England’s Robert Paxton went up against Scotland’s Darren Burnett to look for a place in quarter final number 2 in the Co-op Funeralcare International Open here at the Newton Hall Holiday Park in the village of Staining near Blackpool. Paxton got off to a great start and was 6-4 up by the sixth end. It was not that Burnett was not playing well but the lady luck did not appear on his shoulder as each time he touched jack or bowl it seemed as if it wanted to head off in the wrong direction. End seven and he picked up a single but that was the last shot of the end that he was able to count as Paxton took the next two ends and set 10-5.
Second set and Burnett fared a little better, never giving up and fighting every inch of the way it was a mere 4 all on end six. Paxton took a single in end seven but then Burnett took a count of four away from Paxton in end eight and sealed the second set with a single on end nine to force the tie break 5-9. The tie break was not to be though as every time Burnett got near a count it was Paxton’s running bowls that sealed Burnett’s fate as Paxton took the first two ends and match.