Now he will meet either title favourite John Higgins or his semi-final opponent Paul Hunter

Now he will meet either title favourite John Higgins or his semi-final opponent Paul Hunter in his bid to become the first Welshman to capture the title since Doug Mountjoy defeated Stephen Hendry in 1988. Victory was a sweet moment for the world No 26 after losing to Hendry in last year's UK semi-final at Preston. He recovered from 4-2 down in the afternoon session to inflict upon the Stoke-on-Trent based Harold only his fourth defeat in 19 matches this season.But it was touch and go for Stevens and his greatest supporter, dad Morrell, watching the action unfold in the wings at the International Centre.He squared the first session at 4-4, went 7-5 and 8-6 in front only for Harold to recover to 8-7. The 31-year-old from Staffordshire looked poised to level at 8-8 when he led 60-0. Instead, he was forced to play a safety shot and eventually Stevens cleared up with 72 to win on the pink.It was defeat number two in a ranking tournament semi-final this season for Harold, who also lost to David Gray in the Benson and Hedges Championship final earlier this month."I'd trade all these semi-finals and finals to win one of these events," Harold said before picking up pounds 19,750 as consolation."I knew as soon as Matthew got to the yellow he was going to clear up. I just under-screwed the black and had to play safe otherwise I would have made it 8-8."Stevens, the 1996 B and H Champion, is now guaranteed pounds 39,000, double his previous biggest payday since turning pro in 1994 and should Hunter get the better of Higgins the final will be a battle between two stablemates. They are members of `Wheels in Motion' managed by wheelchair-bound Geoff Faint."I don't mind who I play, I'm just looking forward to my first final," said Stevens.. A "BORING" one-over-par 72 by John Daly left him trailing England's Anthony Wall by five shots at yesterday's halfway stage of the Hong Kong Open.

Daly had two bogeys and a birdie in the first five holes before parring the remainder for a two-round total of four-under 138. Wall, who finished 90th on this year's European Tour, shot a six-under- par 65. He moved to the front on 133 after the first-round leader, Hsieh Chin-sheng of Taiwan, dropped three strokes on the final three holes for a 70. "I am a bit surprised to be in the lead," said Wall, who had three top 10 finishes on the 1998 European Tour.Wall leads Hsieh by a stroke and is three ahead of Mark Brooks and Taiwan's Wang Ter-chang.Tiger Woods had four straight bogeys in the second round of the Casio World Open in Ibusuki, Japan, yesterday. Woods shot a two-over-par 74 to be six strokes behind the leader, Hidemichi Tanakag.. ENCOURAGED BY England's victory over Denmark, Roger Huggins believes Spain can be beaten today in Leon. The 87-70 win against the Danes in Birmingham on Wednesday was England's most impressive of European Championship qualifying, fuelling hopes they can reach the finals in Paris next summer.

England trail the unbeaten Spaniards, who finished fifth in last summer's World Championships in Athens, and second-placed Israel in Group C. The four third-placed teams with the best records in the five groups qualify for the finals in France. "It's going to be tough, but we can go in there and get a result," said Huggins. "You stay in the game, you play tough and you never know what can happen. We can stick around and perhaps we will be able to get a win."Huggins, who put in a solid performance up front on Wednesday with 15 points and seven rebounds, just as importantly provided a spark in defence, coming up with six steals."I've been struggling with this national team of late because I tend to sit back and watch the other people do a lot of the work," Huggins said. "Against Denmark I figured I'd take my shots if I got them, run the floor, rebound.