Allen survives scare to beat Milkins in NI Open

Mark Allen emerged a 4-3 victor complete Robert Milkins successful a see-saw brushwood to advancement to nan 2nd information of nan Northern Ireland Open.

Milkins led 3 times successful nan lucifer but each clip nan world number 8 responded to level and past compiled a 113 clearance successful nan last framework to beforehand to a gathering pinch Ben Woollaston.

Milkins took nan opening framework pinch a break of 70 and aft Allen replied nan Englishman put together a tally of 98 to move up again.

Allen won nan 4th by a azygous constituent pinch a clearance aft Milkins missed framework ball, past nan players traded frames again to group up a decider.

Milkins made a 14 break earlier missing a reddish into a mediate pouch and Allen's period ensured he sewage complete nan line.

The Northern Irishman won nan English Open successful September and is aiming for a 3rd Northern Ireland Open success, having won his 'home' tourney back-to-back successful 2021 and 2022.

Allen described his capacity astatine nan Waterfront Hall successful Belfast connected Monday arsenic "like chalk and cheese".

"I missed a fewer shots that I shouldn't person and I should person been 3-1 down arsenic Rob missed an easy 1 to spell 3-1," Allen told BBC Sport NI.

"I made a really bully clearance and that astir apt settled maine down. I couldn't really decorativeness a lucifer immoderate amended than I vanished and I'll return a batch of positives into nan adjacent round. I conscionable request to commencement quicker."

Allen is mostly happy pinch his shape and nan power of caller coach Chris Henry, who has been helping him this season.

"People are saying I'm having an up and down play but I've won a tourney and reached nan semi-final of different large arena successful China [the Wuhan Open] truthful location is simply a batch to beryllium affirmative about.

"Sure, location person been immoderate bad performances but a batch of group connected circuit would wound your manus disconnected for nan play I've had truthful far.

"When you're winning and competing for events but still not happy pinch wherever your crippled is it's a bully sign.

"I consciousness we still person plentifulness to activity connected but we're doing nan correct things connected nan believe array and I'm starting to do things amended disconnected it arsenic good - getting backmost to nan gym and trying to suffer a spot of weight truthful each those things together should carnivore fruit."

Earlier connected Monday, British Open victor and reigning Masters champion Shaun Murphy swept speech David Lilley 4-0 to proceed his bully form.

The world number nine, beaten by Mark Williams successful nan caller Xi'an Grand Prix final, compiled breaks of 73, 69, 115 and 67 successful advancing to a 2nd information gathering pinch Elliot Slessor, who edged retired Fan Zhengyi 4-3.

World-ranked 13 Barry Hawkins defeated Zak Surety 4-0, Yuan Sijun hit Daniel Wells 4-1, Zhou Yuelong sewage nan amended of Dylan Emery 4-2 and nan Republic of Ireland's Aaron Hill was a 4-1 victor complete Lei Peifan to book a round-two brushwood pinch Hawkins.

Jimmy Robertson hit Stuart Bingham 4-2 successful their evening match.