A RABBIT in the headlights was how Stuart Bingham described his feelings as he was beaten 6-1 in the first round of the Dafabet Masters by Joe Perry.

The 2015 World Champion, from Basildon, made the highest break of the tournament so far with 132 in the third frame.

But it was his only highlight as Perry capitalised on his every mistake.

Bingham, who became a father for the second time on Saturday, progressed beyond the first round for the first time last year when he reached the semi-final.

However. there was to be no repeat this time and the 40-year-old admitted he felt a lack of match fitness cost him dearly.

“I came here looking forward to it but felt out of shape, not match fit really,” he said.

“It’s a month since I played in Scotland, even though I’ve had a few games since.

“But I just felt like I didn’t know what I was doing, like a rabbit in the headlights. It just wasn’t meant to be today.

“Obviously my practice hasn’t been what I wanted it to be but you can’t help that with babies coming into the world but some of the shots maybe I wouldn’t have taken if I was a bit sharper.

“I was trying to push the boat out trying to get things going.

“But I missed them and a couple of them were left over the hole.”

Perry opened the match with a 116 break and was 2-0 ahead after a dramatic second frame which saw the black re-spotted after a 65-65 tie.

Bingham brought it back to 2-1 with a spectacular 132 but two more 70-plus breaks and his second century of the game gave Perry a commanding 5-1 lead.

And the 42-year-old saw out a 6-1 success with Bingham acknowledging his opponent’s ruthlessness in making the quarter-final at the Alexandra Palace.

“Joe played well but he played well off my mistakes, it was frustrating I was trying to go for my shots and Joe, when he gets in front, he’s a good player and when he’s on song that’s what he can do,” Bingham added.

“It’s a hammering on the scoreline but I had more or less a chance in each frame.

“Every chance he got he punished me and Joe is a good player and can do that.

“I made the 132, sat in my chair and knew I could easily have been 2-1 up here.

“It felt like he had control of the table.

“He was dominating the procedure. He’s not slow but he walks around the table and it’s good to watch but I’d rather not be watching it from my chair.”

>Watch the London Masters live on Eurosport 2, featuring daily studio analysis from Ronnie O’Sullivan, Jimmy White and Neal Foulds.