Snooker: Taylor is overrun by Holt

DENNIS TAYLOR'S swansong on the professional circuit this season will not include an appearance at the Liverpool Victoria UK Championship in November after he was beaten by Derby's Michael Holt in the final qualifying round at Plymouth Pavilions yesterday.

Taylor, who only last week announced his intention to retire at the end of the current campaign, was whitewashed 5-0 by Holt, who at 20 years old, is 29 years the junior of Taylor, who won the world championship in 1985.

Holt required only 85 minutes to secure his place in the tournament proper, to be held at Bournemouth. Breaks of 89, 88, 55 and 47 played a major part in helping him comfortably progress past his older rival.

Hong Kong's Marco Fu recovered from a 4-1 deficit to edge out Karl Broughton, of Grimsby, 5-4. It was Fu's ninth consecutive match victory as he marched on to the televised stages of the tournament.

Digest, page 23