England striker Rachel Williams scored a hat-trick as FA Women's Cup holders Birmingham City won 3-1 at Cardiff City to reach the quarter-finals.

International team-mate and namesake Fara also scored three on her Liverpool debut in a 5-0 win over Aston Villa.
In the all-Super League encounters, last season's runners-up Chelsea lost 1-0 to Lincoln while Bristol Academy won 2-0 at Doncaster Belles.
Arsenal's tip to Nottingham Forest and Everton's tie at Oxford were postponed.
In the two ties not involving WSL teams, Premier League high-flyers Sunderland and Leeds United both reached the last eight.
The Cup holders won comfortably enough in the end, but they did not have it all their own way against their Premier League hosts.
Williams headed in the 18th-minute opener, but Cardiff equalised through a superb 25-yard strike by midfielder Paige Stewart nine minutes before half-time.
Williams restored the visitors' lead with another header in the 54th minute.
But it then took the WSL team until nine minutes from time to wrap up the victory when the striker completed her hat-trick with a close range shot.
Lincoln edged a hard-fought tie and deserved their narrow victory.
Precious Hamilton and Carla Cantrell both went close in the first half.
And it was a 57th-minute Cantrell corner that led to England winger Jess Clarke heading the only goal of the game.
Cantrell then had a shot tipped on to the bar by goalkeeper Nicola Davies as the home side looked for a decisive second.
But four minutes from time they had to thank goalkeeper Karen Bardsley for preventing an equaliser with a block from England team-mate Eni Aluko.
It was the Fara Williams show as Liverpool swept aside Premier League side Villa.
The England midfielder, signed from Merseyside rivals Everton in the close season, struck home from 25 yards after just eight minutes.
A 34th-minute Louise Fors penalty doubled the lead, and five minutes later Williams almost scored again with a lob that hit the bar.
But another chip, in the 57th minute, brought the midfielder her second goal.
Striker Natasha Dowie, like Williams a close season signing from Everton, slid in the fourth after 74 minutes.
And 13 minutes from time Williams raced clear to complete her hat-trick.
A terrific 35th-minute strike by captain Corinne Yorston gave Bristol the lead at a rain-soaked Keepmoat Stadium.
And the visitors almost doubled their lead when Spanish striker Laura del Rio hit the bar five minutes before the interval.
Striker Ann-Marie Heatherson forced in what proved to be the 55th-minute clincher when goalkeeper Nicola Hobbs dropped the ball at her feet.
Sunderland striker Sophie Williams played a key role in her team's victory like her namesakes at Birmingham and Liverpool.
She crossed for strike partner Beth Mead to head the opener after 33 minutes.
Eight minutes later Williams increased the lead with an excellent angled drive.
And in the 53rd minute, she crossed again for Mead to score her second with a simple tap-in.
Captain Steph Bannon completed the scoring with a 56th-minute header.
Two early goals set Premier League Leeds on the road to victory against their Southern Division opponents.
Striker Carey Huegett gave the home side a sixth-minute lead that was doubled 10 minutes later by defender Emma Lipman.
A 68th-minute Huegett penalty effectively put the game beyond Yeovil.
And 14 minutes from time, defender Hayley Sharp finished off the visitors with the fourth.


Mohamed Diame has retired from international football, saying he believes he is no longer among the best Senegalese players.

The 29-year-old, who plays his club football in England for Newcastle, appeared 36 times for the Teranga Lions and played at the 2012 Olympics.
He said: "I believe that there are now 23 Senegalese players in better shape.
"After much thought and consideration I feel that now is the appropriate time to focus fully on my club career."
Diame has been mainly used as a substitute by Senegal since Aliou Cisse took charge of the team in March 2015.


Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour has revealed that his new single features former inmates from the prison where his son served time.

Gilmour recorded Rattle That Lock with The Liberty Choir, a rehabilitation project that includes former Wandsworth Prison inmates and local singers.
The rock legend said the choir gives prisoners "real hope and optimism".
His son Charlie did time in Wandsworth in south London in 2011 after being arrested at a tuition fees protest.
He spent four months in jail after being convicted of violent disorder for his part in the 2010 protest, where he swung from a flag on the Cenotaph and threw a bin at a royal convoy.
David Gilmour told BBC News: "Charlie's experience was something that has impacted on us and has made us more aware of the prison system and what could and should be done to improve it.
"We're just helping out by being part of this initiative, which will hopefully spread."
The Liberty Choir, run by vocal coach MJ Paranzino and writer Ginny Dougary, takes members of the South London Choir into Wandsworth Prison for weekly sessions with serving inmates.
They also run regular sessions outside jail, where former offenders can join members of the South London Choir.
Seven of these former inmates were part of the 30-strong choir that sang on Rattle That Lock.
Gilmour and wife Polly Samson have also donated money to allow The Liberty Choir to expand to other jails.
Why did you get involved with The Liberty Choir?
David Gilmour: It's wonderful, seeing all these guys singing in the prison along with people from the South London Choir. They are close to the end of their sentences, and they then have a place outside prison where they feel part of the community, and that's very good for them, to feel valued.
Did Charlie's experiences make you want to get involved?
Yes, we got to see how the system worked and there's a lot wrong with the system, but there are many other initiatives that people are taking into their own hands within prisons and for prisoners.
This one, with the dual thing of doing it inside prison and on the outside as well, is a different step that we think is very good.
You went into Wandsworth on Tuesday - what did you do?
We joined a regular session where 20-something prisoners and about 20 people from the choir outside get to sing along and are taught. MJ is a brilliant teacher.
They come week in, week out, and there's a waiting list inside prison because the room available is small. The maximum number they can get in is about 20, but there are many, many more who want to take part.
What have the current or former prisoners said about the choir?
I've had conversations with some of the guys in the prison and some who have recently been released, and they all think it's a fantastic programme and are very keen for it to be widened and spread to other prisons.
It gives them real hope and optimism that they don't just come out of prison into a vacuum and the same temptations. This gives them at least one night a week with something to do where they feel valued, and they can join in with something artistic that is uplifting.
Is the song Rattle That Lock about prison?
No, it's just something to encourage people to step out and stand up for themselves and not be apathetic.
Will you continue your relationship with the choir?
Yes, Polly and I are both founder supporters. We give money to them. We have a charitable foundation that supports all sorts of things. This is one of them, and we are very keen that this should continue and expand.
We both intend to go back into Wandsworth and maybe other places if they open their doors to this sort of thing in the future.
David Gilmour's single Rattle That Lock is out now and his solo album of the same name is out on 18 September.


Ricky Burns overpowered Italian opponent Michele Di Rocco to win the vacant WBA World Super-Lightweight title in Glasgow.

The 33-year-old Coatbridge fighter dominated the bout and was in command when Di Rocco crumpled under a barrage of punches in the eighth round.
Burns is the first Scot to win a world title at a third weight and the first Briton since Duke McKenzie in 1992.
It was the Italian's first loss since September 2007.
Burns, who had been world champion at super-featherweight and lightweight, had Di Rocco reeling from three heavy right hands in the first round, surely stirred by the noise of his supporters prior to the opening bell sounding.
The exchanges were less dramatic in the second, with the 34-year-old former European champion trying unsuccessfully to pin the Scot against the ropes. Burns, though, managed to evade punishment by using good footwork.
In only his third bout outside Italy, Di Rocco was clearly rattled by Burns' opening, plus a low blow and a standing eight count after going down from a combination of punches and a shove in the third round.
With 40 wins and a draw from his 42 prior contests, the Umbrian boxer posed a threat but his punches from a crouched position did not appear to have the will-sapping ferocity of Burns'.
Ahead of the bout Essex-based Burns spoke respectfully of his opponent's record of going almost a decade without defeat.
However, by the midway point the Coatbridge fighter was ahead and must have sensed he could win world title number three.
His beautifully delivered straight right in the sixth round, which sent Di Rocco's head snapping back, would have boosted him further.
The Assisi battler had not truly troubled the dominant home fighter, who was relishing the occasion and was the sharper of the two.
Round eight signalled a new world champion for Scotland and the return of Burns to a level from which he dropped when Terence Crawford out-boxed him for his WBO World Lightweight title in March 2014.
Burns nailed Di Rocco in the corner and when he did emerge it was only to stumble at the referee's feet. He failed to make the count and the 8,000 fans acclaimed their history-making hero.


A cancer patient who moved to England to receive a drug not available in Wales will meet the first minister.

Irfon Williams, 44, from Bangor, Gwynedd, was told last year he had two years to live because of bowel cancer.
He needed the drug Cetuximab but Betsi Cadwaladr health board refused to fund it, so he moved across the border.
After being told this week his tumours have now shrunk, Carwyn Jones has agreed to meet and called his recovery "highly unusual".
Mr Williams was told in June tumours in his liver had shrunk enough for doctors to be able to operate and he could be free of the disease by September.
Leader of the Welsh Conservatives Andrew RT Davies said it was a "national disgrace" patients must go to England to receive some cancer drugs.
Betsi Cadwaladr said at the time decisions of that kind were "highly sensitive", and the Welsh government said all patients had access to "proven" treatments.


The family of a 92-year-old man who died after being hit by a car on Anglesey have paid tribute to a "loving father and grandfather".

Edward Hughes, known locally at Iori, was hit by a black Vauxhall Insignia on the junction of Wian Street and London Road in Holyhead on 3 June.
He was taken to a hospital in Stoke but later died from his injuries.
He was described as a "popular local character who will be "sorely missed".
North Wales Police are continuing to appeal for witnesses to the incident.


People in care homes across Wales will get access to arts projects as part of a £350,000 scheme.

