World Champion John Higgins edged through his Pukka Pies UK Championship second round tie against Neil Robertson on Tuesday, with the match having to be decided in the final frame. It was revenge for Higgins, who lost 6-5 to the Thunder from Down Under in the semi-final of the Grand Prix earlier this season.

Both players were in superb form but it was the Wizard from Wishaw who eventually progressed, and he will now face 22 year-old Liang Wenbo in the quarter final.

Liang beat Mark King 9-2 in his second round match, and has carried over his fine form from the Shanghai Masters, where got all the way to the final before losing to Ronnie O’Sullivan.

Liang’s fellow countryman Ding Junhui also made it safely through, beating defending champion Shaun Murphy with a comprehensive 9-3 victory.

Peter Lines, the lowest ranked player in the tournament, produced the shock of the season so far, beating Mark Williams on the final black ball of the final frame to book a place in his first ranking event quarter final for 10 years.

The world number 46 last reached the quarter final stage at the China Open in 1999, and has not played in a televised match since 2002, when he lost 5-0 in the first round of the British Open, ironically here in Telford.

World number one Ronnie O’Sullivan was rarely threatened by 2007 UK Champion Peter Ebdon, as he closed out a fairly easy 9-3 win to set up a meeting with Mark Selby.

Selby has been in impressive form in Telford following a slow start to the season, and he overcame seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry with a confident 9-5 victory.

Top eight players Stephen Maguire and Ali Carter also made it through to the last eight quite comfortably. World number two Maguire comfortably beat Stuart Bingham 9-3, and Carter held off a resilient Stephen Lee to record a 9-5 victory.

By Rob Hayes