After losing his Ambassador Cruise Line World Indoor Open Pairs semi-final earlier in the day, Scotland's David Gourlay MBE was back in action on the portable rink with evening - this time in the Open Singles.

Ranked 7=, Gourlay was drawn against English qualifier James Rippey - who also had qualified in the Open Pairs.

Gourlay varied the jack lengths and that proved invaluable to him.

There was very little to separate the players in the first set, but with the score line standing a 6-5 in Rippey's favour on the last end of the opening set, where he held shot to a displaced jack in the ditch, Gourlay scored a magical double - connecting with Rippey's holding bowl to nudge it out of contention and send the set his way 7-6.

Once again he got off to a sensational start in the second set, rolling in a double and successive trebles to lead 8-0 - however with shots against him on the fourth end, Rippey played into the head, the jack deflected and when the dust settled he held at treble, to cut that deficit to 8-3.

But after four testing ends over the closing stages, both players scored two singles each, and that was good enough to give the thumbs up to Gourlay - who won the Open Singles title way back in 1996 against fellow Scot Hugh Duff by three sets to two at the Preston Guild Hall.

Gourlay now continues against Norfolk local Wayne Willgress in their second round clash on Tuesday the 21st January at 10am.

RESULT - Day 5 (14th January) Session 3

@Ambassador Cruise Line World Indoor Bowls Open Singles Round 1

SCOT (David Gourlay MBE) bt ENG/Q (James Rippey) 7-6, 10-5: