Alan Soutar seals final 16 place at the Alexandra Palace

Alan Soutar has booked his place in the final 16 at the Alexandra Palace. Photo by Luke Walker/Getty Images

The Arbroath fireman has lit up the tournament with a couple of excellent wins over Diogo Portela and Mensur Suljovic.

His spell in the worlds would face its sternest test, though, on Wednesday afternoon when he faced Portugal’s Jose De Sousa in the final 32.

The match got off to a pretty tame start as the two tried to find their range.

But, following the first set, Soutar and De Sousa traded blows until Soutar closed out the match with a 136 finish in the final set to beat seventh seed De Sousa 4-3.

"I’m absolutely buzzing,” he told Sky Sports after his match.

"My hands are absolutely soaking with sweat, people back home don’t understand how nerve wracking that is.

"But, when you win, the feeling you get for Scotland, for me, is amazing.

"The last 16 is only another match and let’s beat whoever is in front of me.”

He’ll now face the winner of either Nathan Aspinall or Callan Rydz, who were due on straight after Soutar and De Sousa, in the next round.