Allen dedicates Wembley win to The Glove
Mark Allen beat a woefully out of form John Higgins in the Pokerstars Masters and then dedicated his 6-3 win to a good friend who died last week.
John Higgins did manage to win the opening frame, but it was a scrappy affair, which included three referees sorting out a confusion with the scoreboard. Higgins was gifted the frame when Allen missed the green off its spot.
Allen then settled into the match, opening up a 3-1 lead with breaks of 69 in the second, and 46 in the third.
He added the fourth in controversial circumstances. Having opened a 50 point lead Allen left Higgins a lifeline and the Scot was in good position when called for a foul in potting the black. It was aserted that his cue touched a red on the follow through.
Higgins somehow won frame five. He lost position on 39, as strangley he struggled to keep control of the cue ball right through the match. But he got a second chance when Allen missed the brown, when on 41.
Thereafter both players had and missed colours. Higgins twice missed an attempted pink but secured the frame when Allen went in off the pink.
Frame six was Allen all the way. He opened up with 51 before missing a red with the rest. Higgins missed his attempted red and Allen cleared up with 73 to open up a 4-2 lead.
John Higgins dug deep and responded with his best effort of the match, a run of 63 which brought him back within a frame.
Higgins got the first opening in frame eight but potted only one red and left Allen in, who scored 69 from the chance.
Allen put Higgins out of his misery in the ninth, making 49 before missing a red and then clearing up with 57.
Allen said: "It was definitely a good win and will help my confidence. John didn't play well but you need the likes of Ronnie or John to be off colour.
"It did effect me today but I should be stronger. He still only needs one chance and it was naive of me to get dragged down.
"I've won three games this season which is terrible really. The only time I played well was in the UK and I got beat!
"It was a bit emotional towards the end, when it got to the last few balls I was trying not to cry. My friend Willie Lucas died suddenly last week of a heart attack. He was a member of the pool team I play for and a good friend He ran the Northern Ireland Pool Association. The reference to the glove is he was the only player to wear one."
Jophn Higgins unsurprisingly was disgusted with his performance. "I never seem to play well here. I can only liken it to a golfer who doesn't play well on certain courses. I've lost so many first round matches but it's the manner in which I've lost them.
"Take nothing away from Mark, if you look at the points total he had about a 1000 and I had a 100. I was lukcy to get three frames today.
Referring to the fould called on him Higgins commented. It puzzled me a great deal, every player knows if they touch a ball and I'm sure I didn't. I've looked at the television replays and couldn't see the evidence. It doesn't take much to make you feel sorry for yourself when you're not playing well."
