:00:33. > :00:39.It's been tense and dramatic so far in the Dafabet Masters 2017, and
:00:40. > :00:43.more of the same was looming on Monday at the Masters, because we
:00:44. > :00:47.had one of the men of the season so far - John Higgins of Scotland, who
:00:48. > :00:51.is the world number three, and twice a champion in this great event -
:00:52. > :00:54.taking on Mark Allen. Now, the Scot had the comfort of knowing that he's
:00:55. > :00:59.already beaten Allen twice this season in other events, but Mark
:01:00. > :01:05.Allen has inflicted two knockout blows in this particular tournament.
:01:06. > :01:10.In fact, at this particular stage, in the last 16 over the last few
:01:11. > :01:14.years. So we expected it to be very close - and so it was to prove! It
:01:15. > :01:19.was Higgins who took the opening frame. We'll pick them up in the
:01:20. > :01:33.second in the company of John Virgo and Stephen Hendry.
:01:34. > :01:40.He may just have a cut on the brown... Obviously an easier snooker
:01:41. > :01:41.behind the green, but I don't think he'll get much advantage from
:01:42. > :01:52.that... He obviously doesn't fancy the
:01:53. > :02:05.brown... UMPIRE: Mark Allen - one. He's
:02:06. > :02:09.covered the left-hand side... LAUGHTER
:02:10. > :02:23.What did they say? As I say, there was never really any
:02:24. > :02:29.danger of John leaving him anything. Yeah. I think a better shot would
:02:30. > :02:33.have been putting the cue ball in the baulk cushion somewhere. You're
:02:34. > :02:46.never going to get an advantage from that shot.
:02:47. > :02:52.Now it's more difficult to get this cue ball tight on the baulk cushion.
:02:53. > :03:06.Would have been easier from where he was a second ago...
:03:07. > :03:12.You can see the edge on the left-hand side of the table, but
:03:13. > :03:14.you've got to be careful. If he catches it too thick, he could knock
:03:15. > :03:31.one towards the right corner. Wa-I say that, but he may have left
:03:32. > :03:34.a pot on here... Or is he - no, it's just run far enough. The applause
:03:35. > :03:42.was justified from the audience. Playing a swerve. Lots of right-hand
:03:43. > :04:50.side. Doesn't want the double kiss... Got the double kiss.
:04:51. > :05:07.UMPIRE: Seven. Eight.
:05:08. > :06:15.This is an excellent opportunity. I don't know whether he feels a need
:06:16. > :06:24.as though he needs to go into them... Because there is a red on
:06:25. > :06:27.the right-hand side of the table that could well pot... That's the
:06:28. > :06:35.one he's gonna play for. He's got 39. He needs another 30
:06:36. > :06:58.points, and the frame will be safe. To do that, while there's one les
:06:59. > :07:04.rood available, he's going to have to unfurl that cluster at some time
:07:05. > :07:09.in the frame for this visit. That last red that John played - his head
:07:10. > :07:13.visibly shakes when he's on the shot, John Higgins. Couple of
:07:14. > :07:30.players like that - Mark Selby always has a bit of movement...
:07:31. > :07:37.APPLAUSE Gone into them, and it couldn't have
:07:38. > :08:31.worked out better. Surely he'll win the frame now.
:08:32. > :08:41.APPLAUSE One of the best scorers the game of
:08:42. > :08:43.snooker has ever seen when he gets in amongst that ball - he just plays
:08:44. > :08:54.the right shot every single time. Knows exactly the right time to go
:08:55. > :09:16.into the bunch... At the moment, 656 century breaks,
:09:17. > :09:28.he's made in his career - that's third on the all-time list.
:09:29. > :09:33.He looked at the scoreboard there, John Higgins. Didn't know why he was
:09:34. > :09:46.on 87! Just an air of inevitability about
:09:47. > :10:09.this. John did get that chance... A Well played. Fourth century of the
:10:10. > :10:32.Masters so far. Another good shot needed to get the
:10:33. > :10:34.position on the yellow... Needs to miss the pink...! Didn't
:10:35. > :10:40.quite. What do you call this at cricket -
:10:41. > :10:58.111? Nelson? Well, that was a tremendous play.
:10:59. > :11:04.Lig Higgins proving, once again, he can score as well as anyone when it
:11:05. > :11:09.gets to the balls. He now leads two frames to nil.
:11:10. > :11:52.UMPIRE: As quickly as possible, please. Thank you.
:11:53. > :11:59.Having lost the first two frames, he needs to, for his own
:12:00. > :12:10.self-confidence, take full advantage of that terrific opening red.
:12:11. > :12:19.Yeah, that was a fabulous shot. Controlled that little cannon well
:12:20. > :12:35.as well... I think he's got just enough angle
:12:36. > :13:09.on this black to force the cue ball, or a red, in the same pocket.
:13:10. > :13:15.Little shake of the head there when he got position on the black. I
:13:16. > :13:22.think he's played that nicely. Deep screw, touch of right-hand side.
:13:23. > :13:27.Just misjudged the kiss off the second red. OK, he's still on the
:13:28. > :13:32.black, but he's a bit thinner than he would have liked. The three reds
:13:33. > :13:36.that are in a line directly above the black - he'd love to canon the
:13:37. > :13:42.left-hand side of those three. I would hold the cue ball at the
:13:43. > :13:43.centre of the table... He has done a wee bit more pace there.
:13:44. > :13:51.APPLAUSE That's the red he wanted to play on,
:13:52. > :13:58.but might have hit it a wee bit harder when the red's up. I think
:13:59. > :13:59.that's the end of the break. Possibility of maybe playing the
:14:00. > :14:14.plant to the left corner. Those two reds to the left-hand side
:14:15. > :14:23.of the table he could play as a shot to nothing...
:14:24. > :14:33.He doesn't appear to have looked at that possibility... He just had a
:14:34. > :14:38.little sly look there! He just sort ofed his head towards... If he's
:14:39. > :14:42.gonna play safe off the one that's second in - I know they're nowhere
:14:43. > :14:46.near in line, but if you're going to play safe off the red, it might be
:14:47. > :14:53.worth playing this to the far right corner pocket.
:14:54. > :15:02.APPLAUSE Not quite, but having said that, I
:15:03. > :15:07.think there's a possibility of red to the right middle here. And if
:15:08. > :15:21.there is, that was a very risky pot to go for!
:15:22. > :15:29.I think what John's slight grimace is - if he can get the angle of the
:15:30. > :15:32.pot, perhaps not taking him to the black - he may have to come off the
:15:33. > :15:36.cushion... APPLAUSE
:15:37. > :15:43.He was worrying bowd that - losing the cue ball. Yeah. It was one of
:15:44. > :15:46.those - if you play it with too much pace, it makes the pot that much
:15:47. > :15:51.more difficult. But he's still on this black.
