Pitschou on fire but Donaldson heading out

THERE was more disappointment in Belfast yesterday for Nicky Donaldson, the proud holder of the WIBC world indoor singles title, but his Guernsey team-mates Gary Pitschou and Alison Merrien stayed on course for places in the semi- finals of the championships. Donaldson arrived on Tuesday with such high hopes and he insists he played well against Mervyn King in his first game.

'We tied the first set and when Mervyn took an early lead in the second, I was always chasing the game - but it wasn't as one-sided as the score appeared,' he said.

Last night, he was still his chirpy, ebullient self, despite two further defeats at the hands of Jersey's John Lowery and Ireland's John Boyd to set against his solitary win over Malaysian Salahuddin Razail.

'It's about time we let Jersey win something,' he joked. 'Of course I'm disappointed, but I've still enjoyed it.

Guernsey supporters found ample compensation in Gary Pitschou's success in winning all three games against Welshman Richard Morgan, Malaysian Amir Yusof and Mike Cain, from the Isle of Man - dropping only one set in the process.

Pitschou, who is guaranteed his place in the knockout stage, meets Scotland's British champion Iain McLean today, knowing that whatever happens he is into the last four.

Alison Merrien, who won her first game against Irish champion Catherine McMillen on Wednesday, played only once yesterday and came second best to the defending champion Margaret Letham. She had the satisfaction of taking a set off the holder, but Letham had the better of the tiebreak, winning it in back-to-back ends for an 8-5, 7-10, 2-0 result.