Joe Johnson feels Paul Hunter stands every chance of winning the Embassy world snooker title - if he qualifies tomorrow!

The 19-year-old Moortown youngster - 18 on the provisional ranking list - faces Mark King, two places above him, in what is undoubtedly the top match in the final qualifying round at Telford.

But the 1986 world champion, who advises Hunter at the Dragons Health Club in Yeadon, is confident his charge will reach the famous Sheffield venue.

"If he gets there, he can win it," said the 45-year-old ex-world No 5, who also reached the 1987 final.

"There won't be many players in the world who would like to play Paul over the best-of-19 frames. The Crucible Theatre won't worry him - it will bring the best out of him. People will be scared of playing him. He will revel in the atmosphere.

"His temperament is the main thing. You can fake confidence, you can even fake ability, but you cannot fake temperament. You are either cool or you aren't.

"Not only has Paul won the Regal Welsh Open and climbed from 43 in the world this season to 18," said Johnson, "but he still has two tournaments to go and has already won two matches in the World Championships. If he gets into the top 16, he will be there for a long time."

Johnson also wished Bradford's Simon Bedford well tomorrow at Telford. The 22-year-old Bradford left-hander, who left Dragons (or The Manor as it was then) in the summer to return to Cuedos, meets Gary Wilkinson in the final qualifying round.

Johnson said: " Simon is in good form at the moment, winning the UK Tour event at Swindon and doing well in the Embassy.

"He has a lot of ability, but when he left he hadn't won any prize-money and was not on the main tour. It was just that his sponsorship by John Smith - he put £10,000 into him - had run out."

Leeds' Peter Lines is also in action tomorrow, meeting former semi-finalist Steve James.

With Bradford's James Wattana already through and Birstall-based Ulsterman Jason Prince meeting Martin Clark today, if all goes well, West York-shire could have five players in the first round proper draw on BBC TV's Grand-stand a week tomorrow.

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