Shanghai Masters snooker LIVE – Mark Allen and Mark Selby chase quarter-final meeting with John Higgins to come

Another relatively poor effort by Pang of only 25 as he loses the white before being forced to run safe. Allen slots a long red, but then misses yellow to right centre. And the scrappy theme of the contest continues. Pang will be delighted to be back at table so quickly.

Allen really struggling to find any semblance of form as he butchers a safety shot to leave white in middle of table. Pang not exactly in full flow either, but being handed plenty of scope to score at the table. Meanwhile, Selby edges a tight fourth frame on the black to move 3-1 up on Cao.

Well, there we go. Pang can’t escape from a snooker behind the blue to give Allen a glimmer of a hope, but he misses the blue from distance and leaves blue over the green bag. A relieved Pang drops in blue and pink to move two to the good. A frame over 50 minutes is won by Pang. Attritional, but they all count.

Allen almost squeezing the white in behind the pink at top end of table. Pang looking for separation between white and blue. Allen doing well to flick a black towards a side rail. A bit brighter then those prospects of getting the snooker. Pang would dearly love one good pot on blue to end this potting period of angst. Selby with a break of 115 to move 2-1 clear of Cao on the other table.

Lovely little cut on a green by Pang. Was a fine cut, but a fine shot to move 23 clear with only 22 left up on the table. If Allen can’t get a snooker, he will be two down early doors. Not what you are looking for. In goes brown, but doesn’t look a great table to get that snooker with three balls left up.

Allen prods in the final red from distance, but opts to go for the safety route rather than attempt a tricky colour to follow. Pang only needing yellow and green here to pocket the second frame. Safety duel ensues. Allen quite content to keep matters tight. Is patience a virtue? Risk and reward moments are also key in snooker.

A lead of 23 points for Pang heading for final red, but he misses the long pot. Poor attempt really with the frame almost in the bag if he got it. Allen responds by snookering Pang behind the black. Which Pang negotiates by swerving off baulk cushion to hit the object ball. Similar finale to this second frame as the first. Meanwhile, Selby is level with Cao at 1-1 on table two in Shanghai.

Neither man really catching fire this morning as Pang scrambles to within a point of Allen before nudging white into pack. But Allen then throws in a shocker of a safety shot trying to reel the white back to the top cush. Golden chance for Pang to move 2-0 ahead as he slots red to left middle followed by pink. Again, nothing safe on this table. Pang the world No. 29, Allen the world No. 1, but those standings count for nothing in the heat of battle.

Allen straight into the pack of reds after canning the black that Pang left near a top bag. Chance for the Antrim man to piece together a few points. But he is left shaking his head after running out of position. Just a safety to follow. All very stop-start at the moment.

Pang rolls in a super red from distance, but then misses the black seconds later. Wasn’t easy along top cush, but expected him to get that. Allen handed chance to get hand on table.

And that is a very accomplished clearance of 32 from Pang to trouser the first frame of the day. Allen with numerous chances in the opener, but a few loose shots here and there, and he is duly punished. A 1-0 lead for Pang in the race to six. Meanwhile, Cao Jin has moved 1-0 ahead of Mark Selby on the other table. A strong start to the day by the underdogs in Shanghai.

Down to the final red then as Pang can’t cash in from the Allen blunder. A lead of 15 points for Allen. Which is nothing really at this stage of the frame. Allen has a pop at the long red, but miles off the potting angle. And Pang rams in the red to the green bag. Caught that one with real purpose. Chance to pinch the frame.

Lovely long red from Allen to regain access to the table. That is a good one to settle any nerves, but again failing to really crack on from that tasty starter as he opts to head for the long grass by knocking a yellow safe. But yellow isn’t on a side rail. 40 the difference with a possible 59 left up. Still life in the old first frame yet. Allen then catches edge of blue going for a long red. Well, what an error that could be. Nothing safe on this table.

Both men yet to settle out there with Allen somehow missing a sitter of a red, but Pang can only respond with a solitary red of his own. Which is a real let-off for the Northern Irishman.

Only eight points from Pang from his first visit to the table. Out of position quite quickly, and a cut on pink to right centre doesn’t drop. Quick slug of water to digest that error as Allen quickly gets down to business. Straight into the pack of reds, and looking to open with a big one.

Good morning/afternoon and evening to wherever you are on Planet snooker. Off we go then for the first frame of a possible 11 with Pang Junxu getting the action off and running. Pang fresh from a 6-5 win over Scottish and Welsh Open holder Gary Wilson in the previous round. Winner of this contest will meet Mark Selby or Cao Jin in the quarter-finals. We’ll keep you updated with how that match unravels on the other main showpiece table in Shanghai.

• Mark Allen v Pang Junxu
• Mark Selby v Cao Jin

• Shaun Murphy v John Higgins
• Kyren Wilson v Zhou Yuelong