LIVE BLOG: Liam Highfield vs Sean O'Sullivan

Liam Highfield 4-0 Sean O'Sullivan - Very clinical stuff there from Highfield. An additional 42 gets the job done nicely and shuts O'Sullivan out. Apart from the second frame it's hard to say that he had many clear cut chances and that is testament to how well Highfield played. His long potting and positional play were good, his safety was pretty good and that will stand him in good stead against plenty of players if he carries that on. For O'Sullivan it's just a case of trying to keep his head up, because despite his visible disappointment, he did not do a load wrong.

Still lots of safety going on at the moment and it's largely been good from both players, but as in most aspects today Highfield just has the edge and now has O'Sullivan in real trouble. He's snookered behind the yellow with plenty of reds open, and he's left an opportunity now with Highfield already ahead by 32.

Frame 4 - It's been a scrappy start to this frame but crucially it is Highfield that has the upper hand again as he looks to prevent any chance of a fightback from his opponent.

Frame Highfield - That was sublime stuff from Highfield there. The left hander made easy work of the loose reds and then potted a great red with the rest down the side cushion to help clinch the frame. The rest of the reds on the bottom cushion were easy work as well and just a tough miss on the blue prevented a century. A magnificent 93 puts him one away now at 3-0.

Highfield on the way to his excellent 93 break in the third. 

Another long red leads to another opening for Highfield and despite a few reds being on cushions from the scrappy start to this frame, this is a nice chance to build a lead.

Frame 3 - The best chance of this third frame so far has been earned by Highfield after a good mid-range when he was stretching over the colours. He quickly gets the black back on its spot from the position in baulk but fails to find position on the next red.

Frame Highfield - It was O'Sullivan that potted the final red after Highfield left it over the corner, but he missed the following pink. That left Highfield needing yellow to blue for the frame, but he came up a bit short on the brown. After a long deliberation he decided to cut it in the middle, executing it perfectly and landing perfect on the blue to double his lead. 2-0 and O'Sullivan may have missed the boat.

O'Sullivan played a little cannon to the two reds in the middle of the table, leaving one down the cushion which he wobbled, and you could see a lot of frustration come out afterwards. That let Highfield back in but he's failed to move the last red from the side cushion and plays safe leading by 9 points but has O'Sullivan snookered too.

Highfield looks to pounce on O'Sullivan's error in frame two. 

After saying it was a good chance Highfield went into the pack again from the black with much more force, landed on a red but needed a cannon to stay on the black. It didn't quite come off and he clicked his fingers with disappointment as he snookered himself on it. O'Sullivan is in now after a nice red in the middle and this is his chance to get a foothold in the match.

Frame 2 - With a beautiful long red Highfield is straight back amongst them in the second. A soft cannon into the pack from the blue has opened things up pretty well and this is now an excellent scoring chance.

Frame Highfield - A really sharp start there from Highfield. Other than the early miss on the black he looks in good form, confident and his positional play has been sharp too. With a run of 56 he's taken the opening frame. 1-0

O'Sullivan's chance falls away after leaving a thin yellow in the jaws of the pocket, allowing Highfield back to the table. With some good shots to keep the break ticking over he now looks in good shape to clinch the opener.

Highfield earns another chance after dropping a red in the middle and coming down perfectly for the black, only to then miss the black a couple of shots later and leave a chance for O'Sullivan.

Frame 1 - First chance of the match has fallen to Highfield and he shows good touch on the opening red, rolling it in from mid-range to hold for the black. Early signs are that he is in good touch, though his pack split from the black leaves the cue ball in baulk and he has to play a containing safety.

Today is the penultimate day of Riga Masters qualifying and my final day in Preston for this week. The opening session has a couple of good ties but the focus will be on Liam Highfield against Sean O'Sullivan.

I watched Liam Highfield quite a bit when I was in Cardiff earlier this year, as he reached the last 16. He should have gone even further having had Ian Burns needing snookers at 3-2 to Highfield, for what would have been his second quarter final of the season. His first last 8 appearance came in India and there are enough signs to make you think plenty more big runs could be on the cards. Highfield ended last season well by qualifying for his Crucible debut at which point a lot of people started to sit up and take notice, so it is certainly worth following his progress closely here.

As for Sean O'Sullivan he had quite a quiet year last season, with his best finish being the last 32 in India, so he needs to get out of the blocks quickly in this campaign to stay on tour. This game will not be easy for him though and he will have to hope that Highfield is not on top scoring form.