'Only myself to blame' - Allen on Crucible exit

Allen missed a crucial red in the deciding frame as Higgins completed a comeback victory

Mark Allen admits he has "only myself to blame" after his dreams of winning the World Championship for the first time were ended for another year by a resurgent John Higgins.

Northern Irishman Allen led 10-7 in Monday evening's session before Higgins hit back with three successive frames to level the second-round match.

After they shared the next four frames, Allen missed a crucial red with the rest in the deciding frame, allowing the Scot to produce a superb match-winning clearance.

"It had a bit of everything in there, some good stuff, some not so good," said Allen.

"I had more than enough chances to win it and credit to John, he does what John does and clears up in the deciding frame.

"I've only myself to blame. I had plenty of chances and just didn't take them."

Allen, who reached the World Championship semi-finals last year, came to the Crucible at the end of an impressive campaign that has seen him win three titles.

But while the 38-year-old is left to reflect on more disappointment at the sport's showpiece event, four-time champion Higgins can look forward to a quarter-final against Kyren Wilson.

And Allen believes Higgins - who last won a ranking title three years ago - still has it in him to claim a fifth World title, 13 years after his fourth.

"He's one of the good guys on tour," Allen said of Higgins.

"I've said that for a long, long time. He's ultra competitive. He wants to win and obviously wants to get back into the top 16.

"But there's bigger and better things ahead for John Higgins if he believes himself because he's one of the few who can go on and win this tournament.

"There's only a couple I believe who can win it and he's one of them."

'I know I'm capable of more'

In addition to admitting that he was "devastated" with the way he played, Allen also said he is not satisfied with his performances as a whole this season.

"It's been another very steady season without being spectacular," said the world number three.

"I played really well at the Champion of Champions but other than that it hasn't been good enough to be perfectly honest.

"I've still done alright. I'm number three in the overall rankings and I'm doing alright, but I don't want to be doing alright, I want to be doing a lot better because I know I'm capable of more."