Gould upbeat despite shock UK Championship exit

World number 20 Martin Gould said he will not beat himself up after bowing out of the UK Championship at the second-round stage to an opponent who played a “blinder”.

China’s Mei Xiwen, ranked 70 places below the Pinner Potter, earned a shock 6-3 win in York.

But Gould told West London Sport he barely did anything wrong.

“I played okay to be fair,” Gould, 35, said.

“But he played fantastic and missed one ball in the match. It makes you wonder how he has not really had any results this season.

“Every time I have had him in trouble with a good safety he has slotted in a long red as if it was over the pocket.

“I think I missed two or three balls. I can’t take anything away from him – he played a blinder.”

Gould returns to action soon with the qualifiers for the German Masters, the tournament he won last season for his first ranking title.

And he said he will go to Germany happy with his form.

“People will probably think I am making excuses but it is what I am going through at the moment,” Gould added.

“I am playing good snooker but not getting anything to show for it. This was a prime example.

“In the balls he looked fluent and solid and if he carries on like that he will get more results.

“I cannot beat myself up over that. If it was my fault and I made loads of mistakes and he fed off it I would give myself a bit of a ticking off. I just have to wake up tomorrow morning and think, ‘it’s a another day’.

“My form is there but I need some results to show it.”