Mark Allen dumps Higgins out of Masters

The reigning world champion won the opening frame but Allen replied with three frames in a row.

Higgins took two of the next four frames, but two breaks of more than 50 in the ninth sealed victory for Allen.

Welshman Ryan Day whitewashed England's Joe Perry, who has now not won a game at the Masters in five attempts.

World number six Day will play world number two Stephen Maguire in the quarter-finals.

Allen, the world number 11, will face Leicester's Mark Selby, who beat him 6-5 at the same stage last year, on Friday.

Allen was unimpressed with his own performance, but felt he had done enough to win.

"It wasn't very good - I made breaks when I needed to but my concentration very poor," the 23-year-old told BBC Sport.

"But it was an unusual John Higgins that I met today - usually you have to play your socks off against him.

"He's the provisional world number one and world champion, so there's a lot of pressure on him.

"Everyone has their off days, but it's more unexpected when it happens to someone like him.

"I remember thinking at 3-1 up when he missed another easy pot, 'I feel I should win this now', so it was different pressure, but you still have to pot the balls no matter how your opponent is."

Scotland's Higgins, who has suffered nine first-round defeats at Wembley, said: "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 lucky to get three frames today."

Allen was given an easy ride by Wisbech's Perry, who missed numerous chances in a one-sided encounter.

"It couldn't have been much better," said Day. "Joe was struggling and it's not easy when that happens in a big arena like this, you can feel embarrassed.

"I kept him under pressure and put enough points on the board to win."