:15:52. > :16:20.Just always on that right-hand jaw...
:16:21. > :16:26.A second opportunity for Mark Allen to get his first frame on the
:16:27. > :16:39.scoreboard. Nothing settles you better than that...
:16:40. > :16:58.Not a bad little nudge off the red...
:16:59. > :17:05.One of these nice positions - if you ever did come right off the blue,
:17:06. > :17:09.you've got that red in the baulk hand. Maybe a little disappointed if
:17:10. > :17:14.he doesn't win the frame at this visit.
:17:15. > :17:20.The reason he's looking at a baulk colour is because he just feels, if
:17:21. > :17:24.he plays the blue, he's gonna have to play a cannon. And he doesn't
:17:25. > :17:31.really want to risk a cannon. It could go wrong.
:17:32. > :17:43.Hmmm. Unless he can pot the one to this right corner... It's not
:17:44. > :17:53.inch-perfect... He's obviously just about on it. No problem.
:17:54. > :18:18.Couple of reds, couple of colours, should see him past the snooker's
:18:19. > :18:48.required stage... Red, blue, red needed... But needed
:18:49. > :18:49.two chances, Stephen... It was a risky red he played to the far right
:18:50. > :18:57.corner. If John had potted the black, he
:18:58. > :19:08.would have been mopping these up... Good old snooker term, there -
:19:09. > :19:15."mopping these up." That should be the frame-winner.
:19:16. > :19:30.APPLAUSE Now the black goes in. No way that
:19:31. > :19:34.John Higgins will be getting back to the table. So he'll be mighty
:19:35. > :19:40.relieved, Mark Allen - he's got his first frame on the scoreboard. Yeah,
:19:41. > :19:44.he'll be feeling a lot better now. That opening red at the start of the
:19:45. > :20:09.frame would have given him a huge confidence boost.
:20:10. > :20:28.Well, it didn't really matter too much. He wanted a chance at a
:20:29. > :20:31.century, but he'll be pleased just to get his first frame on the
:20:32. > :20:32.scoreboard. John Higgins with the chance off the spot. Mark Allen did
:20:33. > :20:53.the rest. 2-1, John Higgins. Decent break off shot. Any time you
:20:54. > :20:59.don't leave a pot on nowadays, you consider it a good break-off shot.
:21:00. > :21:04.Now, can John just get past the blue to play a thin edge? It's going to
:21:05. > :21:07.have to be mighty thin. Needed to be a little thicker than
:21:08. > :21:28.that! I don't think the miss will be taken
:21:29. > :21:40.here, because he's a red to the right corner. It's on for Mark
:21:41. > :21:44.Allen. Similar situation to an earlier play in this match - John
:21:45. > :21:48.Higgins played a red cannon to the black. Mark Allen would love the top
:21:49. > :21:52.edge of the black - half ball - to leave it to the right corner.
:21:53. > :22:13.He can certainly pot the pink. I think he's just going to look at how
:22:14. > :22:17.the pink will go after it's been potted.
:22:18. > :22:32.John Higgins - one out of one. That'll get you 100%...
:22:33. > :22:41.It didn't look as though the pink spot's available. I'll just remind
:22:42. > :22:45.you, a lot of people seem to forget this - the pink goes to its own spot
:22:46. > :22:51.in a direct line with the middle of the top cushion.
:22:52. > :23:15.Well...! He tried to force the reds open, but he was so far away with
:23:16. > :23:26.the pot... I think there you see the, perhaps, weakness of having
:23:27. > :23:31.that short cue action. The power shots... Not saying he can't play
:23:32. > :23:32.that shot, but I just think, with a longer, smoother cue action, they're
:23:33. > :24:12.easier. Yep. It's a funny old game
:24:13. > :24:15.sometimes. You can make just the slightest error and it costs you a
:24:16. > :24:19.frame, and he made a big one there, did Mark. Next time he comes to the
:24:20. > :25:15.table, he's a chance of winning the frame. No rhyme or reason sometimes.
:25:16. > :25:23.He'll have to go for the blue again here... It's one of those
:25:24. > :25:26.situations... A lot of people say, "anyone how men a shots do you look
:25:27. > :25:31.ahead?" In this situation, just try and leave yourself a nice angle on
:25:32. > :25:33.the next ball. He's got a nice angle on the blue here to get down on the
:25:34. > :26:02.red... Needs a bit of extra length on the
:26:03. > :26:14.cue to be able to reach this comfortably...
:26:15. > :26:24.This time, looks as though he's come pretty straight on the blue.
:26:25. > :26:39.CROWD GROANS Trying to pinch a bit of the
:26:40. > :26:46.pocket... You've gotta say... Schoolboy error, that. You could see
:26:47. > :26:51.along the line, it was going to be very difficult to pinch a bit of the
:26:52. > :27:58.pocket. Never sacrifice the pot for position.
:27:59. > :28:02.Pink obviously available to the right corner. He's just overrun it
:28:03. > :28:41.slightly. Little bit tricky, this black. He'd
:28:42. > :28:43.be playing in a situation where he can pot the red that he's gonna play
:28:44. > :28:53.for. Missable, though, these... CROWD GROANS
:28:54. > :28:58.To me, it looked like it was turning red. It did. It looked as though it
:28:59. > :29:03.drifted up slightly. But the thing is, playing at that pace - going
:29:04. > :29:04.over a finger mark, little bit of chalk... Definitely looked as though
:29:05. > :29:17.it pulled to the left. That's less from Mark Allen. Now,
:29:18. > :29:26.can he not run to the left middle? Got to be accurate...
:29:27. > :29:43.Accurate, it was... APPLAUSE
:29:44. > :29:51.Well, this is a terrific opportunity to go into the mid-session interval
:29:52. > :29:54.all square. Some of the mistakes he's made - obviously he would feel
:29:55. > :29:55.the better of the two players, I would suggest, Stephen? Yeah,
:29:56. > :30:09.without a doubt. When you find yourself 2-0 down in a
:30:10. > :30:13.match when there's an interval after the fourth frame here, you kind of
:30:14. > :30:24.think 3-1 down would be a decent result. 2-2 is a bonus.
:30:25. > :30:30.Quick glance at the scoreboard... Maybe three other remaining reds,
:30:31. > :30:45.depending what colours he gets on... He's overhit that...
:30:46. > :30:48.Play for the pink, but... Well, he's still on the pink, but
:30:49. > :30:56.it's a lot more difficult than it should have been.
