Bradford's Simon Bedford reached the snooker semi-final of the first World Challenge Tour event of the season at the Manhattan Club in Harrogate.

The 25-year-old left-hander from Fairweather Green was beaten 5-3 by eventual winner James Reynolds of Pontypridd.

But former Crucible qualifier Bedford, who won £1,000, could have reached the final, having led 3-1 and had a great chance to go 4-3 in front.

Reynolds, 23, made breaks of 41 and 49, but found himself 2-1 behind after the first two frames had been shared on the black.

Bedford, who has won two secondary tour titles in the past, then squandered an opportunity of clinching the highest break prize in the fourth frame.

Finishing short on the final pink, he potted it using the rest, but went in off to leave his effort standing at 124.

The highest break then stood at 130 by Ryan Day - a Welshman like Reynolds - but it didn't survive much longer.

Reynolds levelled matters at 3-3 with efforts of 63 and 131, but Cuedos-member Bedford looked like nosing ahead again in the seventh frame.

He was up 56-0, but missed frame ball, Reynolds stepping in to clear up with a 59, and adding a 56 in the eighth to cross the line.

Nevertheless, it was a solid first tournament from Bedford, who needs to finish in the top eight on the Tour after the five events, which includes the Embassy World Championship, to gain promotion back to the main circuit for 2002-03.

Reynolds beat Steve Judd 6-5 in a thrilling final, making seven breaks of over 50, including a 104 and another 131, but he still trailed the Nottingham man four times.

In earlier rounds, Bedford defeated Steve Harrison (Sheffield) 4-3 on a re-racked final frame, having been 3-2 down. Bedford made breaks of 56 and 51 in that, and 56 and 93 in beating England international Michael Wild (Oldham) 5-2.

He also saw off Willie Thorne's conqueror Grant Conquest (Witney) 5-2, including efforts of 50 and 69, and, in the quarter-finals, Mehmet Husnu (London) 5-0, making a 60 and a 75. Malcolm Bilclough (Leeds) fell in the third round 4-2 to Paul McPhillips (Glasgow), while Paul Cavney (Rawdon) lost 4-1 to Harrison in round two.