Southampton’s David McBeath picked up team bronze on his Commonwealth Games debut, but missed out on gold as England suffered an agonising a semi-final defeat.

The squad went into the event with high hopes of gold, but found Nigeria in top form in the last four, despite Paul Drinkhall giving them an ideal start with a 3-2 (12-14, 11-9, 11-7, 11-13, 11-7) victory over Segun Toriola.

Bode Abiodun came from 2-0 down to beat Liam Pitchford 3-2 (8-11, 9-11, 11-4, 13-11, 11-5) and Nigeria moved ahead when Toriola & Olajide Omotayo beat Drinkhall & Walker 3-1 (2-11, 11-7, 12-10, 11-7).

Pitchford revived England’s hopes with a 3-2 (9-11, 11-4, 11-8, 9-11, 11-5) defeat of Omotayo, but Abiodun was the hero as he sunk Walker 3-2 (8-11, 11-9, 11-9, 6-11, 11-8) in another dramatic match.

Nigeria went on to lose the gold medal match to India 3-0, while England had to play Singapore for bronze.

McBeath came in for Walker in that match as Drinkhall again provided the perfect start by beating Glasgow 2014 individual champion Gao Ning 3-0 (13-11, 11-5, 11-9). England this time kicked on, Pitchford defeating Poh Shao Feng Ethan 3-1 (11-9, 11-7, 7-11, 11-3) and then Drinkhall & McBeath sealing the podium finish with a thrilling 3-2 (6-11, 11-13, 11-4, 11-9, 13-11) comeback win over Poh & Pang Xue Jie.

McBeath, 26, said: “The semi-final was a long match and took a lot out of everyone and after losing we only had an hour, maybe less, to come back. I think we all did well to regroup and come back and win the bronze.”

England had reached the semi-finals with routine 3-0 group victories over Ghana and Guyana and another 3-0 scoreline, against Northern Ireland, in the quarter-finals.

McBeath played in the match against Guyana, picking up the first point with a 3-0 (11-5, 11-5, 11-6) win over Shemar Britton and joining Drinkhall to win the doubles 3-0 (11-1, 11-7, 11-5) against Britton & Nigel Bryan.

The former Mountbatten schoolboy is currently ranked 160 in the world - but his goal is to make the top 100.

Originally from Rownhams, he also played tennis, squash and football and was introduced to table tennis at a Nursling Primary School after-school club.

He joined Southampton West Table Tennis Club in Millbrook before moving to Waterside Table Tennis club in Totton.

He first played for England at U13 and U15 level and has spent the last five years as a professional in Germany and Sweden, where he is currently based.

His parents, David and Susan, live in Rownhams and his brother John, a successful DJ, is expected to be playing at the Waterside tennis club, which is based at Testwood School, tonight.

Waterside table tennis club secretary John Fox said: “Many congratulations to David from everyone at the club! 

“Fortunately I was able to watch him play in the doubles final on my computer. 

“We’ll make sure we get a photo of him with the medal when he’s next over from Sweden.

“He was a good player when he joined us but I wouldn’t necessarily have had him down a a future professional and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist back then.

"His brother is also a very good player but David has a very good temperament which you need to succeed at that level.

“Our head coach Ken McLeod has been a big influence on him over the years and David’s really come on since he moved abroad to play in his late teens.”