:30:57. > :31:05.Right in the heart of the pocket, and a nice positional shot... He's
:31:06. > :31:06.now looking for red, colour, red. That would level the match going
:31:07. > :31:14.into the mid-session interval. So this red to go 49 points ahead
:31:15. > :31:54.with only 43 remaining. No way that John Higgins will come
:31:55. > :31:57.back to the table. John Higgins will be disappointed here. He's had
:31:58. > :32:05.chances to stamp his authority on this. But, they're going to go in
:32:06. > :32:08.all square. John Higgins concedes. He'd be a little bit disappointed.
:32:09. > :32:11.Mark Allen should be absolutely delighted. He's made mistakes, but
:32:12. > :32:50.he's all square at the mid-session interval. 2-2.
:32:51. > :33:02.Chance of a long pot... Not there, but felt that he could
:33:03. > :33:06.only lose one of his frame. You can see the frame time - just under 16
:33:07. > :33:07.minutes - not bad after a 32-minute opening frame. I told you he'd get
:33:08. > :33:29.better! Average shot time of 21 seconds -
:33:30. > :33:46.quick enough. Needs to cover the red near the
:33:47. > :33:50.yellow. Adjusts that well. Just makes it now a little bit more
:33:51. > :33:55.difficult for John to play a safety shot and get the cue ball back to
:33:56. > :33:59.the baulk end. It'd be risky if he attempted it. So may just play the
:34:00. > :34:31.safety at this end. Just dictating this safety exchange
:34:32. > :35:09.at the moment, is Mark Allen. It'd be too risky to go to the baulk
:35:10. > :35:11.end this time. You need to get this cue ball as close as you can to the
:35:12. > :35:18.top cushion. He left his cut to the middle...!
:35:19. > :35:27.Can John get to it? I think he can. He's looking at the
:35:28. > :36:10.pot... Just having a look to see where the
:36:11. > :36:16.pink's gonna go. After being potted, it'll have to go at the back of the
:36:17. > :37:11.pack, which is no problem. UMPIRE: One second, John, please.
:37:12. > :37:20.Hoping to leave himself a little low on this... Potting it, bringing
:37:21. > :37:27.other reds into play... Cue ball needs to run a little bit, though
:37:28. > :37:29.there.. May just be a gap if he can get through to the green. He'd
:37:30. > :37:51.rather the green than the blue. Solid pot. That's why it's in the
:37:52. > :37:51.heart of the pocket - always a good sign.
:37:52. > :38:21.APPLAUSE I suggest to pot the cue with the
:38:22. > :38:27.cue ball. That would leave the left to go to an angle, a blue to go into
:38:28. > :38:30.the bunch... Oh, dear, John... Didn't see that one coming. My
:38:31. > :38:49.sentiments exactly. Maybe he was thinking two or three
:38:50. > :38:50.shots ahead. Yeah, just let his mind drift. It's easily done sometimes.
:38:51. > :38:54.You just take a pot for granted. There's a pink pot. That could open
:38:55. > :39:58.up all the reds... He may play the double that's
:39:59. > :40:02.closest to the cue ball into the right middle if he feels he's not
:40:03. > :40:08.going to leave anything on but the red he's playing... Always got to be
:40:09. > :40:11.double with a careful, though - if it hits the wrong side of the pocket
:40:12. > :40:31.and doesn't go in, it can always come back to the cue ball...
:40:32. > :40:34.John Higgins playing a double... And he's one of the best in the
:40:35. > :40:37.business... APPLAUSE
:40:38. > :41:04.And that is why. No mistake. Some people... Cliff Thorburn was a
:41:05. > :41:19.great doubler... In Canada, they call it a "bank shot".
:41:20. > :41:24.It could set up a frame-winning opportunity here. He's got these
:41:25. > :41:35.three reds in between the pink and black nicely available.
:41:36. > :41:39.Then there's a red in the middle of the table at the far end... He could
:41:40. > :41:58.win the frame at this visit, no doubt about that.
:41:59. > :42:03.Takes him 36 points in front. Needs to get to 67, so another 24 points
:42:04. > :42:17.required... He's probably going to need, after
:42:18. > :42:20.this black, three more reds to clinch the frame at this visit. The
:42:21. > :42:24.reason I say that is because, with the reds being at the baulk end of
:42:25. > :42:28.the table, he's gonna take low-valued colours, you would have
:42:29. > :42:42.thought. So it's not a formality. Quick glance at the scoreboard...
:42:43. > :43:07.Needs to go 51 points in front, but still 67 remaining.
:43:08. > :43:17.Red and black will put him 59 points in front with 59 remaining.
:43:18. > :43:46.Still looking for one more red to get to snookers required.
:43:47. > :43:50.Don't if he'll drift that far. Like them straighter on this black...
:43:51. > :43:57.That's a good pot. APPLAUSE
:43:58. > :44:12.Virtually a gimme for John Higgins, this one.
:44:13. > :44:16.CROWD GROANS UMPIRE: 54 and frame. Still means a
:44:17. > :44:17.double. Mark Allen went for one, he missed it. Higgins with a double,
:44:18. > :44:37.and he got it. 3-2. I think John was quoted, Stephen, as
:44:38. > :44:40.saying, now there's so many tournaments, you don't need to spend
:44:41. > :44:43.as much time on the practise table. I think that probably suits John. As
:44:44. > :44:44.you get older, that's the hard graft, isn't it - the practise?
:44:45. > :45:02.Yeah, definitely. Yeah, I think fine in the appetite
:45:03. > :45:08.or desire to put in 4-6 hours a day but, as you get older, it becomes
:45:09. > :45:12.very difficult. John said to me during that Champions Cup victory -
:45:13. > :45:16.I think he only plays about an hour a day now, because you're playing so
:45:17. > :45:21.much snooker. Yeah, and it keeps you match-sharp. He'd be disappointed to
:45:22. > :45:25.have missed that long half-ball red. Always say with that type of shot,
:45:26. > :45:28.if you're gonna miss it, hit it too thin. He hit it too thick. This is a
:45:29. > :45:34.good chance to start this frame now for Mark Allen.
:45:35. > :45:41.I think what was has -- what has stood John Higgins in good stead
:45:42. > :45:44.over the years - his technique has hardly changed. No, it's good - his
:45:45. > :45:55.cue action is so repetitive. There's two ways of playing this -
:45:56. > :46:00.he can play a little cannon into those two reds just above the black
:46:01. > :46:02.and still be on the red at just above the black, or decide to play
:46:03. > :46:28.just for the loose red... Decides to play the cannon that time
:46:29. > :46:31.around. If he'd have played the cannon previously, he'd still be on
:46:32. > :46:32.the red just above the black. Now, it appears as though he's on
:46:33. > :46:49.nothing. A lot to do with rate building in
:46:50. > :46:55.this game - shot selection. He was looking for something easier than
:46:56. > :46:57.far left corner... But he's played it beautifully.
:46:58. > :47:02.APPLAUSE Good shot.
