Paxton on a high and is into the second round

16 January, 2019

Second match of the day here at Potters Resort on the blue carpet was between England International, Robert Paxton and Cumbrian qualifier Ian McIntosh. McIntosh has a good pedigree in top flight bowls and this was a much vaunted match for the spectators.

Robert Paxton (red) and Ian McIntosh

Into set one and it was Paxton that had to play well to keep McIntosh at bay but he did this well and took three singles and a double in the first four ends. End five and six it was McIntosh that outplayed Paxton to take a single in both ends but then Paxton sealed the first set with a single and a double to take the set in eight ends 8,2.

Second set and it was Paxton that had settled and no matter what McIntosh produced it was Paxton that went one better. Going 5,1 up by the fifth end Paxton was looking visibly relaxed and playing well producing some great shots just when it mattered most. To be fair to McIntosh, it was not that he was playing poorly at all, several ends one had to say that he had the odd bit of hard luck when the jack seemed to move on being touched, but always moved the wrong way for him. The set completed with a scoreline of 7,4 and Paxton is on his way to the second round.