Snooker: Northern Ireland's Mark Allen won six of this evening's eight frames to kep himself in contention against John Higgins in the World Championship semi-final. The 23-year-old was 13-3 after this morning's session but will pick up tomorrow 15-9 down.
Higgins needs just two to win the best of 35 contest but Allen’s performance tonight will be a huge confident boost for the 23-year-old.
If Allen does go out it will be a dignified exit rather than the three-session beating which had looked likely.
Higgins would have relished the chance of a day off after taking the long road on his journey through the draw.
He came back from the brink of defeat to clinch thrilling 13-12 victories over Jamie Cope and Mark Selby to set up his clash with Allen, the man who dumped Ronnie O'Sullivan out in the second round.
And a day at the practice table would have been an ideal way to prepare for a clash against Shaun Murphy or Neil Robertson, the pair contesting the other semi-final. After two sessions, Murphy leads that one 9-7.
Left-hander Allen, 23, has been hoping to become Northern Ireland's first champion since Dennis Taylor landed his late-night success against Steve Davis in 1985.
That remains unlikely to happen this year, but Allen has at least given himself a chance, and should he win the first couple of frames tomorrow Higgins could have problems.
With the pressure, Allen made breaks of 63, 56 and 58 before pinching the final three scrappy frames of the evening.
Higgins made the two highest breaks of the session, 85 and 93, to win his two frames, as the exertions of his matches against Cope and Selby looked to be taking a toll.