MARK Allen will face China’s Lei Peifan in Saturday evening’s second semi-final of the BetVictor Scottish Open in Edinburgh.
The Antrim man produced a top-class display of heavy scoring in a 5-2 quarter-final win over Thailand’s Noppon Saengkham, with three centuries bringing his total to eight in four matches so far this week.
Noppon played his part too in a quality encounter, winning his two frames with breaks of 87 and 136. He had taken the first frame but after Allen levelled by winning frame two in two visits, breaks of 87, 120 and 127 had him 4-1 ahead before Noppon responded with the highest break of the match.
However, it was a short-lived stay of execution for the Thai as Allen took frame seven with a break of 105.
World number 87 Peifan, meanwhile, was a 5-4 winner over shoot-out champion Tom Ford
Saturday’s first semi-final will be an all-Chinese affair between Wu Yize – 5-4 winner over Chris Wakelin – and Xiao Guodong, who beat 2023 world champion Luca Brecel 5-1.
BetVictor Scottish Open quarter-finals
Mark Allen (NI) bt Noppon Saengkham (Tha) 5-2
Wu Yize (Chi) bt Chris Wakelin (Eng) 5-4
Xiao Guodong (Chi) bt Luca Brecel (Bel) 5-1
Lei Peifan (Chi) bt Tom Ford (Eng) 5-4