Four-time champion John Higgins overcame a slow start to ease into the second round of the Betfred World Championship with a 10-6 victory over Martin Gould at the Crucible.

Higgins held a commanding 7-2 lead overnight in the best-of-19 clash but lost three of the first four frames as Londoner Gould took the score to 8-5.

But Higgins, the world number six, sent out a warning with the manner of his third-frame success, putting together a 127 break - the third highest of the tournament to date.

Gould averted defeat with an 80 in the 15th frame but could not prevent the inevitable as Higgins sealed his win at the next attempt.

In the morning's other match, world number 48 Stuart Carrington compiled century breaks in three successive frames and ended the session with a 5-4 lead over Liang Wenbo.

After splitting the first four frames in a slow start to proceedings, Carrington made his charge by stringing together 124, 101 and 107 between the fifth and seventh frames for a 5-2 scoreline.

Liang's best contribution had been a brilliant escape shot but he closed the gap to one by taking the last two frames, teeing up a tight finish for the evening's play.