ADAM SHORTO was just two pots away from a 130 clearance and the highest ever competitive break in local snooker before he missed a spotted pink. The island champion, who was playing in a Norman Wale handicap match on Wednesday, was on course to break great rival Martyn Desperques’ record of 128, when he ran out of position.

‘To be honest, it went a little wrong before the missed pink,’ said Shorto.

‘The brown and the final three colours were all on their spots, but as I potted the brown I ended up screwing the white onto the cushion for the blue, which meant that when I potted the blue into the middle I couldn’t quite hold for the pink.

‘I left the white halfway between pink and black, and again I was near the cushion.

‘The pink was a shot I would expect to get six times out of 10, but was also one of those shots where I had to stun it in with a bit of pace to get on the black.

‘As soon as I hit it I realised it wasn’t going to go. The pink bounced off the top jaw and the white ended up perfect on the black, which was a bit annoying.’

In the end Shorto had to settle for a 117 clearance, an improvement of five on his previous competitive best.

‘It’s very frustrating because you think to yourself how many good chances are you going to get to break more than 128?

‘But on the other hand I’ve still beaten my personal best in a match.

‘It was a case of so close and yet so far because 130 would have been the next step up.’

Shorto went on to win the handicap match against Roscoe Cloarec 2-1, and feels the big break has come at just the right time.

‘To make a break like that ahead of the inter-insular is pretty good. I feel I’m playing well at the moment.