CONFIDENCE is slowly returning for John Higgins.

The three-time UK Champion has spent much of the past couple of years in the doldrums but beat Matthew Stevens 6-2 to reach the last 16 at the York Barbican.

Higgins revealed after his win over Jamie Cope in the second round how solving a technical issue with his game had improved his timing.

As he seeks his first ranking tournament win in two years, the 39-year-old looked far more like the Wizard of Wishaw of old against Stevens.

Having taken the third frame with a break of 81, Higgins recovered from 61 points behind in the next - a clearance of 62 giving him a 3-1 advantage at the mid-session interval.

He rolled back the glory years with a magnificent 128 in the fifth and closed out the match with a stylish 52 to move into the fourth round.

“I am a lot happier than in the last few matches I have played,” Higgins said. “I am trying to get my timing and everything back and it worked well most of the match.

“There were two frames I cleaned up and they were the turning points in the game. They are the frames that, if you have got any chance of winning events, you have got to do that.

“You are going to come up against players and they are going to put breaks in against you. They are the frames that get your mind going that you can do something.

“It was good to clear up again. I did it against Jamie Cope in the last round and then a couple there. It’s looking better.

“Obviously, it is going to get tougher as the rounds go by but, definitely, my confidence is slowly getting better.”

Stevens was positive about his performance despite the scoreline.

He said: “I felt pretty good actually. The fourth frame was a big turning point. I was up 61 and he cleared up with a 62. I didn’t feel I did that much wrong. John punished me. Before I could turn round I was 5-1 down.

“That’s what happens when you play someone of John’s class. I was sat in my chair and I was feeling good.”

He added: “I felt comfortable out there. If you don’t get many chances it is difficult. I feel positive, although I lost.

“In the last year or so I have been hoping not to be on the TV tables because I was that bad. I feel as though I want to be out there competing.”

Higgins had been vociferous in his complaints about the competition’s format before Ronnie O’Sullivan savaged the set-up at the Barbican on Sunday night.

Reacting to the Rocket’s comments, the Scotsman said: “At the end of the day, he’s the biggest name in the game alongside some of the other top boys.

“That gets the column inches. When those of us ranked lower down say things it doesn’t really bother. But the conditions (today) were first class.

“It just goes to show you what can happen when there is really bad publicity about it. The conditions were great.”