SNOOKER ace Lee Walker is back on the road to the Crucible after winning his opening match in this year's Embassy World Championships qualifiers in Blackpool last night.

The 26-year-old from Newbridge, who was a quarter-finalist at the Sheffield venue in 1997, won 10-5 against world ranked 145 Jason Weston at the Norbeck Castle Hotel.

Walker was 6-3 up on Weston following the afternoon session of their second qualifying round tie but finished the job, losing just two more frames, in the evening.

He said: "I had six or seven breaks over 50 but I didn't make any big ones. I'm happy, though, with the way I played and I hope to win again in the next round. "Now I play Martin Gould, who has come through the (Challenge Tour) qualifiers to get here.

"I'm friendly with David John (Wales) and David lost to him in the first round although he should have beaten him really. So, although I don't know much about him (Gould), I've had a look at him."

The third round match takes place this afternoon and tonight and should Walker win it, he will be even closer to another Crucible appearance.

But it is a long way from where he was five years ago when he marched through to the Sheffield quarter-finals, beating ex-world champions Dennis Taylor and Joe Johnson plus Scotland's Alan McManus, still ranked 15th in the list this year, before going out to Canadian Alain Robidoux.

And he was back at the Crucible in 1998 but exited in the first round, losing 10-8 to Ireland's Ken Doherty.

Walker added: "It's very different when there is hardly anyone watching you in the qualifiers. I have to win five matches just to get to Sheffield but someone in the top 16 can win five matches and take the title."

The Gwent professional may have just about secured his place on the main world tour for next year by beating Weston.

The top 80 players are all safe for next season when the list is published after the Crucible tournament but those underneath go onto the Challenge Tour.

From there, they have to win a hatful of ties just to get to the Blackpool qualifiers.

However, Pontypool teenager David Dononvan's first venture into the Embassy championships ended in the second qualifying round when he lost 10-2 to Grimsby's world ranked 82 Sean Storey.