Age Cymru has been given the money by Arts Council of Wales and The Baring Foundation.
Artists will go into care homes to teach people new skills as part of cARTrefu, which launched in April 2015.
Nick Capaldi of Arts Council of Wales said: "Taking part in the arts adds to the everyday quality of life and the wellbeing of our nation."
The money, which covers 2017 to 2019, was announced on the eve of BBC Wales' Get Creative weekend, a partnership with Arts Council of Wales.
It begins with people forming an outline map of Wales on the side of Pen y Fan in the Brecon Beacons on Friday.
Get Creative will give people the chance to try their hand at a range of cultural activities with a number of taster events.
cARTrefu, meaning to reside in Welsh, is a programme aimed at introducing older people to the arts. In its two years, it has held more than 1,000 workshops at 120 care homes.
Economy Secretary Ken Skates said: "Art can play an integral part in tackling social isolation for older people and improving the wellbeing of communities across Wales."
A Baring Foundation report in 2011 stated the arts in care homes were "integral to the definition of excellence in social care".
It also found art programmes could also help boost people's confidence and self-esteem.


A New Zealand court has found Mark Lundy guilty for a second time of murdering his wife and daughter.

Lundy was found guilty in 2002 of killing Christine and seven-year-old Amber in 2000, and was jailed for life.
But the conviction was overturned in 2013 by Britain's Privy Council after new evidence emerged.
The jury at the High Court in Wellington unanimously returned a new guilty verdict on Wednesday, and Lundy was sentenced again to life in prison.
New Zealand media reported that Lundy stood open-mouthed in the dock as the verdict was delivered.
His brother, Craig, told reporters the ruling "brings some form of closure" for the family.
"For the past few months we have had to relive the moment we were told a despicable human being took the lives of our much cherished sister-in-law Christine, and our beautiful niece, Amber," the New Zealand Herald quoted him as saying.
Justice Simon France said time already served in prison would be taken into account in Lundy's sentence.
Christine and Amber Lundy were found dead at their home in Palmerston North in August 2000. They had been killed by multiple blows to the head from an axe or tomahawk.
Lundy was accused of staging a burglary to killed them for insurance money. Police believe Amber was killed as she tried to run away after witnessing her mother's murder.
Lundy, who was charged in February 2000, has always denied the murders, saying he was on a business trip in Wellington at the time and with a prostitute that evening.
Following his first conviction, a group of supporters compiled a lengthy dossier questioning the evidence presented in court, including DNA samples found on his shirt which the prosecution said were Mrs Lundy's brain tissue.
The appeal was lodged in Britain because New Zealand did not have a Supreme Court at the time.
The Privy Council ordered a retrial and Lundy released on bail in 2013.


Hull KR recorded a second straight victory in The Qualifiers as they won at Leigh Sports Village for the second time this season.

Following on from their 23-10 Challenge Cup win in April, they again restricted Leigh to two tries, from Daniel Mortimer and Atelea Vea.
But Rovers ran in three themselves from the experienced Shaun Lunt, who got two, and winger Ryan Shaw.
Jamie Ellis kicked four goals for Rovers, as did Leigh's Josh Drinkwater.
Both sides had won their opening game in The Qualifiers, but only Rovers and Warrington, who beat Catalans Dragons, now have 100 per cent records.
Leigh coach Neil Jukes:
"Ultimately it was a game of inches - both teams competed high and kicked pretty well. Nobody gave each other an inch.
"There was a clear knock-on in the build-up to Lunt's second try and even though it went to the screen they (the video ref) didn't even look at it.
"In a game of that magnitude, you can't get those things wrong. It's a tough competition. Losing has not made it impossible. It has just added pressure on the next few games."
Hull KR coach Tim Sheens:
"To win two out of two and one against a Super League side certainly helps, there's no doubt about that. Leigh completed at a very high rate and they battered us in the middle.
"We got lucky on the play the ball for Lunt's try on the try-line. And we hung in right till the end. We were not as clever as them with our kicking options but we managed to keep turning their fellahs around.
"We will enjoy the win but it means nothing if we don't come out with the right attitude next week. London at home will be a tough game again."
Leigh: McNally; Dawson, Fleming, Langi, Higson; Mortimer, Drinkwater; Hansen, Higham, Maria, Vea, Paterson, Burr.
Replacements: Hood, Richards, Tickle, Stewart.
Hull KR: Moss; Carney, Blair, Hefernan, Shaw; Marsh, Ellis; Scruton, Lawler, Jewitt, Addy, Clarkson, Kavanagh.
Replacements: Lunt, Greenwood, Atkin, Masoe.
Referee: Jack Smith (RFL).


Former Wales fly-half Nicky Robinson is eyeing a career in coaching.

The 35-year old, who previously announced his retirement, penned a short-term deal to return to the Welsh capital with Cardiff Blues in November.
Robinson says helping on the training paddock with the Blues has opened his eyes to future opportunities.
"It is working well for me and is a nice opportunity working here," he told BBC Radio Wales Sport. "But I am not retired yet, I am still going."
Robinson, who won 13 Wales caps, said he has not necessarily considered a career in coaching before rejoining the Blues, actually deciding it probably was not for him.
"I am helping out a bit with the coaching side; it has opened up a little bit of an opportunity for me to help out with kicking stuff," he explained.
"Especially with Jarrod Evans and Gareth [Anscombe] to see if they want/need my input.
"And if there are any injuries like there were earlier in the season. I am there and raring to go. '
"I thought about it previously and felt I didn't want to do it.
"I felt my experiences of working with coaches and how stressful that can be and obviously when you're a fly-half you have quite a bit of input both on and off the pitch.
"But it wasn't something I really wanted to pursue as I haven't done a huge amount of coaching.
"This just worked nicely as a nice opportunity to gain experience and see if it was something that I wanted to pursue long-term or not."


A teenager who was removed from her classroom and deported to Nepal has been allowed to return to Germany on a study visa.

Bivsi Rana, 15, was born in Germany to Nepalese parents. In May she was deported with the rest of her family.
Her classmates protested and lobbied on her behalf against the deportation, drawing hundreds of people to rally under the slogan "Bring Bivsi back".
Officials called it a "unique case" and said Bivsi was "de facto German".
Mayor of Duisburg SÃ¶ren Link said: "The fact that we have managed to resolve this difficult situation lifts a burden from my shoulders."
Bivsi's parents moved to Germany in 1998, fleeing civil conflict in their native Nepal, but their applications for asylum were denied. Their repeated appeals were rejected. Fearing political repercussions at home Bivsi's father, Mr Rana, initially applied for asylum under a false name and has since called this "the worst mistake" of his life.
But Bivsi herself was born and brought up in Germany.
On the last Monday in May, Bivsi was in class at school in Duisburg, in north west Germany, when she was told she had to pack her things and leave. That same day she and her family were deported to Nepal, a country Bivsi had never visited before.
Class teacher Sascha Thamm told German media afterwards that all the girls in the class cried and Bivsi's best friend broke down to the extent that an emergency doctor had to be called.
Mr Thamm said Bivsi was a kind, engaged student who was good at German and science and helped teach swimming lessons.
Bivsi has been living in Nepal with her family and, according to reports, has been unable to find a new school there due to language issues.
She has now been given a study visa enabling her to return Germany while she finishes her education. Her parents can return with her.
North-Rhine Westphalia state's integration minister Joachim Stamp said: "This is a unique case and generalisations cannot be drawn from it.
"The right of the child stood in the foreground in this decision.
"Bivsi was born in Germany and grew up here - she is de facto a German child."
Bivsi is reported to be "totally happy" with the decision, and her parents are reported to be "overjoyed".


Two men have died following an early morning road accident in Ballycastle, County Antrim.

Johnny Black, 19, from Ballycastle and Robin William Lamont Wilson, 26, from Armoy, died after a head on collision between two cars on the Cushendall Road near Ballycastle.
A woman remains in a critical condition in the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, following the crash.
Elsewhere, a motorcyclist was killed in a road accident in west Belfast.
David Anderson, 42, from the Coleraine area, died after a collision on the Tornagrough Road on Sunday afternoon.
The total number of road deaths in Northern Ireland this year is now 15.


Police have issued a warning to anyone considering taking part in the so-called 'killer clown' craze.

The prank involves people dressing up as clowns to deliberately scare or intimidate members of the public.
It is thought that the fad began in America and has now spread to the UK.
But police in Northern Ireland have said that encouraging behaviour which deliberately "generates fear" or posting threatening messages can lead to a criminal record.
Clowns have been spotted in Belfast and there are reports that a school in Coleraine closed its doors for a short time on Friday because of fears that people dressed as clowns were on their way.
Police say they have received several reports of posts on social media from individuals who have suggested dressing in clown costumes and going to schools to scare students and teachers.
Ass Chief Const Stephen Martin said: "I would advise anyone who may be considering posting information on social media platforms to consider what they're saying.
"Crime is crime, whether in the virtual world or the real world and there are consequences. Please don't get caught up in something that could jeopardise your future."


"Cutting-edge" DNA tests are being carried out in a bid to solve a 38-year-old murder which has been linked to a notorious Scottish serial killer.

