Frame Scores:

1st Session:

70(38)-59, 38-65(40), 14-66(55), 32-58(49), 66(41)-58, 1-129(114), 45(45)-72(32), 3-122(75),

2nd Session: 0-129(129), 27-95(66), 8-69(43), 1-128(104), 2-119(43,70), 103(103)-0, 0-89(32,44), 40-72(41),

3rd Session: 76(63)-67, 0-86(85), 86(56)-1, 74(58)-45, 12-114(93), 73-23, 67-26, 72(39)-12

4th Session: 106(106)-8, 65-37, 70(37)-26, 24-116(116), 66(47)-11, 44(44)-80(60)

 Match Notes:

4th Session:

Frame 30. Eventually Higgins puts Allen away but only because Allen missed a sitter of a blue, on 44, coming back from a Higgins run of 60.

Frame 29. Allen pounces on a missed pink by Higgins to make 47 and win the frame. It's not over yet and it's getting increasingly tense.

Frame 28. John Higgins stands on the brink of victory at the interval with a fabulous century. Allen faltered on 24 after opening with a stunning red and rolling in a brilliant black to get a break going.

Frame 27. Mark Allen's fairy tale may have another chapter yet. He's pulled back another frame. He is still 15-12 behind, but all of sudden he's got John Higgins on the ropes. Of course at some point the pressure will switch onto the Antrim star.

Frame 26. Allen has dragged another frame back. John Higgins actually missed five attempted pots in that frame and when Allen snookered him on the yellow, he left the colours on for Allen to clear up.

Frame 25. Good afternoon, welcome to the final session. Now we wait to see if Mark Allen can produce the sort of form he showed last night, to continue his fightback in the match.

Well you can't start better than knock in a century in the first frame and that's just what Mark Allen has done. He is not going down without a huge fight.

3rd Session:

Frame 24. Allen takes the last of the night and this match is far from over now. He's still got a lot to do from 15-9 behind, but it's been done before.

Frame 23. Another drama packed frame with a superb bout of safety by both players in the middle of it. In the end Allen got the red he needed to leave Higgins needing snookers on the yellow. And that ensures that the match will now go into its final session tomorrow afternoon.

Frame 22. A lot of twists and turns in that frame but eventually Allen secures it having snookered Higgins on the last red.

Frame 21. A brilliant 93 clearance by Higgins punishes Allen for a missed red.

Frame 20. A rare miss from Higgins, maybe a kick on a red, but Allen pounced with 58 to take another frame. He'll feel a lot happier as they go to the interval.

Frame 19. Allen pulls another one. A good 56 run and he put the frame beyond doubt after Higgins missed an attempted red.

Frame 18. Business as usual again for Higgins who calmly compiles 85 to go 13-4 clear.

Frame 17. Good evneing all. Well can Mark Allen find some way of making a match of this. At the very least he'll be aiming to take the match into tomorrow's final session. Oh what a dramatic frame. Allen looked to have it in the bag after makiing 63 before he fouled the pink, but Higgins got the snooker he needed. Higgins missed the pink and also his first attempt at the black and Allen snatched it on the black.

2nd Session:

Frame 16. Mark had chances in that frame but went for one red too many and let John in to mop up for a 13-3 lead at the end of the session.

Frame 15. Back to business as usual for Higgins. Although this time it took a couple of visits. He got in after nailing Allen behind a baulk colour and chipped in with 32 and 44.

Frame 14. Mark Allen raises his hand in salute as, at last, he gets a frame on the board. A crunching long red launched him on a brilliant century, all the better because he's been frozen out of the match for so long.

Frame 13. Allen managed to pot two reds that frame, but didn't get position off either and Higgins countered with 43 and then a 70 clearance.

Frame 12. The relentless Higgins wagon rolls through another frame. Mark Allen will be mighty glad to get back to the dressing room for a brief respite.

Frame 11. John Higgins turns the screw even tighter on Allen. He made 43 then put Allen in a horrible snooker. He failed to escape three times and when he did he left the red on for John.

Frame 10. Another frame to Higgins and it's really one-way traffic at the moment. Higgins did falter in that frame, missing a red on 66 to give Allen a chance, but he cold only make 27 before missing a red and handing the frame to Higgins.

Frame 9. Good morning, welcome back, play has just got underway and Higgins has carved out the first chance. And form that he's made a 129 total clearance. If Mark Allen had any delusions as to the task he's faced with that was a massive wake up call.

1st Session:

Frame 8. John Higgins finishes the session 6-2 up. He was dealt clinically with Allen's error, running in 75 to seal the frame.

Frame 7. Mark Allen broke down on 45 and that let Higgins in to clear to the pink to stretch his lead to 5-2

Frame 6. There's the highest break of the match so far. Higgins missed a red, but in turn Allen missed a brown and that let the Scot in for a century clearance.

Frame 5. Mark Allen reduces his arrears with a 41 clearance from the last two reds.

Frame 4. Early danger signs for Allen supporters. He's had chances in each of the last three frames, but it's Higgins, with a late 49 there who goes into the interval 3-1 ahead.

Frame 3. Higgins was going nicely on a run of 55 until he got a monstrous kick on the black. The ball still went in but position was lost. It turned out not to affect the outcome of the frame, which goes to Higgins.

Frame 2. John Higgins mops up to win the second. Both players have won a frame and should now be well settled into the match.

Frame1. Mark Allen clinches a rather nevy opener. That will help settle hisnerves. He cleared from the last red, took a long yellow and dished upto the pink.