Alex Marshall MBE, who holds the record of six world indoor singles titles - all won at Potters, with his last success coming in 2015, has won through to this year's semi-finals of the Imagine Cruising World Indoor Singles championship, ending the hopes of 2022 title holder Les Gillett in a cut and thrust roller coaster 4-8, 8-3, 2-1.
Both players kept the capacity crowd well entertained with an all round outstanding display of delicate draw shots and some sensational conversions.
Singles were scored on eight of the nine end set, but a breathtaking conversion on the penultimate end yielded Gillett a full house and he wrapped up the set with a single on the last 8-4.
He stayed on point in the second set with consecutive singles on the opening ends but Marshall turned back the clock with some vintage moves, keeping the crowd on the edge of their seats and won the set 8-3 with an end in hand.
The best of three end shoot out was another classic exchange.
Marshall scored the vital shot on the first, Gillett drew to within inches of the jack to beat Marshall's match winning shot to a displaced jack on the left hand side of the rink to go into the last end 'winner take all' confrontation, and that went Marshall's way 2-1 to stay in contention for a record extending seventh world indoor singles title.
Over the course of the years, Marshall and Gillett have played each other five times, so it was revenge for the Scot today as he chalked up his first victory against the Englishman.
In tomorrow's semi-final (Saturday 20th January 3.30pm) he will take to the rink against the winner of tonight's last quarter final decider between five time winner Paul Foster MBE whose first win was at Preston in 1998 against Mervyn King and his last success came in 2017 with a tie break win over Greg Harlow. His opponent is Nicky Brett - who took this title in 2016.
RESULT
WORLD INDOOR SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP
QF3 Alex Marshall (Scot) bt Les Gillett (Eng/3) 4-8, 8-3, 2-1