Anna Kenny, 20, was last seen alive in Glasgow on 5 August 1977. Her body was found in Argyll on 23 April 1979.
World's End killer Angus Sinclair remains a suspect over her death.
The Crown Office's cold case unit is to re-examine Ms Kenny's clothing in the hope that advances in DNA analysis might help catch her killer.
In a statement, the Crown Office said: "Our cold case unit regularly reviews cases to ascertain if there are any new evidential developments, including advances in forensic techniques, which would assist in providing a basis for criminal proceedings.
"The murder of Anna Kenny is under reinvestigation.
"This work includes a re-examination of the physical evidence, including garments recovered with the body, to establish whether advances in DNA analysis might produce new lines of inquiry."
The statement said the investigation would use "new cutting-edge DNA 24 technology".
Ms Kenny disappeared after a night out with a friend at the Hurdy Gurdy pub in Glasgow's Townhead area.
She left with a man who later told police she had left him to get a taxi home.
Ms Kenny is believed to have been abducted and killed some time later and her remains concealed in a shallow grave near Skipness, in Kintyre.
Her aunt and only surviving relative, Agnes Byrne, 77, told BBC Scotland her whole family had died when Anna was killed.
Anna's parents and her brother all passed away following the murder.
She said: "Her death was heartbreaking. Although she has been dead for such a long time, she is still in my thoughts.
"I hope to God they get whoever did it."
In 2004, Ms Kenny's case was highlighted again when three Scottish police forces launched a new investigation into the unsolved murders of seven young women.
Police had previously linked Ms Kenny's murder to two other Glasgow murder cases - that of Hilda Miller on 1 October 1977 and the murder of Agnes Cooney on 2 December the same year.
Her murder was also linked to those of 17-year-olds Helen Scott and Christine Eadie, who were strangled and raped after a night out at the World's End pub on Edinburgh's Royal Mile in 1977.
Last year, serial killer and rapist Angus Sinclair was jailed for a minimum of 37 years after finally being convicted of the murders.
In 2001, he was jailed for murdering 17-year-old Mary Gallacher on waste ground in the Barnhill area of Glasgow in November 1978.
In 1961, Sinclair also convicted of killing seven-year-old Catherine Reehill. He served six years of a 10-year sentence.


Islamist militias in Libya have lost two major areas in the eastern city of Benghazi, military sources and residents have told the BBC.

"People are celebrating on the streets," a resident said.
Fighters loyal to anti-Islamist Gen Khalifa Haftar are reported to have taken over the port, a hospital and have cut off a key weapons supply line.
Thousands have fled more than a year of fighting in Benghazi, the birthplace of the 2011 uprising.
Once in the Libyan army, Gen Haftar fought with revolutionaries to overthrow long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Libya has since fragmented and has rival parliaments backed by various militias and brigades spawned by the uprising.
The chaos has allowed Islamic State fighters to gain a foothold in the country, and some are believed to be fighting with other Islamist militias in Benghazi.
In January, the UN brokered a deal between rival lawmakers to form a unity government, but this has not yet happened.
Analysis: Rana Jawad, BBC North Africa correspondent
The controversial Gen Haftar's gains give him a stronger hand in Libya's volatile political landscape, and puts military actors in eastern and western Libya on a near equal-footing in terms of territorial control.
The general and his political backers will now be emboldened to demand a greater say in who leads the army under the proposed unity government.
But the already faltering peace process could go back to square one as politicians and militiamen in the west, who are vehemently opposed to the general, harden their attitude.
One MP in the west, who played a key role in getting the big Misrata brigades to support the peace process, has already launched a scathing attack on Gen Haftar, calling him a "dictatorial coup leader".
Last year, Gen Haftar was appointed as the head of armed forces for the parliament based in the eastern port city of Tobruk.
Some of the  Islamist militias he has been battling in his hometown of Benghazi are backed by political factions in the west, where the Tripoli administration is based.
Profile: General Khalifa Haftar


An owner of a boat on which two men died from carbon monoxide poisoning has said he was not aware of safety guidelines.

Mark Arries, 26, from Blyth, and Edward Ide, 21, from Amble, died on the boat in Whitby harbour in January 2014.
The pair were using the grill of a gas cooker for heating as they slept.
Timothy Bowman-Davies, 44, from Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, has admitted failing to ensure the boat was operated safely.
A trial of issue before a judge is being held at Leeds Crown Court to decide if he knew the crew were using the cooker as a heating source.
Read more about this and other stories from across Yorkshire
Mr Bowman-Davies told the hearing he was unaware of the risk of carbon monoxide on boats.
He also said he did not realise he needed to have the cooker serviced.
The boat, the Eshcol, had been inspected 11 weeks before the men's death by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), Mr Bowman-Davies said.
"I didn't know it [servicing the cooker] needed to be done," he told the hearing.
"I had the MCA inspector on the boat, I would have thought he would have told me."
Mr Arries and Mr Ide had joined the Eshcol to fish for scallops on 8 January 2014 and returned to Whitby harbour in the early hours of 15 January.
They were found dead in their bunks with the gas cooker grill switched on by Mr Bowman-Davies' 15-year-old son later.
Mr Bowman-Davies told the hearing he was "devastated" by the deaths.
He added: "I don't blame anybody. It's something that happened that shouldn't have happened, a tragic accident."
Mr Bowman-Davies' son has denied telling police at the time that he and his father were aware the cooker was being used as a heat source.
The hearing continues.


Ronald Koeman said Ross Barkley "is no longer a young talent" as the Everton boss revealed he expects better performances from the midfielder.

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Barkley, 22, was left out of the Everton team for the first time under Dutchman Koeman as the Toffees drew 1-1 at Manchester City on Saturday.
Koeman said the decision was "tactical" as he wanted to field a side "with more pressing than normal".
But he added that he hoped Barkley's omission was "a good wake-up call".
"He is already playing four years in the first team. You are not any more a talent, that means you need to show you have improved," Koeman said.
"I still believe in his qualities, but if I am not totally happy or it is a tactical question, he does not start. His reaction was positive. He was very disappointed, which you need to be."
Barkley has made 119 Everton appearances since making his debut in August 2011, when he was 17.
But former Toffees team-mate Leon Osman has questioned his consistency this season and although he was in England's squad for Euro 2016 he has not been called up since.
Koeman said he expected his side to have "more possession than normal" in Saturday's 15:00 BST kick-off at Burnley, and suggested Barkley would return to the starting XI.
"[Against City] we played a little bit different than normal so I did not start with him, but that might change in the weekend," he said.
"You like to have the best team for the each game, and the weekend is a different game."


Bristol City will sign midfielder Josh Brownhill from Preston at the end of his current contract on 30 June.

Brownhill made only six appearances for North End last season, but scored three goals in 27 games on loan at League One play-off winners Barnsley.
The 20-year-old rejected a new contract offer from Preston, who will be owed compensation for the move.
"As well as being a good footballer he's also a fantastic character," said City head coach Lee Johnson.
"He is a young, hungry, sought-after player who is experienced beyond his years in modern day football, and we've beaten off competition from other clubs to get him."
Find all the latest football transfers on our dedicated page.


President Barack Obama has raised continuing US concerns over China's cyber activities, as two days of talks between the two nations came to an end.

He urged China to act in order to reduce tensions, the White House said.
The US has in the past accused China of being involved in hacking government and commercial computer systems.
Earlier this month, the Chinese were blamed for a security breach involving the records of four million past and present US federal employees.
Speaking in Washington at the end of the talks, US Secretary of State John Kerry said the two countries would now work together to come up with a code of cyber conduct.
"There was an honest discussion, without accusations, without any finger-pointing, about the problem of cyber theft and whether or not it was sanctioned by government or whether it was hackers and individuals that the government has the ability to prosecute."
The US made it "crystal clear" that this was not acceptable, Mr Kerry added.
"We need to work through how all countries are going to behave, but particularly how we're going to work this out in terms of the bilateral relationship."
China has denied being behind the huge security breach at the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) three weeks ago.
State Councillor Yang Jiechi said in Washington the US must "respect the facts".
He added that China was cracking down on hacking and was ready to co-operate with the US on cybersecurity issues.
Earlier in the year, China also denied accusations it was behind an attack that stole data from US health insurer Anthem.
The White House said President Obama also expressed concerns about the growing Chinese presence in the South China Sea.
But the two sides were keen to emphasise areas of agreement, including on ocean preservation, illegal fishing and climate change.


The sister of a teenager who was murdered, cut up and buried by her boyfriend says she is afraid after discovering he has been out of prison.

Seventeen-year-old Sylvia Fleming was pregnant when she was murdered in Omagh in 1998 by Stephen Scott.
He was sentenced to life, but has been taking part in a pre-release scheme.
The prison service said the Victim Information Scheme (PRVIS) gives victims an opportunity to provide and receive information about prisoners.
Miss Fleming went missing in April 1998.
Her body parts were found under the foundations of a partially-built house eight weeks later.
Sentencing Scott in 2000, the judge described him as "thoroughly evil".
He said: "The manner in which her body was disposed of after her murder is surely the most gruesome.
"I am satisfied that you, Scott, not only deliberately killed this young girl but that you planned that killing and carried it out in circumstances so squalid that they would revolt any right-thinking person."
Her sister, Josie Fleming, told BBC Radio Foyle she was contacted by someone who had spotted the killer painting a fence.
"Even though we knew the time was coming we are angry and fearful," she said.
"They need to let us know when he is due for his official release - it's important for us to know when this evil person will be free to walk the streets."
Miss Fleming said she believes Scott is "capable of anything" and should never be freed.
"He took her into his flat, he tied her up in a bed and put a blindfold over her eyes and covered her mouth with tape," Ms Fleming said.
"He injected her with insulin and when she passed away he put her in the attic and then took her down and put her in the bath to cut her up."
"You never can come to terms with what happened, we're learning to live with it but we'll never, ever get over it."
In a statement, the prison service said those who register with the Victim Information Scheme will get details about a person convicted of a crime against them.
They will receive details about any temporary release a prisoner is granted,  the month and year in which a prisoner is expected to be released, any conditions of the prisoner's release and any breaches of those conditions which result in the prisoner's return to custody.
In the case of life-sentence prisoners, the victim can obtain information about the minimum number of years the life prisoner must serve, when the life prisoner is being considered for release and have the opportunity to give views when the prisoner is considered for final release.


House prices in Northern Ireland rose by almost 6% in 2016, according to official figures.

