FOUR-time winner Gareth Green is the first player through to this year's Bradford Snooker Championship semi-finals after a 4-1 victory against holder Mark Ball.

Ball had the chance to go 2-1 up but Green took the frame and this proved to be the turning point, although the match was much closer than the scoreline suggests.

Green was also in good form for Bradford No 1 at the weekend, helping them to their sixth consecutive 5-1 victory in the Yorkshire Inter-District League – this time against Harrogate at Undercliffe Cricket Club.

Kaif Shazad started well for Harrogate, the youngster making an early 28 break and looking solid. But Green made a crucial effort of 59 to win the opener 80-44 and backed this up with a 55 break to take the next 75-12 for a 2-0 lead.

Brother Anthony Green took both points against Andy Blamire but, with both players off their usual game, neither frame was a classic, Green putting Bradford 4-0 ahead with 57-20 and 49-46 successes.

Josh Walker took on former Yorkshire finalist Gyles Behbood in the last match and made a break of 41 on the way to an 83-23 first-frame victory.

However, hopes of a whitewash were dashed as Behbood replied to a Walker 31 break by making a superb break of 93, only missing out on a century when he narrowly missed the black.

Bradford remain top of Division One, leading second-placed Sheffield No 2 by two points but with a game in hand ahead of the sides' meeting in a fortnight.

Bradford's billiards team suffered a damaging 8-4 defeat at Huddersfield No 1 which leaves their opponents as title favourites, with Bradford needing them to slip up badly in their two remaining fixtures.

Steve Wilman lost 200-54 to Huddersfield's best player Matthew Peaker, which put the hosts 3-0 in front.

Jack Dyson made a 35 break on his first visit against Bradford's Paul Devitt and led 108-61 but, after a long safety battle, Devitt picked up and completed a 200-172 victory, reducing his side's arrears to 5-3.

Huddersfield's third man Dave Peaker knocked in some sensational pots to take the third game away from Stephen Kershaw.

For the second week running, the Bradford captain was happy to reach 100 to secure another solitary point as Huddersfield ran out winners.

Huddersfield No 1 lead the table with 46 points ahead of Bradford on 40 and Harrogate 39.