White is set to slip further down the rankings

The 44-year-old lost 5-4 to Northern Ireland's Mark Allen, and White has now lost in the preliminary round in all five of the season's ranking events.

"It's sad to see Jimmy not performing the way he used to," said Allen, 20.

"He must be a bit embarrassed the way he's playing. There's a lot at stake and it's hard to get motivated when only two or three people are watching."

Allen added: "I don't know what it must be like for Jimmy because he's played in front of packed houses and millions on TV for many years.

"You have to take your hat off to him that he's even coming here.

"I don't want it to sound like I'm being bad towards Jimmy but to be honest this was the sort of match I wanted."

White is 56th in the provisional rankings but will fall further having already been eliminated from the Malta Cup, which concludes later this month.

If he drops out of the top 64 after the World Championship in May he will be relegated from the circuit.

Allen will now play Preston's Ian McCulloch in Newport, with the winner meeting Ronnie O'Sullivan.