By Mark Staniforth, PA Sport

David Dolan salvaged the reputation of England's boxing team after they were left reeling by the demise of defending light-heavyweight champion Courtney Fry.

Sunderland super-heavyweight Dolan stopped game Niue Islander Star Tausi on the 15-point rule with 35 seconds left in round two to move into the semi-finals and guarantee England's first boxing medal.

Dolan will face Welshman Kevin Evans in the last four after he repeated his feat of four years ago and clinched another podium place.

And Scottish light-heavyweight Andrew Young also secured at least a bronze with a first-round win over Wales' Lee Milsjen.

Fry's demise was as convincing as it was unexpected as he was beaten 27-22 by accomplished Nigerian Bone Albert.

Fry, who struck gold in Kuala Lumpur, never recovered from a slow start against his opponent and a rally in the fourth round was not enough to erase a seven-point deficit at the end of the third.

After the withdrawal of his room-mate David Haye on Monday, Fry's defeat was a bitter blow to England, whose two biggest hopes now go home without medals.

Fry said: "I was stuck in first gear for the first two rounds and I couldn't get out of it.

"He was an extremely sharp southpaw and I would put money on him to win the gold medal now.

"I should have stuck to my game plan and it was frustrating that I didn't. I really wanted that gold medal again and all my plans have gone out of the window now."

Dolan put a smile back on the team's faces after staying out of trouble against his 19-stone opponent who had made a name for himself with his first-round knockout of Australian David Turner.

But he admitted he was not in the least bit affected by the presence of Prince Edward in the audience for the final three bouts of the afternoon session.

"I didn't even realise royalty was there," admitted Dolan. "I was just concentrating on getting him out of there.

"I couldn't believe Courtney got beaten and I wanted to get the team back on track.

"But I haven't achieved anything yet. I've come here for gold and if I go home with anything less now I will be really disappointed."

The experienced Evans awaits after he gained a convincing 19-9 win over Mauritian Michael Macaque, who was knocked out quickly by Audley Harrison in the Kuala Lumpur final.

Evans overcame a bloody nose and and said: "I've won a medal for Wales before but this time I want to make it gold. I knew exactly what I was doing out there and I used my jab to good effect."

Inverness light-heavyweight Andrew Young secured Scotland's first medal by winning just one fight.

After a first round bye Young stopped the outclassed Milsjen - who he had also beaten in the first just three months ago - to get a podium place.

He admitted: "I was unbelievably lucky with the draw. I saw it and I thought, how can I be so lucky? But I know I've got to box harder guys now if I'm going to go better than bronze."

Ian Millarvie could not join his compatriot on the podium after he suffered a somewhat controversial 26-24 points defeat to Nigerian Gozie Dijeh.

And Welsh light-heavy James Whitfield also missed out as he was outpointed 27-18 by Australia's Ben McEachran.

Bantamweight Mark Moran guaranteed England a second medal with an excellent stoppage win over the last surviving Northern Irishman, Martin Lindsay.

Moran won via the 15-point rule with 40 seconds left in round two and revealed he had had an extra incentive to get the job done with the minimum of fuss.

The Liverpool fighter said: "My mum is usually too scared to come to my fights but the rest of the family dragged her up here for the first time to see me fight tonight.

"I just stuck to my boxing but I'm surprised it didn't go the distance because he is a tough kid."

Home hero Andy Morris was England's third man through to the semi-finals when he stopped Nigerian Saheed Salawu with 24 seconds left of the second round.

Wythenshawe-based Morris was roared on by his friends and family in the packed arena as he roared into a first-round lead and continued to get the better of the tough Nigerian in the second with his bustling all-action approach.

Nevertheless it was a surprise how quickly he racked up the 20-5 scoreline which called for the contest to be stopped under the increasingly controversial 'outclassing' rule.

Morris now switches his attention to his semi-final at the MEN Arena and said: "It's going to be great fighting there hopefully for a gold medal.

"I've been to the MEN Arena so many times as a fan and now to be fighting there myself is a dream come true.

"I'll feel disappointed with anything but gold now. I've always set my sights only on gold and that's what I want now."

Welsh lightweight Jamie Arthur joined Morris in the semi-finals after a baffling stoppage at the end of the second round.

Arthur appeared to be narrowly getting the better of his opponent Adnan Jusoh of Malaysia but did not appear to have done anywhere near enough to earn a 15-point lead.

He said: "I thought I was ahead by about 10 points. I was quite happy with that and I saved a lot of energy for my next fight.

"It wasn't my best performance but it was good enough and it's got me to the MEN Arena. I'm going to go out and enjoy myself and give it my best and if that's not good enough then so be it."

Darren Barker continued England's success when he became their fourth guaranteed medallist at light-welterweight.

Barker moved well and worked behind an accurate left jab to outpoint Ghana's Lartei Lartey 24-8.

The Barnet man said: "I came here to win gold and the job's half-done now. He was an awkward southpaw but I stayed back and counter-punched well and did what I am best at."

Welsh light-welterweight Vivian Bryan missed out when he was stopped in the final round of his quarter-final by Zambian Davies Mwale.

And his Scottish rival Kevin Anderson from Fife was also narrowly beaten by Nigeria's Davidson Emenogu in a cracking contest to end the evening. The ludicrous score of 40-23 did not do justice to his performance.