:47:03. > :47:07.Now, can he drop this in and just hold for the red to the right
:47:08. > :47:10.corner? Delicate shot. But he's played it
:47:11. > :47:44.well. He'll go into them again. One to the
:47:45. > :47:48.gap, one to the right... Got the red first..it's OK.
:47:49. > :47:53.The red that he hit, he just wants to miss this one and go into that
:47:54. > :48:06.gap. Then he would have been absolutely perfect.
:48:07. > :48:21.Controlled the cue ball nicely there...
:48:22. > :48:42.That's exactly what you've got to do at this level. Higgins misses the
:48:43. > :48:48.long red. And you've gotta punish them for it.
:48:49. > :48:54.As you say, John, he's missed it so thick, the cue ball's never going to
:48:55. > :48:59.get back to the other end of the table. Mark Allen is getting the cue
:49:00. > :49:03.ball cleaned. That should have been easier on the red than this. Played
:49:04. > :49:11.it for left middle. Now becomes missable.
:49:12. > :49:27.No problem. APPLAUSE
:49:28. > :49:35.This match has warmed up nicely, John. Yeah, always, on paper, looked
:49:36. > :49:40.to be a cracker. They played 13 times, and it's 7-6 to John Higgins.
:49:41. > :49:46...In the head-to-heads. This black, and the red in the
:49:47. > :50:02.corner needed. Played the cannon nicely. It's all
:50:03. > :50:03.over now, surely. The red will put him 67 points ahead. There's 67
:50:04. > :50:07.remaining. This is his highest break in the
:50:08. > :51:09.match so far. Wow... Doesn't matter about the
:51:10. > :51:13.blue, but he probably hit a few good balls prior to that. One mistake
:51:14. > :51:14.from John Higgins - frame to Mark Allen. We're all square. Three
:51:15. > :51:42.apiece. Yeah, that's textbook break there.
:51:43. > :51:45.Open some reds up. Good cue ball. That kept the black in the open. Has
:51:46. > :51:57.he left this red to left corner? He's done the opposite of what John
:51:58. > :51:59.Higgins did in the previous frame - he's made sure he's missed it thin,
:52:00. > :52:27.and he's got safe. Mark Allen for it. Well, it's a case
:52:28. > :52:33.of - does he put it back in from where it lies or does he have the
:52:34. > :52:42.cue ball put back? I'd have it put back myself. It was quite
:52:43. > :52:53.interesting at the start of the match as Steve
:52:54. > :53:03.The top ranked players, three, John Higgins and Mark Allen, one of the
:53:04. > :53:09.top seeds. Can he hit it this time, otherwise he'll get a warning? He's
:53:10. > :53:20.going to get a warning now. Mishit the next time... And you lose the
:53:21. > :53:25.frame. But the bookies made John Higgins
:53:26. > :53:30.9-4 on favourite. He's having a look at John because he knows now that
:53:31. > :53:35.John is under pressure. I don't think that he will be playing the
:53:36. > :53:40.clip this time. You think that he may have said that to John - same
:53:41. > :53:49.shot. UMPIRE: I'm going to have to warn you John to hit it. This is the
:53:50. > :53:56.shot that John Higgins didn't want to play. But it wasn't that
:53:57. > :54:03.difficult in the end. But John Higgins going on favourite in the 64
:54:04. > :54:07.Mark Allen. I didn't see the difference that much in the -- in
:54:08. > :54:12.the 6-4, Mark Allen. I didn't see the difference that much in the
:54:13. > :54:22.odds. Maybe the reason was because John Higgins has already won two
:54:23. > :56:03.16-man events this season. He's on the move quickly there.
:56:04. > :56:09.It's a funny one that. He couldn't really put any pressure on John. I
:56:10. > :56:11.don't think that it will be a problem now for John to play safe
:56:12. > :56:22.off this red. But John could have played it
:56:23. > :56:25.better. If he's not covered that ball near the yellow, then advantage
:56:26. > :56:49.to Mark Allen. Well, it looks like he could just
:56:50. > :56:56.get past the pink to play safe down the right-hand side of the table ws
:56:57. > :57:15.we look. Caught it much too thick, though. That could spell danger.
:57:16. > :57:21.There's nothing nicer coming to the table than being left with this
:57:22. > :57:30.situation. The reds and black in the open. Already made 80 in a previous
:57:31. > :58:11.frame, so he's scoring. You wouldn't imagine that the cue
:58:12. > :58:20.ball will be travelling any great distance. Should Mark Allen win a
:58:21. > :58:24.frame-winning break here. He would be very disappointed with that one.
:58:25. > :58:29.I'm sure that he can pot this red but he's losing the cue ball up
:58:30. > :58:34.towards the blue now. A little shake of the head. It's imperative now
:58:35. > :58:42.that he gets a good angle on the blue. Well, he's played it in such a
:58:43. > :58:46.way that he didn't want to risk being the wrong side of the blue, so
:58:47. > :58:52.made certain that he would have a chance of a baulk colour. Probably
:58:53. > :58:56.play the green. But the cue ball is travelling a bit further, and as
:58:57. > :59:01.Steven said, if you're in and around the black and the cue ball isn't
:59:02. > :59:03.travelling too far, a lot easier to control the positional side of the
:59:04. > :59:15.play. Played that well, though. Back in
:59:16. > :01:26.prime position. Good shot. Red, colour, red, all that's
:01:27. > :01:53.required. So 72 points the lead. 75
:01:54. > :01:57.replaining. But not for long. So after losing the first two frames,
:01:58. > :02:14.Mark Allen is going to take the lead for the first time in the match.
:02:15. > :02:25.Starting to punish John Higgins heavily for his mistakes. Yes, he's
:02:26. > :02:32.made his highest break of the match, Mark, in the last frame, with a
:02:33. > :03:04.break of 81. Looks like he can go better than that here.
:03:05. > :03:08.Table does look an absolute pleasure to play on, I have to say. Great
:03:09. > :03:52.speed. And little soft screws. So the break there for Mark Allen
:03:53. > :03:55.really punishing John Higgins now. Highest break so far in the
:03:56. > :04:02.tournament is held by Ronnie O'Sullivan. A break of 121. There's
:04:03. > :04:10.a ?10,000 prize for the high break. Oh! Well. He'll be disappointed in
:04:11. > :04:14.that. But the frame won and for the first time in the match, he goes in
:04:15. > :04:30.front. He now leads John Higgins 4-3.
