WALKDEN-based darts star Matt Clark says he is “mortified” by his first-round exit to Kevin Painter in the PDC World Championships.

The 40-year-old suffered the heartbreak of losing via sudden death, with the final score 3-2, and Clark admits the manner of the defeat was sickening.

“I am really disappointed because I felt I had a good chance of winning the match,” said Clark, who averaged an impressive 93 during the match. “I took a month off work unpaid to get ready for the tournament, and to be knocked out so early is frustrating.

“I was quite tired on stage because some noisy neighbours kept me up until 6am on the morning of the match, but adrenaline kicked in after a while anyway.

“I think I performed well, but I also think I would have won quite comfortably if I hadn’t been disrupted the night before.

“It was a tough draw to get early on, but I am used to that because I have been getting bad draws every year for the past 12 that I have qualified for the World Championships.”

Clark, however, can take solace from an impressive year of darts which peaked when he reached the quarter-finals of the World Matchplay in Blackpool, beating Roland Scholten and Peter Manley on the way. Before the Matchplay, Clark had lost three stone in weight in a bid to get fitter on stage.

The Dartford-born ace, who plays in the Bolton leagues, also won the Holland Open this summer, and said: “I have had a fantastic year.

“I wouldn’t say it is my best ever, but it’s certainly my best for a long time.

“I’m just disappointed that it has ended so early.”

Clark is back in action in January when he competes in a UK Open qualifier in Doncaster. Should he manage to qualify, he will once again be involved in the Reebok-based event at the beginning of June.