BLACKPOOL, Jan 14: Marco Fu continued his revival with a 5-3 defeat of Darren Morgan on Monday night to reach the final stages of the European Open.

Hong Kong’s Fu broke into the top 16 three seasons ago but then suffered a loss of form and dropped to No 27. He showed encouraging signs at the PowerHouse UK Championship last month with a run to the last 16 and has won both of his qualifying matches here this week. He also beat Mark Williams 7-1 in the Premier League last week.

The former Grand Prix runner-up, who celebrated his 25th birthday last week, will play world champion Peter Ebdon in the last 32 of the European Open in Torquay in March.

Experienced campaigner Morgan took the first frame with a break of 78 then Fu pinched the second with a 32 clearance and added the next two for a 3-1 interval lead.

The Welshman reduced the deficit with an 88 but Fu restored his two-frame cushion with an excellent 128 then sealed the match on the pink in frame eight.

Preston’s Ian McCulloch, runner-up to Paul Hunter in the British Open, survived a fight-back from Anthony Davies to secure a 5-4 victory. Breaks of 68, 62 and 93 put McCulloch 3-0 up before Davies battled back to 4-4. But the Welshman missed a blue in the final frame and McCulloch took his chance with a nerveless 68.

Nottingham’s Michael Holt beat PowerHouse UK Championship semifinalist Drew Henry 5-3 to set up a re-match with Ronnie O’Sullivan. Holt led the Rocket 3-1 at the LG Cup earlier this season only to lose 5-3.

Mark Davis of Sussex, who will make his debut in the Benson and Hedges Masters next month, edged out Ali Carter 5-4 with a break of 75 in the deciding frame.

LG Cup champion Chris Small suffered a 5-3 reverse against Derby’s David Roe.