Oxfordshire's Stuart Richens saw a tenacious fightback halted by Teesside's Glenn Skipp as they duelled for a place in the quarter-finals of the Greengauge Men's All-England singles at Melton Mowbray.
The Carterton ace kept his cool as Skipp, from Thornaby, rocketed 7-1 ahead over the first five ends, rallying two trebles in three ends to slash the deficit to 9-7.
Skipp steadied with a double to go four shots clear.
Although Richens pulled back a single at the next, he was rocked back on his heels as Skipp swooped with seven shots over five successive ends to surge 18-8 clear.
Three shots away from defeat, Richens unleashed a tremendous charge, pounding his opponent with a treble, two singles, a double and a single to hassle Skipp, who clung to an 18-16 lead.
Richens's title dream crashed, however, as Skipp pounced with a 23rd-end treble to win the battle 21-16.
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