:04:31. > :04:40.He could still play for the black but more likely go back up for the
:04:41. > :04:44.blue. And he needs good, accurate cueing and he's not potted the ball
:04:45. > :04:51.for over 27 minutes. And considering that - excellent pot. OK, he's a
:04:52. > :04:55.little bit thin on the blue but he won't mind that. He'll play the
:04:56. > :04:57.cannon here because in playing the cannon, he can bring the pink into
:04:58. > :05:25.play. Not the best opportunity. He
:05:26. > :05:29.cannoned the pink and he released it from the red but he went near the
:05:30. > :05:36.side cushion. The black is in a tricky position at the moment. So
:05:37. > :05:44.just trying to concentrate and accumulate points here. And not
:05:45. > :05:55.think too far ahead of himself. But this is a big moment in the match
:05:56. > :06:06.for me. But for that hampered by the pink.
:06:07. > :06:48.This time, wrong side of the blue. Less than he wanted. Can he roll the
:06:49. > :06:54.blue in and find a red that's easily potable? I don't think so.
:06:55. > :07:13.Just the wrong side of the blue line.
:07:14. > :07:19.I suppose he could screw back to the right-hand side cushion and play for
:07:20. > :07:24.the red that's closest to the right corner. Looking at the pink area,
:07:25. > :07:32.but I wouldn't be certain to be on the colour off that. See what he
:07:33. > :07:38.decides. He's played for the one in the pink spot area. The problem with
:07:39. > :07:43.this - it's missable and he's got to find a path for the cue ball to go
:07:44. > :07:45.back up to the blue or try to play a cannon to hold for the black. Don't
:07:46. > :07:58.miss the pot. With the way he played it, I think
:07:59. > :08:04.he was trying to avoid the kiss on the second red. Only a safety shot
:08:05. > :08:27.now. At least if you pot the ball, you get the next shot.
:08:28. > :08:33.UMPIRE: John Higgins, 25. Yeah, it was always going to be difficult to
:08:34. > :08:36.score heavy from that opportunity. With the pink and black, awkward as
:08:37. > :09:07.they were. More concerned with avoiding the
:09:08. > :09:10.reds than getting it back there rather than getting the good length.
:09:11. > :09:13.He's not left anything but it should be an easier, or a better safety
:09:14. > :09:18.shot from John here. And if he misses the yellow, it will
:09:19. > :09:43.be. He just flicked it. Well he played that with a trace of
:09:44. > :09:45.side and played it much too thick. John Higgins gets another chance.
:09:46. > :09:54.Now. Trying to swing it around but just
:09:55. > :09:57.putting that little bit of right-hand side on the superfine
:09:58. > :10:02.cloth. If you don't time it correctly, you just push it to the
:10:03. > :10:16.left and that's why he caught it much too thick.
:10:17. > :10:23.It all depends on the potting angle with the pink. I know it's a thin
:10:24. > :10:26.cut but in potting it, he may just cannon the two reds that are
:10:27. > :10:32.together. This this instance, just concentrate on the pot.
:10:33. > :10:41.That's what he did and he's been a little unlucky. He nudged the reds
:10:42. > :10:47.open. Just watch. For a moment, he was on the red to the corner and
:10:48. > :10:53.then the other one came and blocked it.
:10:54. > :11:00.On the red in between the blue and the baulk area to the corner. But
:11:01. > :11:06.the pressure on that. He's looked at it a couple of times. I think the
:11:07. > :11:10.only thing that wouldn't make me want to play it, he's just looking
:11:11. > :11:15.now. If he leaves the cue ball near the top cushion. If the red goes in,
:11:16. > :11:20.he could play the snooker behind the brown and leave Mark Allen in all
:11:21. > :11:23.kinds of trouble. I wouldn't be risking playing the pot and trying
:11:24. > :11:28.to play for a colour. He's now looking at the possibility of a
:11:29. > :11:39.plant. Doesn't have to do much with the cue ball to be on the black. But
:11:40. > :11:54.it needs making, as you can see. Well, John Higgins had risk in that.
:11:55. > :12:31.Ideally, John would like to leave the four reds that are clustered
:12:32. > :12:33.together in that same position, but can he get a better safety off this
:12:34. > :12:50.red? Wasn't too bothered about bringing
:12:51. > :12:57.the green into play. He's got the yellow and brown in awkward
:12:58. > :13:01.positions. Should Mark Allen get the next chance. Mark Allen will have no
:13:02. > :13:08.hesitation in bringing the four reds into play. Oh, but he could have
:13:09. > :13:12.played it better than that. And this red cuts to the right middle. OK,
:13:13. > :13:16.you wouldn't have much clue where the cue ball is going. But just make
:13:17. > :13:22.certain that you pot the red and trust to look for position. If it
:13:23. > :13:31.gets on a colour, he's got the frame in the mercy. Well, looking at the
:13:32. > :13:34.one to the left middle, it's a lot more difficult pot. But still has
:13:35. > :13:51.more control of the cue ball. Right in the heart of the pocket.
:13:52. > :13:54.And you've got to say that that could be the frame winner. Good
:13:55. > :14:15.shot. When we talk about making the right
:14:16. > :14:18.shot selection, if you look where the cue ball finished, he didn't
:14:19. > :14:25.play the shot for nothing. He played it so that if he got it, it won him
:14:26. > :14:27.the frame. And that's run on a little bit more than he wanted, but
:14:28. > :14:43.he's OK. Nice little cannon. 37 points the
:14:44. > :15:04.lead. Probably need four of the remaining
:15:05. > :15:13.reds. But he's got four reds in the open. Well, three now.
:15:14. > :15:36.75 remaining. Three reds, three colours. More than enough.
:15:37. > :15:46.Quick glance at the score board. Red, colour, red.
:15:47. > :15:54.That's to say, it was a very weak safety shot from Mark Allen. But
:15:55. > :16:01.every credit to John Higgins for playing the right shot. Ar it would
:16:02. > :16:04.have been a dangerous one should he have missed it. It would have been a
:16:05. > :16:39.frame winner if it went in. He's not too bothered now. He knows
:16:40. > :16:45.Mark Allen won't be coming back to the table.
:16:46. > :16:52.And that's enough. So John Higgins needed a couple of safety shots
:16:53. > :16:56.there from Mark Allen but we're now all square. We started off best of
:16:57. > :17:12.11. It's now turned out to be best of three.
:17:13. > :17:25.It was a massive frame for John Higgins that last one.
:17:26. > :18:32.And it makes this safety a little bit more which wasn't got the open
:18:33. > :18:37.red in the middle there to coop off so he gets this.
:18:38. > :18:42.And of course, if you catch it fractionally thicker, the chance
:18:43. > :18:58.you'd leave it on and that's what he's done.
