Peter Ebdon has ended Robert Milkins' interest in the UK Championship to set up a semi final meeting with Mark Williams. Ebdon, by his own admission below par for much of the season so far, struggled to a 4-4 interval scoreline. But it was different story when they resumed as the world number three reeled off five frames without reply to complete a 9-4 success.
However, Ebdon, who now faces Mark Williams after he defeated Stephen Hendry 9-2 earlier on, was full of praise for his Gloucester opponent.
"He has got more to his game than the crazy shots a few people have suggested," said the winner. "He has got a good all-round game as he showed during the first session. And he's the type of player that could be knocking on the door of the top 16 in a couple of seasons.
"Tonight there was more of a crowd in and a bit more of an atmosphere. That's much more my scene and it gives you that extra bit of incentive. Now I look forward to playing Mark. We've had some good matches and he's a very gutsy player."
Williams needed just 40 minutes to turn his 7-1 first-session lead into a crushing 9-2 quarter-final victory earlier in the evening. "I could never have dreamed of beating someone of Stephen's calibre by that score," said Williams.
"But he is not playing as well as he used to. Anyone can see that though you still have to beat him. I suppose that's because he is getting on a bit. In his prime he could have given me and John Higgins a start.
"However, he's nowhere near as good as he used to be, thankfully for me. You should never lose from 7-1 up but Stephen could have made it 7-3 so I was glad to get over the line."
Filed by Johnny Proby
