CWM’S Mark Williams fought back three times before beating Dominic Dale with a 142 break to set up a semi-final against Ken Doherty in Australian Goldfields Open.
Williams was never ahead in the all-Welsh quarter-final against Dale in Bendigo until he swept to victory in the ninth frame with his fourth century of the match. He now faces Doherty, who saw off Mark Selby 5-3 in yesterday’s other quarter-final.
"I went 2-0 down and hadn't done too much wrong then I made two centuries to get it to 2-2,’’ said Williams.
"I made a nice break in the last and I needed it as if I had missed on 60 with the way he was playing he would've cleared up.
"I'm just excited to be in the semi-finals. I haven't played out here for 20 years and it's been excellent to be back, hopefully I can go all the way.’’ Dale, ranked 30th in the world, moved into a 2-0 lead after two closely fought frames but Williams drew level after two back-to-back centuries including an eight-minute 140 in the fourth.
An 87 break saw Dale reclaim the lead before Williams won the next.
Dale moved to one frame from victory in the seventh but a six-minute 78 break levelled the quarter-final again before Williams stormed into the last four.
Doherty had less trouble in his quarter-final, winning three frames in succession to go 4-1 ahead before Selby pulled two frames back. A 59 in the eighth from Doherty saw the Scot to victory.
Doherty and Willams are second up today after the Shaun Murphy and Stuart Bingham semi-final.
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