ROBERT Paxton’s bid to add a third big glass bowl to his expanding trophy cabinet ended in disappointment as he crashed out in the quarter-finals of the Just Retirement World Indoor Bowls Singles last Friday, writes Dominic Picksley.

After lifting the Mens Pairs and Mixed Pairs title at Potters Resort in Great Yarmouth, the Taunton Deane star was seeking a unique treble.

But the World No2 failed to live up to his billing as the ‘man of the moment’ as he slipped quietly away from the tournament, beaten 12-6, 6-6 by Barcelona-based veteran David Gourlay.

Gourlay turned back the clock to deliver one of his most accomplished performances on the portable rink in recent times.

“It is disappointing, but full credit to David, he played very well,” said Paxton after his first-ever match against the Scot on the portable rink.

“I felt the added pressure after winning the two pairs titles. The singles is the one and no matter how much you try to put it to the back of your mind.

“Players and supporters talk about ‘the three’ and you try not to let it affect you, but you can’t help it.

“It puts almost unwanted pressure on you – there is enough pressure on you as it is out there.

“At the moment, those pairs titles don’t really mean anything at this stage, but in a couple of days’ time after a few drinks tonight they will mean quite a bit.”

Paxton looked ill at ease as he stepped on to the mat at the start of the match and his anxiety showed in the first few ends as he fell 9-2 behind, looking a pale shadow of the figure that had graced the International Arena over the previous two weeks.

He managed to reduce the deficit to just three by the final end, but then dropped a three when going for broke to give Gourlay, the world champion back in 1996, the advantage.

Paxton upped his game after that and provided the large crowd more than a brief glimpse of his obvious qualities as he racked up six winning ends in a row.

But picking up only singles along the way gave Gourlay a glimmer of hope and he brought the gap back to three and pulled out a monstrous final end to which Paxton had no answer and that sealed the Taunton ace’s fate.

Paxton added: “It has been a great two weeks, though.

“To get my first two world titles, well, I was over the moon. The plan is to win the singles title, but it is tough.”