Higgins wins UK Champs

Williams assumed a 6-2 lead over his opponent after the afternoon session, and the Welshman looked to be coasting towards victory, but for a quite remarkable resurgence from Higgins saw him win the final five frames.

The Scot ruthlessly capitalised on some apprehensive potting from his opponent as he took advantage of a string of uncharacteristic misses to clinch the title in the final frame.

Both players emerged to a rapturous reception in front of a packed crowd in Telford, and it was Williams who settled first to stamp his authority on proceedings.

An early safety battle ensued, and a rare blunder from Higgins as he attempted a safety to baulk enabled Williams to open up a commanding lead, and he subsequently wrapped up the opening frame without wavering.

But the Scot hit back immediately with a break of 59 and, despite his flurry of pots coming to an abrupt halt, his opponent was unable to capitalise on a second stint at the table and the scores were level.

The third frame saw both players have opportunities to seize the initiative, and Williams had too much for Higgins with two destructive spells at the table to re-assume the advantage.

Again, Higgins had a glorious chance to respond before the mid-session interval, but he squandered a promising early opening to allow Williams to usurp his opponent's 45 with a tricky blue and pink giving him the frame.

Williams resumed where he left off after the break, swiftly assuming a lead of 60, but after he erred on a loose red Higgins was presented with an opportunity he refused to let slip, potting the black with consummate composure to reduce the deficit to 3-2.

The Welshman again faltered around the same mark after a break of 57, but this time Higgins was unable to capitalise ruthlessly and the two-frame cushion was restored.

Higgins was not afforded a single opportunity to respond in the seventh frame as Williams found his rhythm with a resounding break to stretch his lead to three frames and leave his opponent watching on ruefully.

Williams was utterly relentless, and an imperious break of 85 saw the Welshman wrap up yet another frame to assume a commanding 6-2 lead ahead of the evening session.

The 35-year-old looked as though he had never left the table as he produced a serene break to re-establish himself with a flourish, and Higgins remained in his chair despondently.

The Scot delivered a swift riposte, however, and a majestic 80 saw him peg Williams back, before the Welshman squandered a strong position in the 11th frame to let his opponent back in for an imperious break of 94.

But Williams took the next to move closer to victory with an 8-4 lead at the mid-session interval.

Higgins stormed back out and duly delivered a stunning break of 105 to signal his bristling intent, but the Scot lost his composure with a regulation missed pink early in the next frame to concede the next.

With Williams tantalisingly close to the title, Higgins thrived on the challenge which presented itself, and wrapped up the next two frames with metronomic accuracy around the table to pile the pressure on his opponent: an unerring break of 76 in the 16th frame the highlight.

The Welshman looked set to clinch the match in the next frame, but inexplicably had an aberration on a regulation red to let Higgins back in with 61 on the board, and he ended up squandering the ascendancy once more.

Another nervy error from Williams allowed Higgins to take the match into a deciding frame, and it was the Scot who once again showed unwavering composure in the final encounter to edge a showpiece he had not looked like winning all day.