Bowls: Marshall and Foster fall at the first hurdle in Sheffield

IT WAS curtains for Scots duo Alex Marshall and Paul Foster as they both crashed to straight sets defeats in the opening matches of the Co-operative Funeralcare World Matchplay bowls at the Ponds Forge in Sheffield.

Five-times world champion Marshall was the first to go under, but he didn't go without a fight against No.4 seed Mark Royal from Suffolk.

In the first set be trailed 7-3 with two ends remaining but a brilliant count of four shots on the penultimate end saw him square at 7-7 and, despite playing a perfect delivery with his last bowl, it just fell away and he lost the set 8-7.

In the second he led 5-1 at four ends and 7-3 at six, but a stirring finish saw Royal through to today's semi-finals after a single and two doubles took him over the finishing line with a second 8-7 scoreline.

A dejected Marshall admitted later: "It was a very frustrating game. I though I was the better player and the most consistent. I felt I dominated particularly throughout the second set but nothing was happening for me."

In the closing match late last night, title favourite Foster failed to show his usual consistent and accurate form in the opening set of his match with No.6 seed Jason Greenslade from Wales taking first blood at 10-2, and although Foster found a bit of form in the second he failed to live up to his reputation with Greenslade coming home 7-6.