Grace’s confidence grows as he reaches last 32 at Barbican

The 30-year-old – who cleans tables at Northern Snooker Centre in his hometown Leeds to help pay the bills – pocketed £9,000 after his 6-2 second-round win.

The victory sets up a last-32 encounter tonight at the York Barbican against Jack Lisowski and Grace is hoping to continue his giantkilling run.

“That was a massive win, probably the biggest of my career in a major tournament,” said Grace.

“I can’t believe it. I love playing in big arenas, I have spent so much of my career playing in small booths.

“I have gone most of my career just breaking even; two tournaments – Shanghai and here – that’s £17,000, money I have never seen before.

“Jack’s a fantastic talent, but I am just looking forward to it. If you take your chances, you stand a chance against anyone.”

Grace won a scrappy opening frame before Gloucester’s Milkins levelled matters with a 53 break.

But the Yorkshireman showed a glimpse of his potential with a 54 break which was enough to regain the lead.

It was a low-scoring match, with world No 17 Milkins struggling for any cohesion at the table, and Grace – at 81 in the world rankings – clinched the fourth frame to head into the mid-session interval 3-1 up.

Grace, who beat Andrew Higginson 6-1 in his opening match,returned after the break to hammer in an 85 break, and an upset was on the cards.

Having reached the last 16 of this season’s Shanghai Masters, Grace’s confidence is clearly on the increase.

Not even a 57 break from Milkins, the 16th seed in York, could prevent Grace, who lives in Bradford, from making it 5-1.

Milkins was now playing quicker; a 69 break made it 5-2, but Grace was not to be denied his place in the third round.

Earlier, Leeds’s Oliver Lines – who trains at the same Northern Snooker Centre alongside Grace – was swept away in a 6-0 defeat to world No 1 Mark Selby.

The 20-year-old beat Selby 6-4 when they met in the International Championship earlier this year, but there was never any chance of a repeat performance at the Barbican.

Selby knocked in a 133 break in the opening frame and came agonisingly close to a maximum 147 in the final frame. He potted 13 reds, but missed the 13th black off its spot to the top corner.

Lines could at least take some comfort in banking £4,000 prize money, which aids his pursuit of a top-64 spot.

Sheffield’s Adam Duffy rued his inability to win a deciding frame after losing 6-5 to Joe Swail.

The amateur caused one of the biggest shocks in UK Championship history by beating two-time champion Ding Junhui in round one but could not follow that up.

The 26-year-old did make an impressive 71 break in frame nine – and recovered from 5-3 down to force a final frame – so says the positives are there despite his disappointment.

“I’m a bit gutted to lose that 6-5. At the minute I just can’t win a decider. I’ve lost about eight on the trot I think,” mused Duffy.

“But I’m playing well, the table wasn’t the best for both of us, but it is what it is and you’ve got to get on with it. I’m happy with how I’ve done; I’ll take beating Ding obviously and just take that into the next tournament.”