YORK snooker star Ashley Hugill enhanced his growing reputation in the sport despite losing 4-1 to world champion Stuart Bingham in the Riga Open in Latvia.

The young amateur made his live television debut on Eurosport against the world number two, who beat Shaun Murphy at the Crucible in May to grab the game's biggest crown.

Hugill, who had an impressive run at Q-School in the spring, had beaten Saqib Nasir in a qualifying round to set up the dream first round encounter with Bingham - easily the highest profile match of his burgeoning career to date.

Although the world champion was not at his best, Hugill played positively throughout - putting together a collection of eye-catching pots - to have TV pundits extolling a decent future.

Bingham took the first frame and looked well set in the second after a break of 48. But Hugill responded with a superb 70 to level the match at 1-1. Breaks of 42, 49 and 41 put Bingham in charge at 3-1 and he had early opportunities in the next to clinch the match.

Hugill then produced a marvellous snooker which brought some controversy to the encounter. After a couple of misses, Bingham disputed with the referee after a free ball was awarded and, following an exchange which lasted a couple of minutes, Hugill, who plays York CIU snooker for Burnholme and is the current York Masters champion, missed the brown in the centre pocket after nominating the colour.

He still had a chance to take the frame, potting a stunning length of the table brown, but was a bit short of pace on the pink after potting the blue into the right middle and missed a tricky pot to a bottom pocket.

Bingham showed his experience and made sure of pink and black after snookering Hugill.

Hugill is next in action against Lee Walker in Shanghai Masters qualification, in Barnsley, later this week.

Pickering potter Paul Davison, meanwhile, went out in the first round 4-2 to Joel Walker. The veteran tour player trailed 2-0 before levelling the game, helped by a break of 68 in the third.

Walker, though, won the next two to send Davison home. The world number 106 meets young Scottish star Rhys Clark in the Shanghai Masters qualifying.