Prices rose in all council areas and across all property types, but there were wide variations.
In Derry City and Strabane prices were up by 11% but by less than 2% in Fermanagh and Omagh.
The figures are from the NI Residential Property Price Index, which analyses almost all sales, including cash deals.
The average standardised price, across all property types, is now £125,480.
That compares to £97,428 at the bottom of the market in 2012, but is still far below the bubble-era peak of £224,670.
Over the year the largest rise was in the apartment sector with prices up by 11%.
For all other property types, the increase was about 5%.
The council area with the highest average price is Lisburn and Castlereagh (£149,600) and the lowest is Derry City and Strabane (£108,464).
The number of properties sold in 2016 was 21,669, down slightly on the 2015 figure.
Northern Ireland experienced a huge house price bubble in the years leading up to 2007 before the market crashed.
Prices more than halved between 2007 and early 2013 but have been increasing gradually since then.


FKA twigs says she responded to racist abuse on Twitter because she hoped it would encourage her fans to stand up for themselves.

"I didn't want them to see me being bullied and not stand up for myself," she tells Radio 1 Stories.
"It wasn't just for me. It was for people who listen to my music and feel how I was feeling at that time."
In September she received online abuse after she was pictured holding hands with Robert Pattinson.
The 27-year-old says: "I didn't want them to see me being bullied and not stand up for myself because ultimately I'm ten times stronger than somebody hiding behind a weird name on Twitter.
"I wanted to show that I can stand up for myself so then hopefully another person will see that and want to stand up for themselves."
She says she tries not to let online comments affect what she does creatively but admits tabloid stories can be difficult for her.
"It doesn't affect me at all or what I create. Sometimes it's just frustrating because those sorts of tabloids are just looking for a headline," she says.
"That headline is often so far from the truth."
She admits to reading what people are saying about her.
"I remember at the height when things were really bad for me. I remember lying in bed at 3 o'clock in the morning and it's embarrassing but I was just reading through everything, reading every single comment.
"I just couldn't believe the world was like that. I guess I'm quite naive for someone who's come through the internet, I don't engage with it that much. I just couldn't believe people think like that or say things like that.
"It was morbidly fascinating."
The World of FKA twigs is on Radio 1 on Tuesday at 21:00 GMT.
Follow @BBCNewsbeat on Twitter, BBCNewsbeat on Instagram and Radio1Newsbeat on YouTube


First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed she will represent Scotland at the UN global climate change summit in France.

Ms Sturgeon plans to hold a series of bilateral meetings at the Paris event.
The first minister said Scotland can be seen as a "model for climate action".
The Scottish government has failed to meet its interim targets on greenhouse gas emissions for the past four years, although it insists it will achieve its long-term goals.
Ms Sturgeon said: "Scotland punches well above its weight in the international effort to tackle climate change.
"Our world-leading targets set the benchmark the international community needs to match in the years ahead if we are to stand a good chance of limiting global warming to less than two degrees Celsius.
"It is no exaggeration to say that our future, and that of generations to come, depends on a successful outcome and so the stakes could not be higher."
She added: "Scotland offers a message and model for climate action and in the countdown to these negotiations the Scottish government has been promoting Scotland's actions on climate change to the international community."
Figures released in June showed Scotland had failed to meet its climate change target for the fourth year in a row.
Scottish greenhouse gas emissions fell by 3.6% between 2012 and 2013 to 53 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (MtCO2e).
The Climate Change (Scotland) Act requires a minimum 42% cut in emissions by 2020 and 80% by 2050.
The Scottish government said it was on track to achieving this target and announced measures to reduce emissions.
Patrick Harvie MSP, co-convener of the Scottish Greens, welcomed the news that the first minister was to attend the Paris summit but said more action was needed.
"The Scottish government has presided over four years of missed carbon emissions targets so it needs to rebuild credibility," he said.
"Scotland can cut its emissions, generate clean power and create new jobs but merely congratulating ourselves for setting world-beating targets won't cut it; we need action on the ground if we're to lead the way."


The CarFest motoring event has resumed, a day after the death of a pilot whose aircraft plummeted from the sky during an aerial display.

Kevin Whyman, 39, was killed in the crash at Oulton Park, Cheshire, at about 14:00 BST on Saturday.
But TV and radio presenter Chris Evans, who created the event, said police had advised it would be best to carry on.
A minute's silence has been held at the festival site and visitors stopped to pay their respects.
Mr Evans said the crash in which Mr Whyman was killed was a "tragic accident".
A visibly upset Evans told reporters: "Our condolences go out to his family, who have been informed.
"The police have also advised us that the best thing and the safest thing to do is to carry on with the event, bearing in mind that there are 10,000 children here - and that is what we are going to do."
CarFest organisers said the festival had resumed but there would be no further aerial displays.
Mr Whyman, nicknamed "Jester", was a member of the Gnat Display Team and married with a young daughter.
In a statement, Heritage Aircraft Trust, which runs the team, said: "Kevin was a Royal Air Force-trained fast jet pilot whose enthusiasm for flying the Folland Gnat was infectious.
"He will be greatly missed by his family, the team and many friends.
"Kevin leaves a wife and young daughter. Please respect the privacy of family members and of the team at this most difficult time."
Shocked spectators fell silent as the plane suddenly nosedived during the display, before disappearing behind trees.
Moments later a plume of thick black smoke billowed in to the sky.
BBC producer Justin Bones, at the scene, said two planes had performed a low-level, close-proximity pass just before the crash.
One of the aircraft had failed to pull up and crashed north of the circuit, he said.
Mr Whyman, who started flying the Folland Gnat in 2005, was one of the founder members of the display team in 2007.
He lived in Westminster, central London, and split his leisure time between the airfield during the summer months and the ski slopes of the Swiss Alps during the winter.
An Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) spokesman said it would be investigating the incident and sending a team to the site.
Cheshire Police is also investigating.
Mr Whyman, who was born in Chester, was a Cambridge University economics graduate.
He trained with the university's boat club and coxed Cambridge to victory in the 1996 and 1997 boat races against Oxford.
He had a career with the RAF from 1998 to 2001, when he left for a trading job with a US investment bank in the City of London.
He completed his civilian flying licences so that he could continue to fly.
Evans is a car enthusiast and was recently named as the new presenter of the BBC's Top Gear show.
CarFest is described on its Twitter profile as his "dream of the perfect family festival", featuring cars, planes and music while raising money for BBC Children In Need.
The weekend event in Cheshire began on Friday and a second festival is due to be held in Hampshire later this month.


Hull FC moved back to the Super League summit with a thrashing of Hull KR that also denied their rivals a Super League regular season top eight spot.

Rovers will now finish in the bottom four, who will face four Championship clubs in the post-split Qualifiers.
The hosts raced into an 18-0 lead at the break through Liam Watts, Danny Houghton and Mark Minichiello tries.
Minichiello and Steve Michaels twice added to the lead, with Adam Walker and Iain Thornley scoring for Rovers.
Wakefield's trip to Catalans Dragons this weekend was made less stressful, as the result ensures they can go into the Challenge Cup semi-final against Warrington later this month with top-flight status intact.
It was a typically bruising derby for both sides with James Donaldson, Gareth Ellis and Marc Sneyd all withdrawn for concussion assessments - but unlike the derby at Craven Park this season there was to be no second-half comeback.
Victory ensured a three-derby clean sweep for the Airlie Birds in 2016, who had lost their past two games, but things might have been so different had Robins winger Ken Sio collected a kick cleanly when picked out free by Albert Kelly.
Ex-Rovers props Scott Taylor and Watts were given plenty of stick by the travelling support, but it had little impact as their go-forward gave the influential Sneyd room to pull the strings with his kicking game.
The latter crashed over from Houghton's short-ball, who scored himself from a Sneyd kick and Minichiello twice showed great footwork and power to stride across.
Michaels twice got away down the right for Hull either side of Walker's well-worked try and Thornley's score was the last act on a tough night for Rovers, who have now lost five city derbies in a row.
Hull FC head coach Lee Radford told BBC Radio Humberside:
"I'm really pleased, we got our fluency back n our performance and intent in physicality, it was something we highlighted.
"We defended our tryline supremely well, that broke the momentum and then we were ruthless in their end.
"I felt it needed to be a team effort, the Huddersfield game we looked flat, and the effort was there last week against Leeds but the clinical side wasn't.
"To right those wrongs tonight was really pleasing in a huge game in front of a huge crowd."
Hull KR head coach James Webster told BBC Radio Humberside:
"Hull were outstanding, a very big strong team, there were a couple of periods where we had to take chances and we missed them.
"I'm not going to blame Ken, he's been outstanding and I've never seem him drop a ball but he did. We could have had 26 or 27 points tonight and we could have had a chance of winning if we had.
"We never looked like winning that game, they were too big and too powerful for us."
Hull FC: Shaul; Michaels, Fonua, Yeaman, Talanoa; Abdull, Sneyd; Taylor, Houghton, Watts, Minichiello, Manu, Ellis.
Replacements: Pryce, Thompson, Bowden, Washbrook.
Hull KR: Cockayne; Sio, Minns, Thornley, Mantellato; Blair, Kelly; Allgood, Lunt, Tilse, Greenwood, Clarkson, Donaldson.
Replacements: Walker, Mulhern, Lawler, Marsh.
Referee: Ben Thaler (RFL)


Prosecutors in Ferguson, Missouri, have charged a man with assaulting officers during events marking the first anniversary of the killing of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown.

