BLACKBURN snooker pro Shokat Ali notched up a 5-1 win over Jimmy Michie last night in the final qualifying round of the £300,000 UK Championship at Blackpool.

Shokat - ranked no 76 in the world - will now play Jason Ferguson in the first round proper at the Preston Guild Hall in November.

"My aim this season has been to get myself up the rankings and into the top 64 and this win will push me in the right direction," admitted the 26-year-old.

"I know I won 5-1, but the scoreline is really false. I won the first two frames without him scoring a point but I had to clear up to take another two of those frames. So it was a very satisfying win."

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