:18:59. > :19:23.Once again, getting the advantage from the safety exchange. Could have
:19:24. > :19:27.done with another couple of rolls of the cue ball. OK, it's still got a
:19:28. > :19:40.thin cut on the red, but he's going to do well to control the cue ball
:19:41. > :19:46.here. Needs to come in and out. If he misses at green, he's OK. Well,
:19:47. > :19:54.he may just be able to pot the green. But it begs the question -
:19:55. > :20:08.where does the next red come from? Well, in practice it goes from two
:20:09. > :20:12.cushions into the bunch here. We can only asame that it will go past the
:20:13. > :20:17.main bunch and into the right corner. I liked it better. Well, it
:20:18. > :20:22.was two that went. And only played the bottom one.
:20:23. > :20:39.God shot. Now, has he got the angle on the blue? He has. So he'll pot
:20:40. > :20:44.the blue into the pink. Couldn't have played it much better than
:20:45. > :20:48.that. And he's finished absolutely perfectly. That's all he's looking
:20:49. > :20:53.for. It's an easy red to continue with and he's got that. And the
:20:54. > :21:03.black is available into both corners. Good chance. Sorry, can you
:21:04. > :21:35.turn your ear pieces down a little bit? Thank you.
:21:36. > :21:41.So the ear pieces were just turned up a little bit too loud and the
:21:42. > :21:48.players just get a whiff of what we're saying. Oh! He thought he'd
:21:49. > :22:04.missed it. He thought he'd missed it.
:22:05. > :22:15.And if it goes to the knuckles of the pocket two or three times,
:22:16. > :22:20.normally they don't go in. But with John Higgins in that pocket there,
:22:21. > :22:22.so obviously the shot from Mark Allen had just enough pace to keep
:22:23. > :22:55.the direction. She's going for 27 points. Got this
:22:56. > :23:12.red in the open. He's got one loose red to the left of the cluster.
:23:13. > :23:33.And it went to just over 14 minutes a frame. It's been excellent
:23:34. > :23:37.snooker. Now, has he got the angle in this and just potting it? He can
:23:38. > :23:44.just nudge another red into the open. He did. And that could be key
:23:45. > :24:15.to winning this frame at this visit. When he gets to this situation to be
:24:16. > :24:27.able to win frames in one visit. Couldn't have worked out better.
:24:28. > :24:54.Just a red and a colour needed. This blue to go 72 points in front
:24:55. > :24:57.with just 67 remaining. Would you believe it. Now, has he got position
:24:58. > :25:26.on the red? Would you believe that? John Higgins at the table, 67 points
:25:27. > :25:33.behind. There was 67 remaining. He needs All Blacks. And the six
:25:34. > :25:43.colours to force a respot. Tall order. Going for the snooker in
:25:44. > :25:53.front of John. Looking for the black to see who
:25:54. > :26:12.goes 5-4 up. He'd like to have been a little bit
:26:13. > :26:25.straighter. But remember, he's got to get
:26:26. > :26:42.blacks. Off every red. And the red in between the blue and
:26:43. > :26:47.the pink that is so important that he gets the right potting angle on
:26:48. > :26:53.that one. Well, he thinks he can do it this time around. Now it looks
:26:54. > :27:35.on. Now it looks on. Now, one good positional shot from
:27:36. > :27:51.black to yellow. And this looks absolutely inch perfect. To force a
:27:52. > :27:55.respotted black. He missed a straight forward blue.
:27:56. > :28:03.Mark Allen is sat in his chair tliing - heads or tails? That's the
:28:04. > :28:05.blue he missed. Missed it because he was playing it with left-hand side
:28:06. > :28:22.to get position. And that's just about inch-perfect
:28:23. > :28:28.on the blue. Go for the pink and the blue in the same pocket.
:28:29. > :28:58.What character this man shows! And has done all his career. Brilliant!
:28:59. > :29:04.Absolutely brilliant. S boy, has he got a will to win. So it's a
:29:05. > :29:13.respotted black and as Stephen said, Mark Allen will be thinking - heads
:29:14. > :29:23.or tails? UMPIRE: John, do you want to call it? Tails. It's a head. It's
:29:24. > :29:28.your choice. So John Higgins called tails. It was heads. Mark Allen puts
:29:29. > :29:33.him in. UMPIRE: Settle down please, quiet, please. Can you stop the
:29:34. > :29:36.people coming in now, please. And people are coming in. This is
:29:37. > :29:38.ridiculous. They should be stopped. They shouldn't be coming in during a
:29:39. > :29:48.frame. He's played the double. Where is it
:29:49. > :29:59.going? Is it coming over the middle pocket? Is it running past it? Well,
:30:00. > :30:03.he'd be a brave man to play the double. The double is on. But if you
:30:04. > :30:11.play it and don't get it, you don't know where the black is going to
:30:12. > :30:19.finish. So decided to play the safety.
:30:20. > :30:41.Yeah, could be. I think he's playing that in the lower cue ball.
:30:42. > :30:47.UMPIRE: Settle down, please. Well, what do you do here? Easy safety?
:30:48. > :31:05.But the pot wins you the frame. He wins the frame. What a shot that
:31:06. > :31:10.was! Listen to the roar. Absolute absolutely superb pot on the black.
:31:11. > :31:14.He nearly threw it away. But a pot like that deserves to win any frame.
:31:15. > :31:36.He leaves John Higgins 5-4. Mark Allen breaks off. In the last
:31:37. > :31:44.frame which he nearly threw away but what a tremendous pot this was.
:31:45. > :31:47.Right in the heart of the pocket. And well, he's so relieved, I think.
:31:48. > :32:00.That's why he did that. That's a tremendous opening frame
:32:01. > :32:04.from John Higgins. You never count this one out. And let's not forget
:32:05. > :32:07.even though he lost the last frame, what a tremendous 67 break he made.
:32:08. > :33:14.To force the respot. Going into the bunch to the right
:33:15. > :33:18.corner. Now he's just making sure at the moment. And probably just a
:33:19. > :33:22.little bit too straight there. He had to force it over. I think if it
:33:23. > :33:32.had more angle, I think that he definitely would have played that.
:33:33. > :33:46.I don't see him going into the bunch here.
:33:47. > :33:55.I think his body language, I would have to fancy him winning the frame
:33:56. > :34:01.at this visit. He's just so focused. Where he lost that frame, the 67
:34:02. > :34:06.clearance was ver was immense. -- was immense. Now, he may go into the
:34:07. > :34:10.main bunch, but he also may just play a little cannon into the two
:34:11. > :34:16.reds that are just split from the main bunch there. And he decides
:34:17. > :34:23.that he's going in and worked out perfect. He'll be happy with that.
:34:24. > :34:34.And he brought four reds into play. With that one shot.
