O'Sullivan stays on course for fourth successive win - 01/12/2007

AECC, Aberdeen - Second semi-final
Ronnie O'Sullivan 5-1 Stephen Hendry (first to 5)
O'Sullivan's scores first
75-17 (O'Sullivan 75), 80-18 (O'Sulivan 76), 16-83 (Hendry 35), 87-35 (O'Sullivan 82, Hendry 35), 93-1 (O'Sullivan 92), 56-48 (O'Sullivan 49)

RONNIE O'Sullivan has a chance to win the Premier League Snooker competition for the fourth successive time.

He will meet John Higgins in the final after defeating seven-time World Champion Stephen Hendry 5-1 in the second semi-final at the AECC, Aberdeen.

However, O'Sullivan believes he has to raise his game if he is to won the 2007 PartyBets.com Premier League Snooker trophy and £50,000 top prize.

"I know I have to play better than that," said O'Sullivan, who still managed four breaks of more than 75.

"John is very confident, he is the World Champion and the World No.1. I made so many mistakes.

"He is not a chancer player, he has a very good safety game and scores well in the balls. He's got the whole package so you have to play well.

"It would be great to win it. I'm just pleased to get this far as I looked a bit wobbly and had to win my last three games to get in the semis."

Hendry defeated O'Sullivan in their group encounter and a repeat performance would have seen an all-Scottish affair in the final.

But O'Sullivan had obviously not read the script as breaks of 75 and 76 saw him race into a 2-0 lead.

The third saw Hendry move 35 ahead but his spell at the table ended when he lost position after potting the black and that left a tougher than expected red, which he subsequently missed.

Hendry's lead then extended to 46 after the Scot potted a red and benefited from two O'Sullivan fous, the first of which a rare time foul after he had failed to play inside the 25-second limit.

O'Sullivan later missed a red and that enabled Hendry to win his first frame of the match.

He looked like claiming the fourth as well though, after compiling a total of 35, had a slice of misfortune as he potted the blue ball but the cue-ball then cannoned into a red, which disappered into a corner pocket. From there, O'Sullivan regained his two-frame advantage thanks to a break of 82.

The Rocket moved one frame away from the final with another impressive break, this time a 92 for a 4-1 lead. Hendry had chances in the sixth after capitalising on O'Sullivan going in-off. However, Hendry trailed by six but then missed the pink and that eventually proved decisive as O'Sullivan finished the match off.