Higgins and Robertson share the spoils in Surrey - 20/09/2007

John Higgins 3-3 Neil Robertson
Higgins' scores first
29-60, 87-21 (Higgins 87), 36-59 (Robertson 34), 126-1 (Higgins 126), 65-47 (Higgins 49, Robertson 40), 5-64 (Robertson 39)

JOHN Higgins and Neil Robertson both claimed their first points of the season as they battled to a 3-3 draw at the Dorking Halls in Surrey.

However, as both men also lost their opening games, they are already facing a difficult task to secure a top four position to qualify for the semi-finals in December.

Higgins, the current World Champion, admitted he was struggling to come to terms with the 25-second shot-clock.

"I'm not enjoying it," said Higgins. "You're down on a shot and there is something clicking but you just have to get on with it and I'm delighted to get my first point.

"Me and Neil have to get used to the format. The five other players in the tournament have played a couple of years with it and that was only our second match so hopefully we will get better."

Robertson added: "To win three frames with my highest break only being 40, I will take that any day of the week, but I have to work on my break-building."

Both players had made a poor start to their 2007 PartyBets.com Premier League Snooker competition as Robertson lost to Steve Davis, while Higgins was thrashed by defending champion Ronnie O'Sullivan.

The opening frame was a tense affair as both players missed opportunities and were forced to play a number of top quality safety shots.

Robertson eventually sunk a fine long red to claim an early lead, despite the highest break in the first only being his score of 21.

A packed crowd at the Dorking Halls, Surrey, were treated to a better example of fine potting in the second as Higgins, who took advantage of a Robertson error while on 21, then made a break of 87.

He had a good chance to claim his first century break of the competition, and gain the £1,000 bonus for doing so, but lost position on the final red, although the effort of 87 was still the sixth best so far this season.

It was proving to be an inconsistent match as the third was another scrappy encounter, with the two men struggling to get to grips with the 25-second shot-clock and making unforced mistakes.

But Robertson pulled together a run of 34 to regain a one-frame advantage to leave Higgins in danger of another defeat.

However, the Scot showed what he was capable of in the fourth by claiming £2,000. Robertson was first at the table but, after potting a red, missed a black and split the pack open in the process.

That proved to be costly as Higgins raced through the balls on his way to a break of 129, his first century break of the tournament.

Australian Robertson looked on course to move in front for a third time but lost position in the fifth with the score 40-0 in his favour. Higgins then compiled 49 of his own but missed a shot at the green with only five balls remaining.

It did not matter as Robertson then failed to sink the brown ball, a shot which would have practically handed him the frame. So Higgins did the rest to guarantee he would leave Surrey with at least a point after being behind twice.

Robertson ensured he would also leave with a share of the spoils though as a break of 39 was enough to win the last and claim a 3-3 draw, despite his highest break of the night only being 40.