They named the suspect as Tyrone Harris, 18, who was critically wounded in a gun battle with police on Sunday.
The authorities have declared a state of emergency in the city.
Michael Brown's death triggered a wave of demonstrations over the use of excessive police force by officers.
The 18-year-old was shot in August 2014 by white police officer Darren Wilson, who was later cleared of any wrongdoing by a grand jury and the US Department of Justice.
What happened in Ferguson in 2014?
Separately on Monday, a number of people were shown on local news networks being arrested outside the main courthouse in St Louis.
Rallies were due to take place in parts of St Louis and other major US cities as part of a day of civil disobedience called by activists.
Hundreds of people stood silent on Sunday for four-and-a-half minutes at the spot where Michael Brown was killed in Ferguson, representing the number of hours that his body lay in the street unattended.
But the day of peaceful and sombre commemorations turned violent late at night when, according to police, a gunfight erupted between two rival groups on West Florissant Avenue.
Police say Mr Harris was armed and opened fired, but his father has described their account of events as "a bunch of lies".
The suspect fired at plainclothes detectives inside an unmarked SUV, who fired back, St Louis county police chief Jon Belmar said.
The gunmen "were criminals; they weren't protesters," he said, adding that the officers were not wearing body cameras - a major concern cited by protest groups. Four officers have been placed on administrative leave.
The man's father told the AP news agency that his son, a close friend of Brown, was shot between eight and 12 times.
Photos from the scene showed a young black man lying bloodied on the ground. He was face down and handcuffed.
Announcing a state of emergency on Monday, the authorities in St Louis county placed police chief Jon Belmar in charge of Ferguson and the surrounding areas.
US attorney Loretta Lynch denounced the incident on Sunday, saying "not only does violence obscure any message of peaceful protest, it places the community, as well as the officers who seek to protect it, in harm's way".
It also drew criticism from protest groups, including the Ferguson Action Council and Organization for Black Struggle which described the police response as "excessive".
John Gaskin III, a member of US rights group NAACP, told AP he did not expect unrest to escalate in Ferguson in the same way it has over the past year.
However, he warned, not many people would believe the police officers' account of Sunday night's events as "there's still a tremendous level of distrust between law enforcement and the community".
There have been a number of high-profile shootings of unarmed black men in US cities in recent months.
The most recent case involved 19-year-old Christian Taylor who was shot dead by a white police officer after he was spotted on surveillance footage vandalising cars in Arlington, Texas, on Friday.
The nationwide protest movement was further incensed when a justice department investigation found widespread racial bias in the Ferguson police force.
US Dept of Justice report on Ferguson racism


A reward has been offered for information to find a "dangerous" convicted murderer who breached his prison release licence.

William Kerr, 53, absconded from a probation hostel in Hull following his release on 23 January.
He was handed a life sentence in 1998 for killing Maureen Comfort, whose body was found in a Leeds bedroom cupboard.
The charity Crimestoppers has offered up to Â£5,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
Police have warned people not to approach Kerr, who they have described as "dangerous".
A spokesperson for Crimestoppers said it was "urgent that he is returned to prison".
"We understand that it might be someone that knows him personally who is aware of where he is, and for that reason, I would urge you to contact Crimestoppers, completely anonymously, safe in the knowledge nobody will ever know you spoke to us.
"Do the right thing and tell us where Kerr is," the spokesperson added.
North Yorkshire Police, who are leading the hunt for Kerr, believe he is now in the London area but said he also had links to Humber and West Yorkshire.
Ms Comfort, 43, was strangled at her flat in Cromwell Heights, Burmantofts, where she had lived alone, in 1996.
Her body was found in a cupboard in her bedroom by her family after they became concerned they had not heard from her.
Two years later Kerr was found guilty of her murder at Leeds Crown Court.
Senga Bailey, who found her aunt's body, said she was "frightened of what he's going to do next".


England's Vicky Holland, Jonathan Brownlee, Jodie Stimpson and Alistair Brownlee won triathlon's mixed team relay at the Commonwealth Games.

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The quartet each completed the 400m swim, 6km cycle, and 1.6km run course in a total time of one hour 13 minutes 24 seconds.
South Africa took silver, 49 seconds back, with Australia third.
"I love the relay. You can see people's weaknesses and strengths," said Alistair Brownlee.
It was a second gold medal of Glasgow for both Alistair Brownlee and Stimpson after their individual successes, while Jonathan Brownlee and Holland won their second medals after their individual silver and bronzes.
"I thought it was a good race," said Jonathan Brownlee. "The relay is always close but Vicky gave us a good start and I knew I had to just keep it safe and then run as fast as I could, Jodie destroyed it and Alistair finished it off."
England were five seconds down on Canada after Holland's leg, but Jonathan Brownlee gave them the lead on his run.
Brownlee gradually pulled away from the rest of the field and gave Stimpson a 16-second lead at the start of her swim.
Although New Zealand's Nicky Samuels tried to challenge Stimpson, the Englishwoman was still nine seconds ahead of her rivals when handing over to Commonwealth and Olympic gold medallist Alistair.
The elder Brownlee put in a strong display and extended his time advantage with a more tactical battle going on behind him for the minor places.
Holland now hopes the event can be included in future Olympic Games.
"I really hope it will be in the Olympic programme in 2020," she said. "Look at the atmosphere it generates having such a tight racing circuit and the lead changing hands so often. It is a great spectator event and great to be part of it."


The BBC has launched an Ebola public health information service on WhatsApp, aimed at users of the service in West Africa.

The service will provide audio, text message alerts and images to help people get the latest public health information to combat the spread of Ebola in the region.
Content will be limited to three items a day, and the service will be in English and French.
To subscribe, send 'JOIN' via WhatsApp to +44 7702 348 651 (you need to save this number in your phone's contacts first)
To unsubscribe, send 'STOP' via WhatsApp to the same number.
Subscribers shouldn't put themselves in potential danger or risk exposure to Ebola by attempting to take audio, pictures or video and sending it to the BBC via WhatsApp.
Due to the volume of requests, it may take a little time to be added or removed from the service.
As the biggest "chat app" in use in Africa, the platform is being used as a means of reaching people in the region directly through their mobile phones.
Users can also access Ebola public health information in audio form via the MXIT app. Users in West Africa will find it on the home page of the app when downloaded. The app is available on a range of devices, including smartphones and feature phones.
The response to Ebola is now the BBC World Service's biggest health information drive since its reporting on HIV/Aids in the 1980s and 1990s. In addition to the WhatsApp service, the BBC is offering a range of content on radio, online and TV, including special Ebola bulletins in several languages.
The latest Ebola stories will also be covered on the BBC social media accounts listed below:
On Twitter:
@bbcafrica
@bbcafrique
On Facebook:
facebook.com/bbcafrica
facebook.com/bbcafrique
You can also get the latest coverage of the Ebola crisis by clicking on our special index on the BBC News website, bbc.com/ebola.
At no time should you endanger yourself or others, take any unnecessary risks or infringe any laws.


Union flags, pigeons and a junior detective are just some of the stories featured in Thursday's papers.

The erection of a Union flag in a County Londonderry town features in all of the papers.
The front page of The Irish News carries a photograph of the flag which was, according to the paper, put up in the "dead of night" in the Diamond area of Magherafelt.
It was put up along with a pole in a flower bed on a roundabout.
The News Letter spoke to William Lennox from the British Truth Foundation who admitted his group, which he says includes some Orange Order members, was responsible for erecting the flag.
But a spokesman for the Orange Order's Magherafelt district told the paper that the district was "neither responsible for, not sanctioned, this occurrence".
The Daily Mirror says the flag was illegally erected in a space designed for public art work.
It says Mid Ulster Council is trying to resolve the issue.
The erection of the flag is not the only issue proving divisive in the papers.
The News Letter carries a warning from a dissident republican group who are planning to hold a counter protest against a veteran's march in Londonderry.
Justice for Veterans is holding the event next month to show its opposition to what it calls "the ongoing vindictive" criminal investigations into former soldiers.
The paper says news of the march sparked an angry backlash from republicans on social media.
The News Letter says one group, Saoradh, viewed the application with "disgust" and will organise a mass mobilisation to demonstrate local and national opposition to "this charade that seeks to justify the killing of Irish citizens".
The sisters of a Bloody Sunday victim described the march by veterans as "hugely insulting".
Kate and Linda Nash, whose brother William was among those killed by British soldiers in Londonderry in 1972, told the Daily Mirror they will be mounting a counter rally.
From division to celebration and a woman who won a landmark ruling to access her deceased partner's pension says he would be proud that his death has helped others.
Denise Brewster, 42, from Coleraine, fought a long battle for a so-called survivor's pension and won her case in the UK's Supreme Court on Wednesday.
Her victory could pave the way for others in a similar situation.
She told the Belfast Telegraph that her long-term partner Lenny's tragic death had "helped so many others and, right now, I'm particularly comforted by that thought".
The Daily Mirror quotes a Treasury spokesman as saying: "We will need to examine the implications carefully."
Elsewhere and the paper reports that a young person has been described as an "absolute star" by police after he found and handed in a bag of shotgun cartridges.
In a post, the PSNI in Craigavon said the items had been found in an "unsecure derelict house in Portadown" and praised the "junior detective" for his actions.
News that Northern Ireland's attorney general is considering mounting a challenge to the legality of the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme features in all of the papers.
John Larkin QC told a judge he was reflecting on whether to bring litigation against the Department of the Economy over a failure to put the non-domestic scheme before the full executive before it was introduced in 2012.
He made his comments after a group of boiler owners cleared the first stage in their legal battle at the High Court to ensure payments for the next 20 years.
Turning to a battle of a feathered kind and the Belfast Telegraph reports that a flock of pigeons have finally secured their freedom.
The 'BHS four' are understood to have became trapped about three weeks ago at the store in Castle Place which has been closed and vacant since last August.
Concerned members of the public had been campaigning for their release since then and their calls have finally been answered.
Maps Solution Europe, which manages the building on behalf of the administrators says the pigeons were released before the store was cleaned and locked up again.
A flappy ending.


Two brothers have been charged with child sex offences in Merseyside.

The men from Birkenhead were charged following an extensive investigation into child sexual exploitation.
Vinothan Rajenthiram, 26, has been charged with two counts of rape and nine counts of sexual activity with a girl under 16, Merseyside Police said.
Ilavarasan Rajenthiram, 25, has been charged with eight counts of sexual activity with a girl under 16 and two counts of sexual assault on a female.
Both men appeared at Wirral Magistrates' Court earlier.


