TWO North Yorkshire snooker players could be set to fight out a battle of the baize - in Poland.

Pickering potter Paul Davison could meet York cueist Ashley Hugill in the third round of the Gydnia Open next month should the pair get through their opening matches.

Davison must first see off Kobi Mates and Kevin Hanssens, while 20-year-old Hugill must defeat either Tony Corrigan or Jan Bosseart to make the clash happen.

And former two-decade tour professional Davison, who is bidding to get back onto the main circuit after dropping off at the end of last season, admitted the prospect of meeting Hugill could give the qualifiers some added spice.

He said: “From my point of view it is just another game, just another opponent you have got to beat to get to try and win the tournament.

“I have never played Ashley before so, if we both got through to the third round, I am sure it would be a good game.”

The winner will meet Dominic Dale, a player Davison has met frequently in the last couple of campaigns, and he said of the prospect of playing the two-time ranking event winner once again: “We’ve played lots of times in the last two or three years. They are always good games. They are always pretty close either way. He’s a good player.

He has won ranking events and he won the shoot-out last year.”

First, Davison will be in action on Sunday at the Northern Snooker Centre, in Leeds, in the Yorkshire qualifiers for the English Amateur Championship.

Starting his campaign in round two, he will face Alan Evitts as he looks to get through to the northern finals. Six qualifying spots are up for grabs.

“They are all best-of-seven encounters and the first thing is to get through the regional qualifi - ers,” he said. “When I dropped off the tour in 2000/2001, I played in it and I lost in the final. I beat Mark Selby and Ricky Walden on the way and they were just coming through.

It would be a feather in the cap to win it but it won’t be easy.”

The 43-year-old believes he is in decent form after beating up-and- coming Chinese amateur star Zhao Xintong 4-3 before falling to former world champion Graeme Dott 4-1 in the Xuzhou Open in China earlier this month.

On those exploits, he said: “Zhao played well and so did I. I was 3-1 down and I suppose I was a bit fortunate to win as I was 50 behind in the decider but he’s certainly one to watch in the future.

“He’s only 17 and, talent-wise, he’s up there with anyone. He will definitely get in the top 16 and win events. Graeme is one of the most under-rated players there is.

If you look at his Crucible record, three world finals, he is up there with any of them. He’s a very good match player.”