Snooker: Higgins ends winning streak

John Higgins’ winning streak came to an end at the hands of Stephen Lee in the quarter-finals of the £597,200 LG Cup at Preston Guild Hall today.

It was a case of 13th match unlucky for Higgins, winner of the first three tournaments of the season, as he lost 5-2 to Lee from 2-0 up.

The 26-year-old ‘Wizard of Wishaw’ seemed to be well in control of the match when he compiled a total clearance of 136 in the second frame.

But world No 8 Lee then reeled off five successive frames to record only his third win in 12 career meetings with the 1998 world champion and clinch a semi-final meeting with another Scot - Stephen Hendry.

"The party’s over," said Higgins afterwards. "I had a chance to go 3-0 up and I didn’t take it. Stephen played great after that and I didn’t feel as though I was in the match.

"Stephen didn’t win the frames in one visit but his safety was excellent and he certainly deserved to win the match.

"I’m a bit sick; I would liked to have kept the run going. But at least I’ve now got a month off before my next tournament (the European Open in Malta) so I can go home and spend some time with my wife Denise and the baby (Pierce)."

Lee, beaten 5-4 by the world No 3 at the same stage of the British Open earlier this month, did not see his victory as revenge. "I never see things like that," said the 27-year-old from Trowbridge.

On his semi-final with Hendry, Lee said: "They don’t get any easier. I’m certainly in the toughest half of the draw."

First round

Robin Hull (Fin) bt Chris Small (Scot) 5-1

Jonathan Birch (Eng) bt Nigel Bond (Eng) 5-3

Brian Morgan (Eng) bt Joe Perry (Eng) 5-2

Phaitoon Phonbun (Thai) bt Michael Judge (Rep of Ire) 5-3

John Parrott (Eng) bt Shokat Ali (Pak) 5-4

Drew Henry (Scot) bt Marcus Campbell (Scot) 5-2

Marco Fu (HK) bt Ali Carter (Eng) 5-4

Jason Ferguson (Eng) bt Anthony Davies (Wal) 5-2

David Gray (Eng) bt Stephen Maguire (Scot) 5-0

Quinten Hann (Aus) bt Michael Holt (Eng) 5-3

Alfie Burden (Eng) bt Tony Drago (Malta) 5-4

Steve Davis (Eng) bt Patrick Wallace (N Ire) 5-3

Mark Davis (Eng) bt Billy Snaddon (Scot) 5-0

Barry Hawkins (Eng) bt James Wattana (Thai) 5-1

Dominic Dale (Wal) bt Rory McLeod (Eng) 5-0

Anthony Hamilton (Eng) bt Gary Wilkinson (Eng) 5-4

Second round

Ronnie O'Sullivan (Eng) bt Jonathan Birch (Eng) 5-0

Mark King (Eng) bt Robin Hull (Fin) 5-3

John Higgins (Scot) bt John Parrott (Eng) 5-1

Joe Swail (N Ire) bt Brian Morgan (Eng) 5-1

Graeme Dott (Scot) bt Phaitoon Phonbun (Thai) 5-1

Matthew Stevens (Wal) bt David Gray (Eng) 5-3

Marco Fu (HK) bt Ken Doherty (Rep of Ire) 5-2

Drew Henry (Scot) bt Jimmy White (Eng) 5-3

Dave Harold (Eng) bt Jason Ferguson (Eng) 5-2

Mark Williams (Wal) bt Quinten Hann (Aus) 5-4

Stephen Lee (Eng) bt Steve Davis (Eng) 5-1

Barry Hawkins (Eng) bt Fergal O'Brien (Rep of Ire) 5-4

Paul Hunter (Eng) bt Alfie Burden (Eng) 5-1

Stephen Hendry (Scot) bt Mark Davis (Eng) 5-1

Peter Ebdon (Eng) bt Anthony Hamilton (Eng) 5-4

Alan McManus (Scot) bt Dominic Dale (Wal) 5-3

Third round

Ronnie O'Sullivan (Eng) bt Drew Henry (Scot) 5-1

Joe Swail (N Ire) bt Dominic Dale (Wal) 5-3

John Higgins (Scot) bt Mark King (Eng) 5-4

Mark Williams (Wal) bt Dave Harold (Eng) 5-3

Stephen Hendry (Scot) bt Alan McManus (Scot) 5-4

Stephen Lee (Eng) bt Graeme Dott (Scot) 5-4

Peter Ebdon (Eng) bt Paul Hunter (Eng) 5-4

Barry Hawkins (Eng) bt Marco Fu (HK) 5-4

Quarter-finals

Stephen Hendry (Scot) bt Mark Williams (Wal) 5-2

Stephen Lee (Eng) bt John Higgins (Scot) 5-2