John Higgins books holiday treat for wife as cash stacks up

At 3-2 down after breaks of 78, 105 and 65 in consecutive frames from Allen, a mistake from the Irishman allowed Higgins to pounce with a break of 101.

The Scot then turned the screw to rattle through the final three frames required for victory.

The 6-3 triumph meant another £22,500 tumbles into Higgins’s coffers, which follows back-to-back tournament wins at the China Championship and the Champion of Champions.

While he has not been tempted to splurge on anything for himself, with yesterday’s win coinciding with his wife’s birthday, he admitted he had to put his hand in his pocket.

“It’s been a good month,” he said. “I’ve booked Denise a holiday over the new year for four or five days, she said I had to pay for it.

“The kids get too much anyway at Christmas, they always do, and the days are gone of treating myself.”

Higgins set up a quarter-final match with world No 1 Mark Selby, while elsewhere fellow Scot Stephen Maguire lost 6-5 to Belgium’s Luca Brecel.

Wales’ Jamie Jones beat David Gilbert 6-2 to set up a clash with Marco Fu.

Jones was relieved to get over the line in one of the biggest matches of his career so far.

“That was great out there,” he said. “I don’t get on the TV that often, so you’d have thought I might have got nervous, but I didn’t, which was great.

“I started well again, which I have done in all my matches, and David really didn’t settle in at all from then on, but that’s what happens when you put your opponent under pressure.

“I’ve had a couple of wins against Marco out of four, so he’ll know how well I can play. He’s a good scorer so it should be an open game, which will suit me.”

Follow the UK Championship live on Eurosport with Colin Murray, Jimmy White, Neal Foulds and Ronnie O’Sullivan.