A “FAULTLESS” performance has Neil Robertson purring as his bid to become the first player for nearly two decades to defend the Coral UK Championship goes on.

The Australian was a 6-2 winner over Peter Ebdon in the battle of the vegans at the York Barbican and Robertson was in stunning form - putting together breaks of 74, 108, 84, 70, 78 and 65 in what he dubbed his “best performance of the season”.

The triple crown winner, who almost exited the competition in the previous round against Kyren Wilson, said: “It was a different mindset coming in. I knew I had to play well, to be at the top of my game to win, and I was very pleased with my performance.

“It was almost faultless. The only ball I can think that I actually missed was a green in the second frame. Other than that it was faultless, really.

“The only thing that you could probably say was that maybe I should have had a few more centuries but that might be asking a bit much.”

He will now play Graeme Dott in the last 16 and, asked whether he could replicate the showing against Ebdon, said: “Every match is different. I could quite easily play Graeme in the next round and not play as well. It is pretty hard to back that performance up.

“I am not going to be too disappointed if I don’t play as well as that. I just need to make sure I take my chances and play well.

“There are probably five or six players who are playing really well so it is pretty tough to pick a winner (of the tournament).”

On Dott, who knocked in back-to-back centuries in a 6-0 demolition of Robert Milkins, he added: “I was on the table next to him. It looked like he was playing really well - I think he had three centuries overall.

“For whatever reason, Graeme just doesn’t get the credit he deserves. He’s struggled with various things off the table, which has made it tough for him, but he’s a wonderful player.

“He can score as heavily as anyone and he plays really quickly now. I quite like watching him play. I think he is a really top player.

“I am going to have to be near my best to beat him.”