BOWLS Craig Doughty skipped a Bath quartet to the last 16 of the Bowls England men's national fours championship at Worthing on Tuesday, then summed it all up when he said: "That was a lesson in how to go from hero to villain overnight."

With his father, Richard, slotting in at number two, and Andy Taylor and Kevin Rowdon occupying the lead and third spots, Bath had beaten Banbury Borough 26-7 and Commonwealth Games-bound Graham Shadwell's Spencer Moulton 18-17 on their way to a place in the second round.

But, after holding a firm grip over Torquay Kings for the first 18 ends in the third round, they saw their dreams of a place in the quarter-finals turn into a nightmare as a 1-3-2 finish gave the Devon quartet a last-gasp 22-21 victory.

"It was the game against Spencer Moulton that was the real thriller," said 29-year-old civil servant Doughty.

"We were 16-6 down at one stage but fought back well and I managed to get the shot with a drive with the last bowl of the game."

In the third round, everything depended on Doughty's last bowl but this time he bowled short and gave an easy chance to Torquay's Sean Johnson to add a second shot for a place in the last eight.

"When I looked at the draw, I thought we wouldn't get past the second round," said Doughty.

"Taking Graham's scalp was a real highlight – especially as he lives only four miles from me – but, having achieved what we did, it was disappointing to lose when we did."