BASILDON snooker professional Stuart Bingham will play Essex rival Ali Carter in the second round of the Shanghai Masters today.

Bingham defeated Irishman Mark Allen 5-2 in the first round in China, although the pair were level at the interval.

But the New Towner, who plays out of the Q Ball club, won the final three frames in succession with breaks of 59, 65 and 59.

And Bingham revealed his girlfriend Michelle was the inspiration behind his win.

“I had a chat with my girlfriend at the interval,” said 34-year-old Bingham. “She put me right and I didn’t miss a ball after that.”

Tiptree-based Carter enjoyed a 5-3 first round win over Dave Harold, who beat wildcard entrant Passakorn Suwannawa 5-1 in his opening match.

The winner of the second round match will face either Matthew Stevens or Shaun Murphy in the quarter-finals.

The match will be the best of nine frames and Bingham will be hoping for a win that will set him on his way to at least equaling his best performance at the Shanghai Masters.

That came in 2007 when he reached the quarter-finals.