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MICHAEL Smith defied the pain barrier to reach the 2019 Ladbrokes UK Open semi-final before finally succumbing to Rob Cross.

Smith had needed hospital treatment after finding a painful lump in his groin, which was going down into his leg.

The abscess could not stop the St Helens darter from competing in the in Open in Minehead and after surgery to remove it, Smith powered through his quarter-final against Steve Beaton with a fine 10-1 triumph only to lose out 11-7 to Cross in the last four.

He had needed running repairs and constant attention on the wound, which made his performances all the more gutsy.

On Thursday Smith had claimed his first win of the Premier League season against Raymond van Barneveld to climb off the foot of the table and send the departing Dutchman bottom in the process.

Van Barneveld took a 3-1 lead, before Smith won three successive legs to go in front, only for Van Barneveld to halt the Smith charge and make it 4-4.

That was as good as it got for the former Premier League champion as injury-hit Smith battled through the pain barrier to land a 90 checkout to go 6-4 up, before finding his favourite double top in the following leg to end his winless start to the season.