by Alex Hoad at the Paralympic Games

Will Bayley and Ross Wilson must try to raise themselves to play for a bronze medal on Friday after losing an epic Class 6-8 Team semi-final clash against Poland on Thursday night.

GB will take-on Germany at 5pm back at the ExCeL Arena after a rollercoaster three-hour marathon match which ended in despair and a 3-2 defeat.

Wilson in particular can count himself hard done by as he won both his singles matches in thrilling deciding games against the Polish pair of Piotr Grudzien and Marcin Skrzyneck.

Bayley however was pitted against opponents of a class above his own and while he gave his all, lost his opening singles game 3-1 which saw GB slip 1-0 behind overall, while he also spurned a match point in the fourth match, eventually losing in five sets which forced the contest to a deciding fifth match – the doubles - for which Bayley was replaced by Aaron McKibbon.

Bayley said: "It was a really tough match - they are both a different category to me. I felt like I played well, I'm just disappointed I didn't take the one that would have won us the match."

He added: "On match point he got a lot of net which didn't help and I missed my forehand. I've got to forget about that now and focus on the next match."

Wilson came in with GB behind and put in a solid display infront of a partisan crowd in the ExCeL.

The 17-year-old said: "There's a lot of pressure in every game in London but I think I thrive off the pressure - I enjoy it.

"I feel more excited to play in front of my home crowd, they are brilliant."

He added: "We'll do our best and hopefully we can bring home a bronze medal."