CWM'S Mark Williams insisted he could have no regrets over his tournament despite tumbling out of the Coral Northern Ireland Open with a 5-4 quarter-final defeat to Kyren Wilson, writes Ross Lawson.

The Welshman had ended John Higgins’ 11-match unbeaten run on Thursday, but Indian Open finalist Wilson proved a match too far, even though Williams continued to show his good form.

Both players started in excellent fashion with each of the first seven frames featuring a 50-plus break as Wilson once again showed the long potting confidence that had seen him knock out Ronnie O’Sullivan.

And it was he who drew first blood in exemplary style with a break of 58, though Williams fought back with efforts of 86 and 68.

The two continued to trade blows in the nine-frame encounter and it seemed a rare mistake would determine the outcome.

That almost came on Wilson’s match ball when he missed a tricky blue after Williams had taken the game into a deciding frame.

But the same colour was to then haunt the Welsh Potting Machine, the cue ball kicking at the wrong moment and world number 15 Wilson clearing up.

“It was a good game and I had half a chance of getting back into it, but a bad kick on the blue in that last frame cost me. I had a good chance if that had gone in,” said two-time world champion Williams.

“I played well, and it doesn’t really matter to me that I didn’t win. I don’t care, I’ve lost and it’s gone and there’s no point worrying about it.

“The form has been okay and that’s more important. I’ve had some good breaks, it’s getting better and hopefully I can keep improving with the UK Championship coming up.”

Watch the Northern Ireland Open live on Eurosport 1 and Quest, featuring daily studio analysis from Ronnie O’Sullivan, Jimmy White and Neal Foulds.