22/03/00: Jimmy White was flying back to Britain tonight despite producing an inspired comeback to reach the quarter-finals of the Benson & Hedges Irish Masters at Goffs in County Kildare.

White hit back from 3-0 down to beat Stephen Lee 6-4 in the first round and then headed to Doncaster to make tomorrow's draw for Saturday's Lincoln Handicap horse race.

When his own draw was made White was installed as underdog having come to the tournament unsuccessful in his three previous meetings with the world number six.

And it was Lee who started the match like a cavalry charge to go into a three-frame lead which was highlighted by a 132 total clearance, the highest break of the tournament so far.

But White, as ever roared on by the capacity Goffs crowd, produced some vintage form to level the match.

White, who lost 6-3 to Lee in last season's Irish Masters semi-finals, fired in breaks of 65, 78 and 99 during a quick-fire burst of scoring and edged 4-3 ahead with a run of 40 in the seventh.

The 37-year-old Londoner, twice a winner of the prestigious title, added a scrappy eighth frame and although Lee pulled it back to 5-4 with a run of 56, White won the final frame without his opponent potting a ball.

"This is probably the third-best tournament on the circuit and we all get pumped up for it," said White.

"Stephen is a quality player so I'm pleased with the way I hung on in there from 3-0 down. I tightened up my game and played a lot better for the rest of the match.

"I've been trying to cut out the unforced errors which means that I've slowed down a bit. I got here early and put in two days of practice so I'm totally relaxed and feel I can beat anybody."

White, who next faces John Higgins on Friday night, had endured a disappointing month in which he lost 5-3 to Billy Snaddon having led 3-0 in the last 16 of the Thailand Masters. He was also beaten 5-3 in his respective Premier League matches against Stephen Hendry and Marco Fu.

But he has shown definite signs of a return to form since the New Year after reaching the semi-finals of the Welsh Open, where Lee came from 4-1 down to edge him 6-5, and contributing to England's Nations Cup victory in January.-PA