Cumbrian badminton star Lauren Smith admitted her disappointment after England’s bid for Commonwealth Games gold was dashed.

England lost 3-0 to Malaysia in the team semi-finals in Birmingham.

It left Smith and her team-mates still in with a chance of bronze if they win Tuesday’s shoot-out against Singapore.

Smith and mixed doubles partner Marcus Ellis had made a storming start against Chan Peng Soon and Cheah Yee See.

But after a dominant 21-12 win in the opening game, they were pegged back 18-21 and 13-21 by the Malaysian duo to lose the opening match.

Toby Penty was then beaten in the singles with Ben Lane and Sean Vendy also losing in the men’s doubles.

Smith, from Longtown, said of the mixed doubles defeat: “We’re definitely disappointed. We had our chances, we started exceptionally well, we executed our game plan and put a lot of pressure on them.

“Unfortunately, in the second game, it was a tougher end to play on. We just didn't execute a few serves and basic things.

“We became a little bit hesitant and a bit desperate in our shots instead of just playing the rallies out and that cost us in the end, which is frustrating.”

England will take on Singapore for the bronze after India won their semi-final.

And England will have to go one better than in the group stages, when they lost to that nation.

If England claim bronze it will be a sixth Commonwealth medal for Smith in her third Games.

Penty, after losing to Tse Young Ng, said: “In team competition, momentum in terms of the tie is really important.

“On a different day, Marcus and Lauren win their match in two sets and it is a very different tie.

“I still think I could have played better at the start of my match, regardless of their result, so that is where it is a little bit disappointing for me. But that is the beauty of this tournament and these games that I’ve got plenty of opportunities to put it right again.”

In netball, meanwhile, Cumbria's Helen Housby helped England to an emphatic 71-27 win over Northern Ireland.

It was a third consecutive win in the group stage for the host nation, with Housby landing 20 goals from 20 shots in a ruthless performance.

England next take on Uganda on Tuesday night.