YORKSHIRE'S dream of UK Snooker Championship glory died in York Barbican last night, when Leeds-based Paul Hunter was defeated by John Higgins.

The third-round encounter was closer than the scoreline suggested, with Hunter showing true grit in a series of taxing frames.

Higgins himself admitted afterwards it had been "a very tough game."

He said: "While 9-5 seems fairly easy it was a close match. He missed a lot of long ones, but I didn't get my share of them either and we were running out of position too much."

The evening session began level with the scoreline at 4-4, and Higgins gave the crowd the impression he was cruising with an 87 clearance in the ninth.

But he scraped through the scrappy tenth frame, and let in Hunter after an unlucky double kiss off the blue early in the 11th.

The Yorkshireman took advantage with an excellent 93.

The crucial 12th frame before the break then became a tense, drawn out affair, with Higgins edging out his opponent in a 26-minute marathon.

Hunter looked to have a chance in the 14th after Higgins missed a tricky red, but two shots later the 'Wizard of Wishaw' was back at the table and this time made no mistake.

He is under no illusions about the task he faces against Stephen Lee, who beat Finland's Robin Hull on Monday.

"I'm obviously going to have to play a lot better against Stephen Lee. He is playing with a lot of confidence at the moment," said the Scot.

Meanwhile, Mark Williams also made the last eight at the expense of Alan McManus.

The Welshman eventually triumphed after a tense evening session, in which he treated the crowd to a 107 break.

The two, neck and neck after the afternoon session, stayed that way until frame 14.

Williams then went 8-6 up, but the Glaswegian pulled a frame back before eventually being shaded out 9-7.

Today's quarter finals

(best of 17 frames)

1pm and 6.45pm: John Higgins v Stephen Lee, Matthew Stevens v Ken Doherty.

Updated: 11:44 Wednesday, December 12, 2001