Doherty doing it the hard way as Higgins hits back

KEN DOHERTY is still on course for a semi-final spot at the Embassy World Championship but, after opening up an astonishing 10-0 lead, the Irishman saw John Higgins launch a brave fightback to trail 10-6 overnight.

After leading 8-0 with a first session whitewash, Doherty made the score 10-0 with the help of a 112 break.

Higgins has handed out plenty of first-session drubbings down the years but no player has ever come back from 7-0 down let alone 8-0 in a best-of-25 frames match. But Higgins then sunk 15 reds and 14 blacks with a possible 147 on the table in a 113 break which sparked the Scot to life. He won the session 6-2 to give him a realistic chance of winning the match which finishes today.