Thames Water will face its "biggest ever fine" after pumping millions of gallons of untreated sewage into the River Thames, a judge has warned.

The company admitted water pollution and other offences at sewage facilities in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.
One fisherman lost thousands and went out of business because the pollution killed his crayfish, Aylesbury Crown Court heard.
Fish and birds died following the spills in 2013 and 2014.
Aylesbury Crown Court heard on Friday that the spills resulted in hundreds of dead fish, fewer dragon flies, overflowing manholes and sewage spilling into nature reserves.
Environmental damage was caused in the riverside towns of Henley and Marlow.
There were also reports of nappies and other sewage debris spilling into the Thames.
The four Thames Water Utilities Ltd sewage treatment works where the spills occurred were Aylesbury, Didcot, Henley and Little Marlow.
The other site is a large sewage pumping system in Littlemore in Oxford.


A little bit of live and learn goes a long way, and Dave Gilbert is keen to make up for lost time after being one match away from quitting in 2011.

He is only 34, but in snooker terms, most of the best players have already made their mark by that age.
The Tamworth professional reached his first ranking event final in China earlier this month, when he faced a resurgent John Higgins and lost 10-5.
Gilbert jumped from 40 to 21st in the world after that run, but he is pretty sure he knows the main reason why he has under-achieved so far.
"I'm a late grower-upper," he told BBC Sport. "I just got married and moved in to a new home and my missus Abi is keeping me in check a bit more.
"I've not been the perfect professional in the past. I like a night out and I haven't been as dedicated as I should have been, but I am older and wiser."
Gilbert is still enjoying the odd night out with his mates but has plenty more to occupy his time now - including a need to brush up on DIY skills.
He explained: "I'm spending a fair bit of time stripping wallpaper and decorating at the minute."
It's hardly wild living - but the change was needed and is certainly helping him on the snooker table.
"I'm not saying I could have been five-time world champion, but I definitely feel like I have wasted many years," he added.
"I am talented enough to have been competing at a higher level and have achieved more than I have."
His next challenge is the UK Championship in York, where Gilbert faces Jason Weston in the first round on Thursday.
And Gilbert, who was born in Derby but has lived in Staffordshire for more than 20 years, said: "I felt great in China. I felt relaxed and it seemed to click. My form is as good as it has ever been. I have never been so high up the rankings as I am now.
"It was the best week of my career but I have already left that in the past. I am practising better than I ever have, and maybe now it's the right time in my life."
Being longer in the tooth is one thing. But there is also the question of mental approach, which he admits has been "questionable".
"My mindset will probably never be perfect, but it's definitely improving," he said. "In the past I got the hump too easily.
"My 'A game' is good enough, but in the past my 'B game' may as well have been a 'Z game'.
"Players like Mark Selby and Neil Robertson find a way when things aren't going well but my head has tended to go."
Gilbert dropped off the tour briefly after a disastrous 2010-11 season and, having lost in both of the finals of the first two qualifying school events, he had one more chance to win back his place.
Gilbert, who first turned pro in 2002, explained: "I was talked in to Q School and when I lost in the final twice, I realised that the third final would probably be my last game of snooker if I lost."
He conquered his nerves and beat Allan Taylor 4-1 and it had a galvanising effect, bringing an improvement in his approach, form and results.
"Now I put the hours in," he said. "But the way tour has gone in the last few years has really helped too.
"I was never totally committed but some of that was because it was difficult to see it as a career.
"A few years ago there were five or six tournaments a year and it was a bleak for players from 30-50 in the world.
"Now it is the best it has ever been. I wish I was 18 or 20. The younger players now can moan a bit but they don't get how lucky they are."
It was when things were difficult that Gilbert got saddled with a "potato picker" tag, something that has stuck with him.
"I wanted to work off season," he explained. "I have never expected to have things handed on a plate so I did various things.
"I worked on a farm, drove a tractor, and I did a bit of potato picking, but it was hardly wandering around for weeks on end with a shovel and a bag.
"But I suppose it sounds like a good story. I'm not bone idle, I would much rather be working and not be skint."


Middlesbrough are intensifying their Premier League ambitions in tribute to late BBC Tees commentator Ali Brownlee, according to coach Aitor Karanka.

Brownlee, known as the 'Voice of the Boro', died last week, aged 56, after suffering from cancer.
Tributes are planned by the club and supporters at third-placed Boro's home game against Cardiff City on Tuesday.
"He will be looking down on us, he's an extra player and will always be supporting us," said Karanka.
Boro are currently just two points behind leaders Hull with a game in hand, with Burnley a point above them in second.
"I can't stop until we get to the Premier League. Ali was always saying and joking about how good we were in the Premier League [before the club were relegated in 2008-09], so I need to find out whether he was right," Karanka told BBC Tees.
The 42-year-old Spaniard built up a rapport with Brownlee through interviews, and appreciated the Teesside native's words of encouragement.
"I could feel how much he loved Boro, he was always joking and one of the few people who was always positive and supportive," he added.
For players such as local boy Jonathan Woodgate, Brownlee's affection for his local club was felt within the dressing room.
"Everyone loved him, his legacy will go on," defender Woodgate said.
"It was difficult, because the local lads have been brought up on Ali. The fans will give him the best send off and hopefully we'll get the three points we deserve."


First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who is in charge of the government in Scotland, has announced that she plans to ask the UK government for permission to hold another referendum in Scotland

This will allow adults to decide whether or not they want Scotland to be a part of the UK.
A referendum is when adult voters are asked to a vote on one political question - e.g. Should the UK remain a member of the EU or leave the EU?
She has said that she wants this referendum to happen between Autumn 2018 and Spring 2019.
Scotland has had a referendum about this issue before, in September 2014.
So why is Nicola Sturgeon saying that she wants another one?
Read below to find out more about what has happened.
The UK is made up of four countries - Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England.
Two and a half years ago, adults in Scotland were asked to choose whether or not they wanted Scotland to remain a part of the UK.
They were asked 'Should Scotland be an independent country?' and voters chose yes or no.
Just over half (55.3%) voted no, so Scotland remains part of the UK.
You might remember that last year, there was a different referendum for the whole of the UK.
The result of this referendum was that UK adults voted to leave a group of countries called the European Union (EU).
When all of the UK's votes were added together, more adults voted to leave the EU than to stay in it.
However, if Scotland's votes were counted on their own, more adults in Scotland wanted to stay in the EU than wanted to leave it.
In fact, just over 3 in 5 Scottish adults wanted the UK to stay part of the EU.
Given that it is expected the UK - including Scotland - will soon be on its way out of the EU, Ms Sturgeon says that Scottish people should get to decide again whether they want to be a part of the UK or become an independent country - and, importantly, get to make its own decisions about this sort of thing.
Not all politicians in Scotland agree that another referendum should take place though.
indyref2is the nickname given to the possibility of another Scottish referendum - it is a shortened version of independence referendum 2
The official two-year process for the UK to leave the EU is expected to begin soon.
So Ms Sturgeon wants another referendum to be held between Autumn 2018 and Spring 2019.
This is because it is thought it will be more clear by then how Brexit will work - and, importantly, how it might affect Scotland.
Ms Sturgeon thinks Scottish people will have more information to help them make that decision by then.
Ms Sturgeon does not have the power to make another referendum happen by herself.
She needs to get a special type of agreement from UK Prime Minister Theresa May to allow her to have one.
It has not been confirmed whether or not the UK government will give this to her.
It has said that a second referendum would be "divisive" and would "cause huge economic uncertainty at the worst possible time", but it has not said that it would refuse permission for it to happen.
First, though, Ms Sturgeon needs to get the support of the Scottish parliament.
She has said: "I will take the steps necessary now to make sure that Scotland will have a choice at the end of this [Brexit] process."
Even if the UK government agrees that another referendum can take place, it is not clear when it will be or how it will be carried out, as that would need to be decided too.
A situation like Brexit has not happened before, so we do not know what will happen or how it would work.
It is not as simple as Scotland being able to keep the UK's membership, while the rest of the UK leaves.
What would happen between Scotland and the EU, if the country were able to vote to become independent before the Brexit process has been finished, remains to be seen.


Sandy Stewart is taking time to consider his next move after ending a 17-month spell as Owen Coyle's assistant at Houston Dynamo.

Coyle has taken charge of Blackburn and Stewart has not ruled out working with his long-term colleague again.
But the former Airdrie boss, who was in charge of the Diamonds from 2002 to 2006, may also pursue being a manager in his own right again.
"I would never say never to anything," said the 50-year-old Scot.
"When I was manager of Airdrie I was there for four-and-a-half years and I loved it.
"It was a new experience for me because I was just moving from being a player into management but I genuinely loved it and I'd definitely look at doing it again.
"Myself and Owen think we work really well together, we've had a lot of success together and if that opportunity came up, it would be fantastic.
"I had three or four opportunities to go out on my own when I was working with Owen, but I just felt at that moment in time the two of us worked well as a partnership and I still believe we'll have success as a partnership in the future."
Stewart has also worked with Coyle at St Johnstone, Burnley, Bolton and Wigan over the last decade since leaving Airdrie.
He enjoyed his spell in Major League Soccer but, with Coyle, felt the time was right to return to the UK.
"It definitely was a fantastic experience," he explained. "But there was only one reason why we left and that was family. Initially we were looking for our families to go out to the States but it just didn't happen.
"The people at Houston were fantastic with us. They helped us settle in really well and they couldn't have done anymore for us. When it got to 17 months it just got far too much.
"I probably learned more in 17 months there than I did in the last five or six years here as far as coaching and looking at and analysing different teams.
"Nearly every player was new to us, you didn't know their strengths or weaknesses."
Travelling can take its toll for MLS sides and the weather can also be hazardous.
"We went up to New England last year and about 20 minutes into the game there was a lightning warning and when the sound goes off you need to go in," he added.
"So, we went in and had an hour and 20 minutes delay. We then came back out and played the rest of the first half.
"We then went in the dressing room at half-time only to be told there would be other lightning delays. I think we started the game at 19:30 at night and finished the game at 00:30. It's the longest game I've ever been involved in.
"The travelling sometimes can be horrendous depending where you go. We went to Vancouver, it was five hours - Seattle, Portland something similar. It's not just that, there's a two-hour time difference as well.
"When you go to Colorado and Real Salt Lake you've got to acclimatise to the high altitude and that definitely works as an advantage to them.
"Teams coming to Houston encountered the heat and the humidity and we took that to our advantage as well, there is no doubt about it.
"If you get a good result in the MLS away from home, it's a fantastic result because everybody has a better home record than what they've got away. We had a fantastic home record. I think we lost only two games at home in a year."


