Snooker player Dave Harold happy to get through to Welsh Open|Snooker player|Stoke & Staffordshire sport

by Neil Goulding

TRENT VALE potter Dave Harold sparkled yesterday as he made sure of his qualification for this month's Welsh Open.

WELSH WONDER: Trent Vale player Dave Harold qualified for the Welsh Open with a comfortable 5-1 victory over Northern Ireland international Gerard Greene. Harold will face Romford's Mark King, the world number 15, in the first round of the event.

But Longton's Jamie Cope suffered disappointed as he missed out on a place at the BBC-televised tournament in Newport.

Harold, this season's Northern Ireland Trophy runner-up, impressed with a comfortable 5-1 victory over Northern Ireland international Gerard Greene in the final round of qualifying in North Wales.

However, world number 19 Cope, a two-time ranking event finalist, was upset 5-3 by experienced Norwich professional Barry Pinches at the Pontin's Holiday Park in Prestatyn.

Victory now sees Harold face Romford's Mark King, the world number 15, in the first round of the next major ranking event, which runs at the Newport Centre (February 16-22).

"I didn't play brilliantly, but I did the job," reflected Harold, the 1993 Asian Open champion.

"Gerard's a good player, but I always managed to keep my nose in front.

"Neither of us had any big breaks, a lot of the frames went scrappy, but I didn't mind because I like a battle."

Harold, the world number 28, is pushing hard for a top 16 place this season and so is delighted he's got the chance to pick up some more ranking points in Wales later this month. But the 42-year-old knows he faces a tough test against the 1997 Welsh Open finalist.

"It's going to be a tough match, but you don't get any easy matches, I'll have to play well," added Harold.

"Mark's a top 16 player, so he's going to want to win his first-round match in Newport.

"But hopefully I can go there and get a good run under my belt. I want to keep pushing for the top 16 this season."

Meanwhile, Cope struggled to find his best form, but still edged 3-2 ahead of Pinches, the world number 50, in their qualifying-round clash.

A top break of 87 from the 23-year-old looked to have swung the balance in his favour, but Pinches responded with a high break of 102 and won the next three frames to progress. He plays former world champion and current UK champion Shaun Murphy at the tournament.