MATTHEW Stevens will be back at the Totesport.com Welsh Open today to face former world champion Shaun Murphy in the first round after surviving a qualifier that went to the wire at Newport Centre yesterday.

The Carmarthen potter beat Norwich's former top 16 right-hander Barry Pinches 5-4, but there was not a frame between the players for the near four-hour marathon.

Stevens is aiming to return to snooker's elite after three seasons outside the top 16 and will get a points boost to his ranking no matter what happens against Murphy.

The 32-year-old is determined to try his hardest to make an impression at his home tournament.

Stevens, ranked 26th, said: "It was just a battle out there from the word go today. He hit two breaks in the frames he cleared up in.

"I'm practising hard and trying too hard I suppose to win my matches. I will be second favourite against Shaun but I'll be going in there with a positive attitude."

Stevens hit breaks of 87 and 58 in a scrappy victory. But he refused to look any further than his clash with world number three Murphy given his average record at the Welsh Open in past years.

"I keep on losing in the first couple of rounds so don't expect too much from me," joked the former Masters and UK champion. "I'm happy to get through."

The first big name to crash out was ex-world champion Peter Ebdon, who was rocked 5-0 by Barry Hawkins.

Australia's 2007 Welsh champion Neil Robertson had no trouble reaching the second round by beating China's Liu Song 5-2.