SNOOKER:Mark Williams and Shaun Murphy are the first two players to qualify for the quarter-finals of this year's UK Championship. Williams, a two-time UK champion, resumed his last 16 match with Belfast's Mark Allen trailing 5-3 at the Telford International Centre.

But in an incredible turnaround he grabbed himself a 9-5 victory at this year's event. Williams had trailed 5-1 before winning two crucial frames on Monday night to keep himself in with a shout of progressing.

The world number 12 will now play Scotland's Stephen Maguire who beat Preston's Ian McCulloch 9-5.

Murphy led Stuart Bingham 5-3 overnight, and won the next four frames yesterday. A 9-3 victory sees Murphy play Former UK champion Ding Junhui.