“My potting was a bit better than yesterday, but I’m still making quite a few mistakes,” said Milkins.

“I felt really good in Germany last week, probably the best I’ve felt this season.

“I’ve not really been good at all and it seems like it’s coming together, but it seems for me to get that consistency is a lot more difficult than it used to be. Because I’m getting older it’s hard.”

Three-time world champion Mark Williams progressed into round three after a captivating but error-strewn match with Sanderson Lam.

England’s Lam, ranked 65 in the world, will rue missed opportunities having forced a final-frame decider after coming from behind on three occasions.

Two-time Welsh Open champion Williams opened with a break of 90 to punish a costly miss on the black by Lam who responded with a break of 89 in the second frame.

Williams then fired in a 117 break in frame three, but Lam continued to battle as the contest ultimately went to a seventh frame which was won by the Welshman with an emphatic 96 break.

“I’m definitely pleased, I think I played quite well,” said Williams.

“He [Lam] missed an easy black in the first frame and I think he missed another easy black, but he potted some unbelievable ones tight off the cushion.

“I think overall it was a good match, I think both of us played well in patches.”

Adam Duffy clinched a convincing 4-0 win over Llanelli’s Jamie Clarke – with a 54 break in frame two being the highlight for the Sheffield man.