Lee Clough missed an opportunity to collect a world pool title in his Blackpool hometown and admitted: "It's my usual story."
Both the Blackpool taxi driver and local cue queen Lynette Horsburgh lost in the semi-finals of the World Masters at the Imperial Hotel.
But while Horsburgh won the Foster's World 8-Ball crown last year, dad of three Clough has never claimed such
a major trophy.
And he knew the wait would go on last night, when eventual champion Ben Flack took a 6-0 lead.
Clough said: "Ben hardly missed a ball but I had a ridiculous amount of bad luck.
"Nothing really went my way and I thought it could easily have been 3-3 instead of 6-0."
Clough did eventually open his account and won three frames. However, West Country star Flack, who beat Welshman Ben Davies 10-8 in the final, ran out a 9-3 winner.
Clough and Horsburgh both did well to pick themselves up after losing in the main event – the Foster's World 8-Ball Pool Championships.
Title holder Horsburgh shrugged off her last 16 defeat against Collette Henriksen to reach the last four of the Masters.
However, the Foster's ladies final will have a familiar look about it.
Eight-time champion Sue Thompson will meet 2005 winner Emma Cunningham.
Ulster star Cunningham defeated Horsburgh's conqueror Henriksen 7-5 in the semis, while Thompson overwhelmed Helen Littlewood 7-1.
There was a shock last night for defending men's champion Gareth Potts.
His bid for a third straight title and fourth in total ended in a 9-6 defeat to Stoke rival Adam Davis.