Great Britain's track and field team at the Rio Paralympics will include nine Welsh athletes.

Shot put world champion Aled Sion Davies and F46 Javelin thrower Hollie Arnold were among 13 initially selected in June.
And seven more were added when the rest of the 54-strong team was announced on Tuesday, 26 July.
They are Kyron Duke, Sabrina Fortune, Jordan Howe, Rhys Jones, Steven Morris, Laura Sugar and Olivia Breen.
Sugar, who will compete in the T44 sprints, took up athletics after watching the 2012 Games in London having previously represented Wales at hockey.
Born with the foot condition Talipes, Sugar was left with no ankle movement in her left leg after surgical correction, but was determined to take part in sport in school.
"I grew up and kind of ignored the fact that I shouldn't be able to do sport and became a hockey player for Wales," she told BBC Radio Wales Sport.
"But after watching London 2012 I was inspired by that and I never realised that my foot made me eligible for the paralympics and I signed up for a talent day and it all kicked off from there.
"That was three years ago and now I'm heading for my first paralympics."
Davies, won F42 discus gold at the London Games, but cannot defend his title because the event will not be held in Rio. He also took a bronze at the in the shot put in 2012.
Breen is the only other Welsh track and field athlete going to Rio who won a medal in London - a bronze in the T35-38 4x100m relay.
Aled Davies (F42 shot put), Hollie Arnold (F46 javelin), Kyron Duke (F40 shot put and javelin), Sabrina Fortune (F20 discus), Jordan Howe (T35/F35 sprints), Rhys Jones (T37 sprints), Steven Morris (T20 1500 metres), Laura Sugar (T44 100 metres), Olivia Breen (38 sprints).


An 18-year-old student found dead at a beauty spot was killed by "multiple wounds to the neck", police said.

Officers have identified the girl, found at Orrell Water Park in Wigan early on Saturday, as Ellen Higginbottom.
She had been reported missing on Friday after she failed to return home from Winstanley College, where she studied.
Greater Manchester Police said some of Ellen's friends had told them she had been last seen at the nature reserve.
Police said a post-mortem test concluded her death was caused by "multiple wounds to the neck".
Her disappearance was "extremely out of character", police have said.
Det Supt Howard Millington appealed for information, saying: "We have a clearer picture of what may have happened to Ellen, but we are still piecing together her exact movements in the lead-up to her death.
"Someone out there knows who did this, or they know it was them, and we will not stop until we find them and bring them to justice."
Police previously said there was a report two young women were followed by two men in the area on Thursday.
"Attacks of this severity are thankfully incredibly rare, but that in itself makes this all the more shocking," said Det Supt Millington, adding that "things like this don't happen in Orrell".


A firefighter who died tackling a blaze in Manchester was unlawfully killed, a jury has concluded.

Stephen Hunt, 38, from Bury, was among 60 firefighters called to Paul's Hair World in Oldham Street in July 2013.
Jurors concluded it was probable two 15-year-old girls deliberately started the fire after smoking cigarettes at the rear of the building.
The case is to be reviewed to determine if any further action should be taken, police said.
The inquest heard how the teenagers made a "selfie" video in which they admitted starting the fire, which developed at a fire door and close to a cardboard storage cage.
The girls - who are now aged 17 and cannot be named - both told the jury they had put out their cigarettes.
A witness claimed one of the girls had admitted pushing a lit piece of paper through the doorway.
In the video, one of the 15-year-old girls, identified as Girl A, said: "We're not very happy because we started a fire we actually didn't mean to, seriously".
Girl B then added: "I put a flyer under. I didn't know it would set on fire. I saw a flame and ignored it."
Girl B was charged with arson but prosecutors dropped the charge three days before the trial, citing accidental ignition could not be ruled out.
Mr Hunt and a colleague, Jeremy Jones, had entered the building equipped with breathing apparatus but visibility was virtually nil, the jury was told.
Mr Hunt was found collapsed and could not be resuscitated. He was pronounced dead later that evening.
A lack of communication at handovers and briefings, a breakdown in radio communication, the internal layout of the building, inadequate fire risk assessment and acts of vandalism and criminal damage had contributed to his death, jurors found.
Senior coroner for Manchester Nigel Meadows said he would report the jury's findings to the Crown Prosecution Service.
Det Supt Peter Marsh, from Greater Manchester Police, said: "Following the findings from the inquest, GMP will now review the case with the Crown Prosecution Service to determine if any further action is to be taken."


Mae 'na sôn y gallai cerrig yr Orsedd yn Eisteddfod Genedlaethol 2018 gael eu gosod ar y dŵr ym Mae Caerdydd.

Wedi'r cyfan enw'r Archdderwydd ydy Geraint Lli-fon. Ond tra bydd Meistres y Gwisgoedd yn brysur yn creu gwisgoedd nofio glas, gwyrdd a gwyn dyma brofi eich gwybodaeth o safloedd cerrig yr orsedd sydd ar dir sych!
Ers rhai blynyddoedd cerrig artiffisial symudol sy'n cael eu defnyddio yn y seremonïau. Ond ar un adeg roedd cylch o feini cerrig pwrpasol yn cael eu gosod ger lleoliad y Brifwyl y flwyddyn honno.
Mae'r cylchoedd cerrig a'u lleoliadau yn hynod debyg ond mae'r cliwiau yn unigryw! Felly dyma'ch cyfle i chi roi'ch trwyn ar y maen llôg...


Veterans receiving social care in Wales will get the full value of their war disablement pensions after a £300,000 Welsh Government boost.

It follows a Royal British Legion (RBL) campaign highlighting that some awards to veterans injured in service were being reduced to cover care costs.
It is hoped the move will benefit more than 6,000 veterans.
The money will be given to local authorities to make those pensions exempt from financial assessment.
The RBL welcomed the move, saying it addressed a "historic discrepancy".
Social Services Minister Rebecca Evans said: "We owe our armed forces veterans a significant debt of gratitude, which is why they deserve a fairer deal when it comes to social care.
"Pensions are an important source of compensation for many veterans and ensuring they receive the full amount they are rightfully entitled to will make their life that little bit easier."


Former US President Bill Clinton has admitted his "three strikes" crime bill introduced in the 1990s contributed to the problem of overpopulated prisons.

Speaking to a civil rights group, he said: "I signed a bill that made the problem worse and I want to admit it."
It put 100,000 more police officers on the streets but locked up "minor actors for way too long", Mr Clinton said.
President Barack Obama launched a renewed effort to reform the criminal justice system this week.
He visited a federal prison in Oklahoma on Thursday, becoming the first sitting president to do so.
Speaking at the El Reno Federal Correctional Institution, Mr Obama said the criminal justice system needs to distinguish between young people who make mistakes and those who are truly dangerous.
Some of the young prisoners he met at the prison had made mistakes not that different from those he made in his youth, Mr Obama said.
On Wednesday, Mr Clinton told the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) convention in Philadelphia that he had faced a "roaring decade of rising crime".
He signed a bill into action in 1994 that included a "three strikes" rule that meant anyone convicted of a serious violent crime who had two or more prior convictions, including drug crimes, was given a life sentence.
He said the "good news" was that the tough raft of measures in the bill had helped secure "the biggest drop in crime history".
"The bad news is we had a lot of people who were essentially locked up who were minor actors for way too long," he added.
US prisoners find new struggles after being released
Earlier this week, President Obama commuted the prison sentences of 46 drug offenders saying their sentences "didn't fit their crimes".
"Mass incarceration makes our entire country worse off, and we need to do something about it," Mr Obama told the NAACP on Tuesday.
He has urged Congress to pass a sentencing reform bill by the year's end.
Mr Clinton's comments come as his wife former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, makes criminal justice reform part of her presidential campaign agenda.
In April, Mrs Clinton echoed President Obama's comments, saying she would push for an end to the "era of mass incarceration".
The last significant changes to the US criminal justice system came in 2013 when US Attorney General Eric Holder dropped mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent drug offenders.
More than two million people are in jail in the US. A tenth of them are held in federal prisons.
208,000 people in federal prisons
48% of them for drug offences
37% of them are black
34% of them are Hispanic
$80bn the cost of incarceration in the US in 2010


Police have released a CCTV image of two men they want to trace in connection with a violent attack in a pub in the south side of Glasgow.

A 48-year-old man suffered a serious facial injury during an altercation in the Allison Arms, on Pollokshaws Road, at about 21:30 on Saturday 21 May.
The man required hospital treatment.
Police said drinkers in the pub were "shocked at the level of violence". They believe the men in the image may be able to help with their inquiry.
The first man is described as white, in his 20s, of large build with short dark hair. He was wearing a red T-shirt.
The second man is described as white, in his 50s, with dark hair. He was wearing a blue polo shirt under a dark jacket.
Det Con Paul MacDonald, who is leading the investigation, said: "This incident has left a man seriously injured.
"Those drinking within the pub were also shocked at the level of violence displayed that evening. It is crucial we trace those responsible.
"We are appealing for anyone with information or for anyone who may recognise the men in the image to contact officers."


