GATESHEAD potter Elliot Slessor insists he is edging closer to a breakthrough after his first-round exit at the UK Snooker Championship on Thursday night.

The 20-year-old, in his second season on the professional tour, was beaten 6-4 in a late-night encounter with David Gilbert at the York Barbican.

And he believes the defeat was typical of his year so far – competing and playing some good snooker, only to ultimately fall short.

“I’ve been close to a lot of big names and lost a lot of close matches and I think this is just another one of them really,” he said.

“I was bang under a 3-1 and then after the break I played well to go 4-3 up. We had a really scrappy frame that was about 50 minutes long and I had a little bit of bad luck – he nicked that frame and then played quite well so I didn’t really get a sniff after four each. Well played, he deserved to win.

“One day it’s got to change really and hopefully that tournament will be my tournament – sadly this one isn’t.

“It’s just an experience thing, being on the tour for a year and a half now and just getting closer and closer to taking scalps then falling at the final hurdle. Once I get one, it might kick us on to do a little bit better.

“I’ve got Lisbon next and it’s a chance to stay on the tour. Hopefully I’ll have a good tournament there and secure my place for next season.”

And Wallsend’s Gary Wilson has vowed to change his approach at the baize after a 6-5 defeat to his namesake Kyren continued a frustrating season.

“The season has been disgusting,” he fumed. “All I've done is lose. Time after time I'm not performing at the standard you need to perform at.

“I'm sick and tired of not playing well enough to compete and losing deciders all the time.

“I'm not going to pick my cue up for I don't know how long now. I'm just going to turn up to every tournament and see what happens.

“I'll play really fast, natural snooker – if I lose 4-0 then I lose 4-0, it can't get any worse.

“I can't try any harder, I can't do anything differently – I'm just basically stuck, I'm hitting a brick wall each time. I'm just going to turn up from now on because it's that frustrating.

“I'm not expecting, or even really care, if I do turn it around and start playing really well because I'll be cheating in a way. I'll be playing the wrong game in the wrong way.”

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