Higgins puts paid to Carter hopes - 10/11/2011

Semi Final 1: John Higgins 3-1 Ali Carter
36-52 (Carter 31), 117-13 (Higgins 101), 95-0 (Higgins 79), 67-38 (Higgins 49)

JOHN HIGGINS, who had no hope of making the Premier League play-offs at the end of this month following a dismal campaign, put the boot into Ali Carter’s chances as he found some form to claim an excellent 3-1 victory at the Spiceball Leisure Centre in Banbury.

The reigning World Champion was already out of the competition, having had three poor displays in the earlier part of the competition, while Carter could have put himself into the play-off positions by winning the evening.

It was not to be for Carter although he took the opener to give himself the best possible start. At 40-27 the fire alarm in the building went off several times, halting play as both players returned to their seats.

It was a false alarm thankfully and Higgins returned to the table to pot the black and reduce the deficit. With the fire alarm sporadically sounding, he knocked in the yellow but played a weak safety on the green which saw Carter pocket it.

With the fire alarm still sounding, the Essex man potted the green and brown before he missed the pink but it was enough to take the opener.

Higgins though, was right back in it in the second as he fired home a break of 101 to level things and put himself in contention for the £1,000 bonus for the highest break of the evening.

There was more gritty break building from Higgins in the next as he ran in a 79, a missed black halting his quest for back-to-back centuries. And the Scotsman finally derailed Carter’s slim hopes of making the top four and the play-offs with two decent visits to win 3-1.

“I played decent in some frames but I’m pleased overall. I suppose there was no pressure as I was out the event but it’s an important part of the season so I need to get up on my game and to put the work in for UK and Masters,” said Higgins.