late this afternoon.

Updated: 11:06 Tuesday, November 25, 2003