Stephen Hendry set up a mouthwatering quarter-final clash with John Higgins by brushing aside Joe Perry at the Brighton Centre last night but still left the arena shaking his head.

The World No. 2 took less than 70 minutes to wrap up a 5-0 victory against Perry to progress to the last eight of the British Open, but it was a missed red when on course for a maximum break in the fifth and final frame which weighed heavily on his mind.

With Higgins making a 147 clearance in his third round victory on Wednesday, a repeat performance would have been the perfect tonic for Hendry ahead of their crunch clash tonight.

Hendry had already potted ten blacks with reds but ran slightly out of position and the 11th red got stuck in the jaws.

Hendry said: "I was gutted because it was a great chance. I was not even thinking about it until I had made 72 and the frame was safe because the reds were so tricky.

"I was just trying to make sure I didn't put the other red safe on the cushion and I hit it a bit thick. It is good to score a maximum at any time but it would have been even better considering I play John in the next round."

Hendry looked rusty in the opening frame but sparked into life with a break of 77 in the second. He was forced to scrap for the next two to take a 4-0 interval lead and only really found any rhythm in the fifth with that 80 break.

Despite the ease of his victory, Hendry knows he will have to raise his game if he is to stand any chance against the in-form Higgins.

Hendry said: "John is a fantastic player, one of the best, so it will come down to who plays best on the day."

Results 3rd rd: Ronnie O'Sullivan (Eng) bt Quinten Hann (Aus) 5-1, Gerard Greene (NIrl) bt Joe Swail (NIrl) 5-1, Higgins (Sco) bt Davis (Eng) 5-2, Mark Williams (Wal) beat Fergal O'Brien (Irl) 5-2, Matthew Stevens (Wal) bt Peter Ebdon 5-3 (Eng)

Today's order of play: Quarter-finals 2pm: Ronnie O'Sullivan (Eng) v Gerard Greene (NIrl); Paul Hunter (Eng) v Stephen Lee (Eng). 7pm: Stephen Hendry (Sco) v John Higgins (Sco); Mark Williams (Wal) v Matthew Stevens (Wal)

Report by Stephen Hollis