:34:35. > :34:55.This has really been a tremendous match since the interval. Snooker of
:34:56. > :35:00.the highest account. -- quality. Yes, the first frame was a bit
:35:01. > :35:03.scrappy. The first 30 minutes, but since then, it has been top quality
:35:04. > :35:05.stuff, as you would expect when you've got two of the best players
:35:06. > :35:15.in the world. And that's what you get and expect
:35:16. > :35:24.with the Masters and John Higgins points scored now. Just two points
:35:25. > :35:30.behind at 461 against Mark Allen's 463. And he'll go ahead in points
:35:31. > :35:40.scored with this pink. This pink will put him 58 points in front. So
:35:41. > :35:44.two reds, two colours. That cluster of five, that will mean there's 6
:35:45. > :35:49.left but he's got this red and he's got the red in the baulk end. That
:35:50. > :35:52.would be sufficient to win the frame. Without having to open the
:35:53. > :36:11.reds. And what's the response? That first long red was a carbon
:36:12. > :36:15.copy of the one that he missed by such a distance before. But when you
:36:16. > :36:20.have to get it. When you know you're backed up against a wall, not a
:36:21. > :36:29.problem. Yes, the sign of a great champion. This of the red. As
:36:30. > :36:34.Stephen said, he caught one too thick a couple of frames ago
:36:35. > :36:40.crossing the frame. Trying to get into the reds and he's into them and
:36:41. > :36:47.he's knocked then on. Well, this is superb stuff from John Higgins. Back
:36:48. > :36:52.firmly against the wall. One chance, that's all he needed to take.
:36:53. > :36:56.Brilliant. Yeah, you just knew didn't you when he went in at the
:36:57. > :37:01.beginning of this frame. Almost when he potted that long red, I sensed
:37:02. > :37:09.that it was going to go 5-5 from this visit. It's just what he does.
:37:10. > :37:14.And I mean this in the best possible way, Stephen his greatest asset, for
:37:15. > :37:22.me, John Higgins, always has been, he hates losing. And that's what can
:37:23. > :37:26.motivate you. The red hasn't gone in but it doesn't matter. Mark Allen
:37:27. > :37:30.won't bother coming back to the table. We have a decider and listen
:37:31. > :37:37.to the crowd. They're going to look forward to this.
:37:38. > :37:52.UMPIRE: Deciding frame, John Higgins to break.
:37:53. > :38:08.So that's when Mark Allen potted that tremendous black in the respot.
:38:09. > :38:14.And John Higgins when he won that frame in one visit, all done in the
:38:15. > :38:19.best possible taste. And what a deciding frame we've got
:38:20. > :38:26.now and that's an excellent safety shot for Mark Allen. But he has left
:38:27. > :38:30.a possibility of a pot. And if the black goes to the opposite corner,
:38:31. > :38:49.John Higgins may be tempted. A big shot. You have to think that
:38:50. > :39:03.you're leaving everything on should you miss this. Oh, brilliant.
:39:04. > :39:08.Sensational. What a great shot that was. The consequences should he miss
:39:09. > :39:24.it... When he won that frame, I think
:39:25. > :39:32.since then, John Higgins has never missed a ball.
:39:33. > :39:42.Well, I think it certainly had an effect on John because I've never
:39:43. > :39:46.seen John react like that. It must have done, because for him to mimic
:39:47. > :39:52.Mark when he won the last frame, that's not like John at all. Anyway,
:39:53. > :39:53.he's got first chance in this all important deciding frame. Can he
:39:54. > :40:37.make the most of it? What a match. , He's cueing well, especially under
:40:38. > :40:48.this pressure. Certainly don't expect him to miss it.
:40:49. > :40:55.If he wants to go into the bunch, it's easy to go into the side of
:40:56. > :40:59.them and lose the cue ball to the other end of the table here, so he's
:41:00. > :41:09.going to have to leave himself as a middle distance red.
:41:10. > :41:15.It's just outside of the bunch there, it is available but he'd much
:41:16. > :41:17.rather be playing for an angle here to be able to go into them. You've
:41:18. > :41:33.got to cue these well. No, it's one of those. If you just
:41:34. > :41:37.slightly decellerate on those, you always hit them too thin. If you go
:41:38. > :41:43.for the blue, then you have to play a more positive shot. I can only
:41:44. > :42:06.assume he's holding for the pink to play that loose red.
:42:07. > :42:14.So if that was a shot, I presume that the pink doesn't respot. So it
:42:15. > :42:19.is a matter of holding the pink ball there. And if you can get high on
:42:20. > :42:21.the red the chance to open on the bunch at the same time as potting
:42:22. > :42:43.it. So this is a big shot. He says - give me a second. In the
:42:44. > :42:47.pink spot, then this red would not be available so that's why John
:42:48. > :42:54.Higgins on his previous shot played for the pink. If he has got the
:42:55. > :43:01.angle that Stephen is thinking of, he may be able to nudge a few reds
:43:02. > :43:06.into play. They can bring the cue ball back up to the blue and maybe a
:43:07. > :43:13.ball colour. The reds will go everywhere here. Didn't get the
:43:14. > :43:17.power into the ball that I thought he might. That would really power
:43:18. > :43:42.the ball there, have more control. Just got into it too much but
:43:43. > :44:18.there's one thing for sure - neither player hauled him back. It's going
:44:19. > :44:21.towards the corner. I suppose the only thing looking at it from first
:44:22. > :44:27.glance, it's a little bit straight. And if John has to use the rest,
:44:28. > :44:35.he's going to take a good shot. And go this side of the baulk line from
:44:36. > :44:46.this colour. He's going to screw it in and good cueing needed here.
:44:47. > :44:56.Got a shot at the yellow. This is an aggressive shot. He's going to play
:44:57. > :44:58.the yellow off two cushions. Two cushions going to the bunch. What an
:44:59. > :45:17.attacking shot this is. Maybe wishing now he'd have held
:45:18. > :45:22.back but as I said previous, neither play seems to want to play safe. If
:45:23. > :45:26.they get an opportunity, they're thinking of winning frame and match.
:45:27. > :45:36.This was too thin. Got the cannon and left a red on for Mark.
:45:37. > :45:42.He's got a slinth angle of blue. I'm not certain that he can get position
:45:43. > :45:44.on the red immediately above the black. He's looking now where he'd
:45:45. > :46:05.have to look at the cue ball. Now, has he come far enough? A shake
:46:06. > :46:12.of the head. Doesn't look good. He needed a fraction more on the cue
:46:13. > :46:15.ball. OK, I may be able to drop it right into the middle but he
:46:16. > :46:21.wouldn't have the right angle on the blue. Can he play a little swerve
:46:22. > :46:23.here? Trying to bend this with a touch of side. Trying to bend it
:46:24. > :46:34.with a touch of side! He first looked at it. He didn't
:46:35. > :46:43.think that he could pot it. He had a second look and thought he could.
