TONY Knowles is pulling out all the stops to keep his place on the main snooker tour. The 43-year-old Bolton professional, who won two ranking events during the early 1980s, rolled back the years to storm into the third qualifying round of the Regal Scottish Open in Blackpool. He beat Australian Johl Younger 5-2 and today meets Alfie Burden.

Knowles, the former world number two who is officially ranked 125, rattled in breaks of 123 and 113 in the fourth and sixth frames.

He must finish in the top 106 by the end of the season if he is to remain on the main tour and has moved up to 96 on the provisional rankings.

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