The Antrim man takes on Scott Donaldson on Thursday evening after beating Michael Holt 4-3

JORDAN Brown produced a fine display at the Waterfront in Belfast on Wednesday night to come from 3-2 behind to beat Michael Holt 4-3 and reach the last 16 of the BetVictor Northern Ireland Open.

The Antrim man, who had beaten close friend Mark Allen 4-2 in a scrappy encounter on Tuesday to reach the last 32, really found his scoring form against the Englishman with two centuries followed by a match-winning run of 66 in the deciding frame.

Holt contributed to a fine contest, with a break of 51 putting him 1-0 ahead, before runs of 64 and 67 saw him turn a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead.

Brown’s first ton, a 113, had levelled at 1-1 and his second , a 101, forced a decider, in which he held Holt scoreless.

Scott Donaldson, who beat Noppon Saengkham 4-1 on Wednesday afternoon, now stands between the world number 63 and a second successive quarter-final appearance at the event.

Only two of the world’s top 16 remain ahead of day five.

John Higgins was the latest member of the ‘elite’ to fall on Wednesday, though his loss to Jak Jones barely makes the ‘surprise’ category given the Welshman’s fine early-season form, which has seen him win two ranking events.

Higgins led 2-1 but breaks of 121 and 133 saw Jones hit the front and he didn’t need a seventh frame to get over the line. He now takes on compatriot Daniel Wells, who won a decider against another Welshman Ryan Day.

Mark Williams beefs up the Welsh presence in the last 16 on Thursday. He will play the winner of Wednesday night’s late game between Luca Brecel and Martin O’Donnell after beating Zhang Anda 4-2.

Kyren Wilson, one place below Williams in the rankings at nine, is the other top-16 player still in there fighting. He faces China’s Pang Junxu, who came from 3-1 down to beat Liam Davies on Wednesday morning.

Ronnie O’Sullivan’s conqueror Ka Wei Cheung whitewashed Stuart Bingham on Wednesday morning and David Gilbert is next up for him after his deciding-frame win over Gao Yang in the evening session.

Sam Craigie lost a 3-0 lead against Xu Si before winning the decider with a break of 75 and now plays Matthew Selt for a quarter-final place.

Thursday’s order of play

Round three

1pm

Matthew Selt (Eng) v Sam Craigie (Eng)

Kyren Wilson (Eng) v Pang Junxu (Chi)

Anthony McGill (Sco) v Mateusz Baranowski (Pół)

Elliott Slessor (Eng) OR Jamie Jones (Wal) v Ricky Walden (Eng)

7pm

Mark Williams (Wal) v Luca Brecel (Bel) OR Martin O’Donnell (Eng)

Gao Yang (Chi) OR David Gilbert (Eng) v Ka Wei Cheung (Chi)

Jordan Brown (NI) v Scott Donaldson (Sco)

Jak Jones (Wal) v Daniel Wells (Wal)