Mark Allen: Northern Irishman 'not sure how I won Players Championship'

Northern Ireland's Mark Allen says he "dragged" Zhang Anda "down to my level" in the final of the Players Championship.

Allen was 3-0 and 6-5 down in the decider in Telford but came through to win 10-8 against China's Zhang, who had defeated John Higgins and Mark Selby to make the final.

An attritional victory earned Allen the 11th ranking title of his career.

"I'm not quite sure how I won that this week," Allen said.

Allen, who defeated Mark Williams in his first-round match, says he "just got progressively worse" as the tournament progressed despite wins over Gary Wilson and Ali Carter.

"I hung in there," he added.

"Zhang didn't play as well as he had done all week. I'm sitting here with the trophy and that's all that matters. So we can look back at ifs, buts and maybes, but I've won the tournament and I'm happy."

Allen was full of praise for opponent Zhang, who won his first ranking title at the International Championship in November.

"I felt like he was dominant and I was just pinched a few close ones there, but as the match went on he missed a few that he hadn't missed in the early part and he did look a little tired, but it's understandable," Allen said.

"He's had a great season and I think the way he's playing now, he's going to be around for a long, long time to come.

"He's a dangerous, dangerous opponent. I just dragged him down to my level today."

The title was Allen's sixth in two seasons and he is happy that he is now "a consistent winner".

"That's what I always wanted to do. Picking up one tournament every two or three seasons wasn't what I wanted to be," he said.

"It's all right being consistent and getting to the later stages and keeping your ranking, but that's not for me. I don't want to be a journeyman.

"So to be here with six tournaments in the space of about 20 months, that's the sort of return that I'm after.

"There's a lot to be positive about, if I can just find a bit more comfort in my technique then I think I could be dangerous in these last tournaments.

"Now everyone knows that I can win without playing well, but it would be nice to find some form because I think I could be dangerous then."