ROCK REVEALS TOILET VISIT LED TO ANTWERP STRUGGLE

JOSH ROCK revealed SOAP sparked his Antwerp horror show in the Premier League.

‘Rocky’ was swept aside 6-2 by Michael van Gerwen on Night Two, slumping to a worrying 79.34 average. 

World No.9 Rock explained that a pre-match trip to the bathroom proved costly. 

Rock blamed the handwash in the venue toilets for leaving his hands numb and costing him crucial grip on stage. 

He said: “Apart from Belfast, I was more looking forward to Antwerp, but it didn’t go to plan. 

“Glasgow is pretty close to home too, so I can’t wait. 

“I went to the toilet just before I went on stage and whatever soap they have that you wash your hands with, I put it all over. 

“The next minute I went up there, I knew this was not going to start well. I just could not feel it at all. 

“Now we have a plan B with a bit of chalk and wax in my case from now on. 

“I didn’t have to use it in the Players Championship this week, so it is fine. 

“It must have been the soap I used, and I was trying my best to get some grip, but it didn’t happen.” 

The Antrim thrower finds himself rooted to the foot of the table and still chasing his first points of the campaign. 

But Rock is keeping calm ahead of his showdown with Luke Humphries on Night Three in Glasgow, insisting there is no need to panic just yet. 

He added: “No, not one bit. I actually laughed at it afterwards because I knew what the problem was. 

“No matter how hard I was trying to lick my fingers or rub my finger up and down the barrel to get my fingers roughed up, it wasn’t working. 

“So I just let that one go. 

“We are only two weeks in. It might take me a couple of weeks to adapt, but this time I play Luke Humphries, so hopefully I can pick up a couple of points.”

Image by Taylor Lanning.