By Dom Picksley

SIX-TIME World Indoor Singles champion Alex Marshall was philosophical in defeat as he crashed out of the blue riband event to Les Gillett at the second-round stage of the Just 2017 World Professional Championships.

‘Tattie’, aiming for a record seventh crown, just never got going against the Leicestershire ace, slipping quietly out of the tournament following a 4-6 6-8 defeat, his second loss against Gillett at Potters this year, following his and Paul Foster’s defeat to ‘Razor’ and Jason Greenslade in the pairs event.

“It was hard work out there as Les was superb,” admitted Marshall. “I have never seen Les play like that before. He was deadly.

"I thought I played okay, although I played too many loose ends and wasn't consistent enough. But it’s only a game of bowls.

“I was happy with the way I was playing at times, but I dropped quite a few short. Credit to Les, if he continues to play like that, he will be hard to beat.”

Tranent star Marshall had dispatched Welshman Robert Chisholm in the previous round with consummate ease, but found Gillett a much tougher nut to crack.

He dropped a double on the first end and was forever playing catch-up after that and was constantly being out-drawn by the Englishman and struggled to find line and length on the portable blue rink.

He duly lost the first set 6-4, but despite an early lead in the second, he soon found himself behind again. A two-shot deficit after four ends became four after the seventh, but a treble gave Marshall a glimmer of hope, but brilliant Gillett soon closed the door on the soon-to-be 50-year-old and clinched the match by picking up a single to clinch a straight-sets victory.

Far from being down after defeat, Marshall insisted he would return in 12 months’ time, determined to add another title to his packed CV.

“I’ll be back,” he added.

“I still feel I have been playing my best bowls in the last few years. I may be 50 in a few weeks, but it is just a number to me. As long as you’re still playing well and feeling okay, you can still carry on.

"I know if I play my A-game I will be hard to beat and it’s not very often I don’t play very well out there.”