Johnstone's Paint Masters snooker LIVE – Judd Trump dispatches Mark Allen after John Higgins beats Zhao Xintong in a final-frame decider

A terrific post-interval performance saw Judd Trump restore this year's scoreline of choice, winning four frames in a row to beat Mark Allen 6-2. The early going was tough, a two-hour first mini-session ending level at 2-2. But then, in frame five, potting nicely and in control, Allen missed a straightforward red, allowing Trump to steal the frame with a fine 50, playing himself into form in the process. And from there, save a brief hint at a comeback late in the final frame, it was one-way traffic, the world no 1 potting superbly and also dominating the safety exchanges to set up a semi-final against John Higgins. 

Match secure, he long doubles pink to the green, final roll, almost doubles the black, and Judd Trump is into the last four.

And it's there, but he's not on a colour, or at least nicely on one; he'll try pink to middle ... stroked home beautifully ... but he misses and leaves the yellow, so Mark returns to the table needing three snookers. He knows he's not getting them but he has to try, so here we go with that.

Great hit, escaping off two cushions, but snookered yet again, Judd foul-misses, then nabs a snooker of his own; Mark hits, but has he left a snick into the green bag? Yes he has...

Mark clears to the final red, lays a snooker, and Judd escapes. But he's soon in another, an absolute stinker – behind the black, with the red on top of the yellow, this time he misses, then finds himself in a third, also deeply unpleasant. This match is not over.

The frame-ball red in frame five; that'll haunt Mark's dreams tonight. But he's back at the table when Judd only takes two of three balls he needs to make sure, seeking a snooker.

A red creeps into right corner off the knuckle, and Judd is nearly there. Red, black, red to be absolutely sure.

Judd builds, then takes a moment; he wants to finish this here and now. There's no reason to think he won't and even if he doesn't, there are four reds on the side rail. This is going to be another 6-2ing.

Judd tries a starter but can't send it down, then again, then again when Mark goes in off. El Pistolero hasn't potted for 45 minutes, but will he go at the cross-double? Yes he will, but he only goes and misses blue to the yellow immediately thereafter. Where he's left Judd and the way the balls are, he'll be fearing the worst.

Judd's played well since the interval; Mark's barely mustered anything.

Left cueing over a brown to which he's stuck, Mark forces white on to red, but he leaves it and that is 5-2.

Not quite yet. Judd runs out of position with 67 left, so knocks the yellow safe comfy in the knowledge that the reds are tricky; if Mark is to win this frame, he'll need several visits.

That missed frame-ball red will be haunting Mark. A 5-2 deficit feels inevitable, and from there, a comeback feels extraordinarily unlikely.

Judd fancies one to middle but it's not easy, and if he misses he's leaving an easy one to corner ... but it's there, and though the black is tied up, pink and blue are there, reds in the open.

Mark escapes, and the excellent safety we saw earlier resumes. That might halt Judd's momentum, or he might gobble up a chance as soon as he gets one.

Judd strokes a lovely starter to corner but lands on nowt, then earns four penalty points with decent safety, and he's controlling this match now, that frame-ball Mark missed for 3-2 turning it. Another error offers a starter, but again, there's nowhere to go next but safe, and another snooker – as before, behind yellow and brown.

Has the world no 1 made his move? Mark must win the next; if he doesn't we might be back with the 6-2s.

Judd secures the frame, runs out of position, plays safe, and Mark concdes.

Judd opens reds, another nice pot takes the white back down the table – it's racking up the avios here – then it's back up the business end, the frame gradually bending to him.

He still not in prime position, but he's still potting, a green rattled in hard bringing him up the table for a deft cut-back, and Mark will be concerned. Rightly so.