World Snooker Championship: Mark Allen wins four frames in a row to take lead against John Higgins

Published 28/04/2024 at 17:31 GMT

In a topsy-turvy session, John Higgins led by two frames at one stage against Mark Allen in their last-16 clash at the World Championship. But Allen came on strong in the second half of the session, winning four frames on the bounce to secure a 9-7 lead in the race to 13. Stream top snooker action, including the World Snooker Championship, live on discovery+.

'Emphatically dispatched' - Higgins finds superb plant against Allen

Mark Allen won four frames on the spin to take control of his last-16 clash with John Higgins at the World Championship.

Higgins was the better player early in the session and moved into what looked an imposing two-frame advantage.

Allen failed to find his stride before the mid-session interval, but came out far more attacking following the break and he finished Sunday afternoon the stronger in securing a 9-7 advantage.

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The two will return on Monday to play to a finish in the race to 13 for a place in the quarter-finals.

Higgins’ long game was shaky on Saturday afternoon, but he kicked off the second session with a superb red from distance and he picked off a break of 75 to move ahead at 5-4.

The Scot had control of the 10th frame but missed a brown with the long rest to gift a chance to Allen, and he settled into the session with a break of 54 to draw level.

A superb plant saw Higgins get underway in the 11th, but he was unfortunate with a split of the pack on 29 and he missed a tough red to left middle.

'Emphatically dispatched' - Higgins finds superb plant against Allen

In the words of Philip Studd on Eurosport commentary, “this is a little like wading through treacle.” That was how the 11th felt, as both players struggled to find openings with reds on cushions.

Higgins eked out a 32-point lead with two reds remaining on the table and despite Allen working some penalty points with a fine snooker, Higgins took the 11th after sinking the final red.

Higgins looked good once again in the 12th, but a loose positional shot saw him break down on 38.

Allen failed to capitalise and the frame turned extremely scrappy, but it went Higgins’ way when his opponent caught the knuckle of the right middle with his safety and the four-time Crucible champion opened up a two-frame cushion for the first time in the match.

Allen lacked fluency before the mid-session interval, but he seized on a poor safety from Higgins in the 13th to craft a break of 71. The Northern Irishman left the table a little perplexed after missing a red and inviting a counter from Higgins, who needed one snooker, but he fended it off to cut the gap to one frame at 7-6.

Higgins showed attacking endeavour for much of the session and that mindset continued as he took on a difficult black to the left middle in the 14th. It dropped into the heart of the pocket to set him away, but he missed a blue to the bottom left and Allen cashed in with a break of 94 to draw level.

John Higgins knocks in excellent black against Allen

After trailing by two frames earlier in the afternoon, Allen got his nose in front by taking his third frame on the bounce on the back of a fluent and silky 80.

Momentum was with Allen heading into the final frame of the afternoon and he rammed home his advantage with a break of 74 to take a 9-7 lead overnight.

Bingham holds lead over Lisowski

Stuart Bingham maintained his two-frame lead over Jack Lisowski and will take a 9-7 advantage into the final session on Monday.

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Bingham took the first frame of the afternoon to extend his advantage to three frames, but he faltered before the mid-session interval as Lisowski won three frames on the bounce.

The two traded the four frames after the interval to leave Bingham with his nose in front but far from secure.

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