MALVERN'S New Zealand international Mark Stevenson was looking forward to playing ex-snooker star Tony Drago in the World Pool Championships in Blackpool but both players failed to get past the previous round.

Mark was knocked out by Welsh international Julian Wylde in a close 7-5 tussle.

Mark said: "I was very unlucky, the white went in the pocket seven times off other balls."

Wylde carried on through to the last 16 where he finally lost 7-6 to England star Phil Harrison.

The previous weekend Mark played in the Swindon Grand Prix and performed well beating some top professionals before losing to his practice partner Russell Burgess from Cardiff 7-6.

A disappointed Mark, who is ranked third at Swindon out of more than 100 players, said: "I was leading 6-3 but couldn't quite get over the finishing line which would have put me in the quarter-finals."

In his previous tournament, Pistol Pete's Shootout in Brackley, Oxfordshire, where he is ranked at five, Mark defeated the world number five and pool legend Keith Brewer 5-1 to move into the last 16.

He then met world number one Mick Hill and played superbly to be level at 4-4.

Mark said: "I broke the last frame but didn't pot a ball. Mick came to the table and cleared up to win the match and then go on to win the tournament."