Mark Allen has endured a tough week, but still came through his opening round encounter at the Welsh Open.

The Northern Irishman beat Mark Joyce 4-2 in a scrappy match, after enduring a difficult week following his forfeiture against Ali Carter in the World Grand Prix in Cheltenham.

Allen surrendered frame and match after missing a yellow during his clash with Carter, despite there being 11 reds still on the table.

And he admitted he was not in a good place despite his first-round victory in Cardiff this week.

“It wasn’t great at all, but job done.

“I’m just in a really dark place at the moment from my game. It’s not a lot of fun out there, and if it wasn’t for the fact that I played Mark, I probably would have pulled out.

“I thought that would have got me up for it. It was quite flat, but it’s a win.”

Watch the Welsh Open LIVE on Eurosport and Eurosport Player, with analysis from Jimmy White and Neal Foulds.