:46:44. > :46:52.Is that the mistake at that cost that could cost him the match? John
:46:53. > :46:57.will have to play the cannon here on the four reds because he can't play
:46:58. > :47:13.for the loose red. It could all come down to this one shot.
:47:14. > :47:22.That is just pressure. But even under the intense pressure, I never
:47:23. > :47:26.expected John Higgins to miss the black off the spot. But just looking
:47:27. > :47:36.at it again, the black did bounce, didn't it?
:47:37. > :47:47.So the chance falls to Mark Allen. Watch the black as it bounces. Was
:47:48. > :47:54.it a bad contact. It may well have been.
:47:55. > :47:59.The red that's closest to the left-hand cushion, I think if you
:48:00. > :48:04.got right behind it, you could just drop it in the mid. Doesn't have to
:48:05. > :48:10.drop any cannons. Pots this black and he'll be five points behind. So
:48:11. > :48:19.he can win it with the remaining reds on the table.
:48:20. > :48:26.Well, he's got a straight red to the far right corner. Normal
:48:27. > :48:30.circumstances, you'd fancy him knocking it in. As Stephen said,
:48:31. > :49:03.there's pressure now. Played the delicate red to the right
:49:04. > :49:08.middle and played it to perfection. It's all there for the taking, as I
:49:09. > :49:12.say. I'm certain that that red that's close to the middle. If you
:49:13. > :49:16.get right behind it, you can drop it in. That's all he'll be hoping,
:49:17. > :49:33.that's all he needs is just to drop the red in.
:49:34. > :49:43.Ten points the lead. OK, he can drop it in and play for green or brown,
:49:44. > :49:52.but he wants close cue ball control here in the pressure situations.
:49:53. > :50:01.He could play the cue ball in an area for both reds here from the
:50:02. > :50:10.brown. In between the two reds with the choice.
:50:11. > :50:18.He'd be tempted to play it now, the one near the middle pocket, but it's
:50:19. > :50:27.obviously trickier than it looks now on the screen. Well, if he's
:50:28. > :50:36.straight on the black, it means that he can't get close to the awkward
:50:37. > :50:42.red. Needs a better angle on the black than this. John Higgins may be
:50:43. > :50:59.thinking here's a chance to come back to the table.
:51:00. > :51:19.Close to the score board. Pot the blue and go 29 points in front with
:51:20. > :51:28.27 remaining. John Higgins fearing the worst.
:51:29. > :51:43.And that should be that. But what a match.
:51:44. > :51:49.John Higgins missed a spot off the black and I'll give him the benefit
:51:50. > :51:54.of the doubt and say it wasn't the best of contacts when the black
:51:55. > :52:00.jumped in the air, but every credit to Mark Allen holding himself
:52:01. > :52:07.together. And he's now 31 points in the lead. 25 remaining. Two snookers
:52:08. > :52:25.required. Is there a gap? There there's always
:52:26. > :52:54.a gap. Nicely played. OK, normally you
:52:55. > :53:00.think of one cushion escape, but at this level, you wouldn't expect him
:53:01. > :53:05.to miss it. But funny how the mind can play tricks on you. Yeah, and
:53:06. > :53:07.when the object balls are right in the middle of the table, just puts a
:53:08. > :53:23.little bit of doubt in your mind. Now, if John was to pot green, brown
:53:24. > :53:30.and blue, he would need one snooker on there to tie. At the moment, it's
:53:31. > :53:35.two snookers required. But he he'd rather keep more balls there and he
:53:36. > :53:45.doesn't want the green in. He didn't want it in.
:53:46. > :53:55.Still two snookers needed. Oh, he's caught this much too thin. He's left
:53:56. > :53:59.the brown. He's left the brown. John walks away from the table. Drops his
:54:00. > :54:06.shoulders, drops his head. This brown for the match. Oh, would you
:54:07. > :54:18.believe it? Well... That's amazing. OK, I know
:54:19. > :54:51.it's two snookers but the match should have been over.
:54:52. > :55:00.Yeah, good shot. Good shot. And even at this moment, fair play to John
:55:01. > :55:04.Higgins taking time to tap on the table to say - good shot. Needs to
:55:05. > :55:11.hit this and get it safe. He has. And he's got it safe. And that pink
:55:12. > :55:17.and black and blue in that line down the middle of the table will give
:55:18. > :55:18.John Higgins some hope. This isn't over just yet, even though two
:55:19. > :56:29.snookers are needed. It's a good line? And it has just
:56:30. > :56:32.come across the table enough. Not quite the snooker, or even if it is,
:56:33. > :56:47.easy swerve. As I was saying, I was thinking
:56:48. > :56:52.before, if he potted the two colours then one snooker on the pink to tie.
:56:53. > :56:55.But he didn't refuse to pot the green so he'll be playing the
:56:56. > :57:00.snooker off the brown here. Well, he's decided to pot the brown. So if
:57:01. > :57:13.he's going to pot the brown, will he pot the blue? And one snooker to tie
:57:14. > :57:17.on the pink? That's the plan. In fact, if Mark Allen missed that very
:57:18. > :57:27.easy brown a few moments ago. If John does get a snooker, he's put
:57:28. > :57:29.himself under pressure. Just going a little bit too far. Trying to get
:57:30. > :57:41.behind the black. Needs this pink to run otherwise
:57:42. > :57:45.he's going to leave it for the middle.
:57:46. > :57:54.The pink - for the match. Oh, he didn't want to risk it. He's
:57:55. > :57:58.played it over the corner. It doesn't matter, it's there anyway.
:57:59. > :58:04.It's in. Well, what a great match and John Higgins gives him a warm
:58:05. > :58:08.congratulations. And Mark Allen has really done well. John Higgins led
:58:09. > :58:12.2-0 but Mark Allen battled away and after the interval, the snooker has
:58:13. > :58:18.been absolutely top class. It could have gone either way but in the end,
:58:19. > :58:21.it went the way of the man from Antrim, Mark Allen. He beats the
:58:22. > :58:24.world number three, John Higgins. He's through to the quarterfinal. He
:58:25. > :58:32.wins 6-5. So the two-time champion John
:58:33. > :58:35.Higgins is on his way back to Glasgow and in fact, that's the
:58:36. > :58:39.third time he's been knocked out at this stage by Mark Allen. Brilliant
:58:40. > :58:45.game, wasn't it? And a terrific performance in the end by Mark
:58:46. > :58:49.Allen, the man from Antrim. He will await the winner of the match
:58:50. > :58:53.between Judd Trump and Marco Fu to see who he'll play and that match is
:58:54. > :58:56.the feature match this afternoon from 1:00 this afternoon. Live
:58:57. > :59:02.coverage on BBC Two then. In the meantime, get some sleep. Goodnight.
:59:03. > :59:04.Returning soon to BBC Two - Insert Name Here, the comedy...