Double Olympic champion Alistair Brownlee will take part in a 70.3-mile Gran Canaria race as part of a move towards long-distance triathlons.

Media playback is not supported on this device
The 28-year-old, gold medallist in 2012 and 2016, will take part in the race over the longer distance on 22 April.
"It's no secret that I am going to spend a couple of years racing some different distances," said Brownlee.
"I'm really looking forward to preparing for some longer distance races and competing at them."
While the Olympic triathlon distance involves swimming 1.5km, cycling 40km and running 10km, the race Brownlee will attempt includes swimming 1.9km, cycling 90km and running a half-marathon (13.1 miles or 21.09km).


A construction worker on the site of a new £49m arts centre in Gwynedd has described the project as "chaotic".

Pontio at Bangor University was due to open in September and is largely being paid for with public funds.
The worker claims building mistakes and extensive water damage are responsible for delays and pushing it over budget.
Construction firm Galliford Try said challenges were not out of the ordinary and were being met to deliver a "high quality" building.
The Pontio arts and innovation centre is due to include a theatre, cinema and innovation and creative hub linked to the university.
Photos obtained from inside the building in Bangor reveal some of the problems.
Newly-laid floors have been dug up and recently finished walls and ceilings hacked apart because of extensive water damage.
Staircases, basement rooms and the arts centre's new cinema have all suffered damage.
The worker told BBC Wales: "You get sent to do something in the morning, and then halfway through the day you get pulled away to do something else.
"So, boards and ceilings are going up without asking the electricians or the plumbers if they've finished in the roof. They then have to cut out holes to bring their cables through."
INSIDE PONTIO
The worker also said tiles were expanding when water got into them and have been replaced several times due to the damage.
"It's just - it's a mess, to be honest."
He described the hurry to try to complete the building last September: "It was such a rush that the rest of the building was abandoned. I think the rush was so big, a lot of mistakes were done."
The worker added: "They might open in June. But you'll have some painters who'll still be there at least until September."
A spokesman for Middlesex-based Galliford Try said as with any project of the level of complexity that the Pontio building represents the construction team has faced "a number of challenges throughout the build programme".
He added: "None of these issues has been out of the ordinary experience of a construction process and all of these challenges are being met, ensuring that the high quality finish of the final building is not compromised.
"We remain committed to working collaboratively with the University of Bangor and all the stakeholders involved to reach a successful conclusion to this prestigious project as soon as is practically possible."
Bangor University said it is working with Galliford Try in order that they may complete the building "to a high standard of quality as quickly as possible".
A spokesman added: "Galliford Try have assured us that they will complete the building to a high standard of finish and we look forward to seeing the building open."
The Arts Council for Wales is currently withholding the final £1m of capital funds it has promised the project and has not given any capital funding since last July.
A spokesman said: "Although we are a minor contributor to the overall project costs, we have been very concerned about the well-publicised delays to this important project.
"We have urged Bangor University to work closely with the project contractors to bring outstanding matters to a speedy conclusion. The remaining funds that we have allocated to the project have been held back until that happens."
The Welsh government said: "We are keen that the current delays should not affect the longer term benefit of the project for the people of north Wales and will continue to support Bangor University so that the project can be completed as soon as possible."


Leigh Timmis has been cycling around the world since 2010 - and on Saturday he's coming home.

His seven years in the saddle have seen him confront a mountain lion and sing to a bear, all on a globetrotting budget of £5 ($6.40) a day.
As he reaches the final leg of his journey home to Derby, Leigh, 35, thinks back over the previous 43,000 miles (69,000km) with a broad smile.
"The whole world has been my garden," he says wistfully.
"I never thought about what happens on the 23rd (of April). What do you do after this?"
It was seven years ago when, depressed with a life lacking direction, Leigh said he would circle the globe on a bike.
With youth on his side and savings in the bank, he thought he could achieve his dream in two years, while raising money for the Derbyshire Children's Holiday Centre.
"I guess a lot of men want to go on this sort of ego trip - show the world how great I am.
"I thought it would just be about me and this freedom."
But the naive visions he had of conquering the world changed soon after he left.
"I didn't know how to do what I'd set out to do. I couldn't speak languages, I didn't know how to sleep wild," he said.
"So I began meeting people - sharing evenings with them and meeting their families."
The journey was no longer about racing from one country to the next, but experiencing them one by one.
The slow and vulnerable bicycle was the perfect vehicle "to connect to people".
When he ran out of money, he didn't go home, but found work and kept cycling.
On the road, Leigh normally slept in a tent, rarely paying for transport or accommodation.
Throughout his journey, he lived off an average of £5 a day.
He says this simple living and the kindness of strangers saw his values change.
It's only recently Leigh has had a mobile phone - a deliberate decision to enable him to travel free from technology.
Besides, he says, when he left the UK not everyone had smartphones.
Despite his nomadic existence, one thing has remained a constant for Leigh.
"I've got a strong relationship with this bike," he says. "I haven't had a relationship with a girl for this long."
Dolly is the same bike he has had for the entire trip - handmade for him in Derby. She's heavy, but was built to last and still has the same frame and wheels as day one.
Leigh recalls a Tom Hanks Castaway moment, when in Peru, he found himself getting particularly emotional and talking to the bike he had been through so much with.
"All my things in the world are on that bike."
And - perhaps remarkably - Dolly was never stolen.
"People see it's my whole life and they have respect for this. There is an element of trust in the world."
43,000
Miles travelled (at least)
120
An avergage day's cycle (in km)
- 40°C The temperature for the Tibet leg of the cycle
18 litres Water needed to survive four days in the Australian outback
50 kg The weight of Dolly and the panniers (not including food and water)
£5.00 Leigh's average daily allowance
Wildlife wasn't always so friendly, and Leigh admits naivety got him through on more than one occasion.
In Canada he came skidding face to face with a bear.
He recalled that just weeks before a friend's daughter had been reading a book about bears, including a poem to recite should you ever encounter them.
"The only thing that came to my head was this stupid song." And so he found himself singing the words to which he is now indebted.
Another "lesson in the necessities of life" came in the Australian outback when, while cycling in the 40C heat, his water supply slipped off the bike and he had to run back to search for it.
"At that moment you realise how precious just one litre of water is.
"That was a big lesson."
Many miles later, after a couple of weeks working in Australia and Taiwan, travelling through China and the Americas, Leigh started running out of money again which led him to consider the journey home.
A meticulous diary keeper, he has written entries about almost every day of his travels.
When a diary was finished, he sent it back to his mum, who would get a glimpse into her son's life.
14 December 2012, in the Australian outback desert
The nosebleeds dry and the smell of rotten camel fades and I continue to sip saline and push Dolly for the last few days of the desert as Kata Tjuta begins to loom on the horizon like a crowd of balding heads.
Despite limited contact with his family, he says his relationships with his parents and sister are now closer than ever and the thought of them (and a reliable water source) have pulled him back to the UK.
Adapting to a "normal" life will be difficult, he admits, but: "I realise how lucky I am. A lot of people won't get this opportunity."
So what is he most looking forward to about being back on British soil?
"The smell of going past a fish and chip shop and to be able to listen to people in the supermarket and understanding every word," he says.
"But the real emotion will be when I see my mum in the place I left her seven years ago. I get a lump in my throat just thinking about it."
He's now considering a job working with children - wanting to share his experience and "show people what is possible".
"But there'll definitely be some more adventure. If I can ride a bike around the world, I can do anything."


The stepmother of one of serial killer Stephen Port's victims has said she is "disgusted" by the police's failure to conduct tests on a fake suicide note.

Mandy Pearson said her family were assured that the handwriting on the note found with the body of Daniel Whitworth would be properly checked.
Detectives treated the 21-year-old's death as non-suspicious because of the note, which had been written by Port.
Port, 41, was given a whole life prison term for the murders of four young men.
Mr Whitworth, from Gravesend, Kent, was found dead in an east London churchyard near Port's home on 20 September 2014, three weeks after the body of another Port victim - 22-year-old Slovakian Gabriel Kovari - had been found in the same spot.
The note in Mr Whitworth's hand said he had accidentally killed Mr Kovari and was taking his own life as a result.
Port, from London, had murdered both men and would go on to kill again a year later.
On Thursday the BBC revealed how a detective told Mr Whitworth's inquest that police officers had checked the note against one of Mr Whitworth's diaries, but that a handwriting expert had not been consulted.
When it was eventually checked, an expert concluded that the author of the note was not Mr Whitworth but the handwriting was a match for Port's.
Speaking for the first time, Ms Pearson says she remembers the initial contact from detectives.
"We were told that it looked like he'd taken his own life as he'd been found with a letter - and we were very, very keen to see it," she told the BBC.
When the family saw the note they were not convinced.
"We said we weren't sure. Especially when we did finally see the whole thing."
The family told police that "there was nothing personal about it. There were no names mentioned".
"We said then there was nothing there that would link it to Daniel. Nothing at all. His circumstances were looking good, things were bright, he had a good future ahead of him."
The family were not even that familiar with Mr Whitworth's writing, she recalls.
"In this age when you're using email, texts - it's very seldom you see handwriting unless it's in a card," she said.
But when they looked at some cards sent by Mr Whitworth, she said, the writing was not a match.
Ms Pearson says the family were assured by the police that the handwriting would be properly checked.
"They said they were going to do that anyway. They took samples, they took the cards."
Asked how she feels knowing that the tests were not done, she said: "Disgusted. We feel disgusted."
"We put our confidence in them. We trusted them."
But she also praised the Met detectives who later conducted the successful investigation.
The police watchdog is investigating how the serial killer case was handled.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission is examining the initial police response to the deaths of the four men in London.
A total of 17 Metropolitan Police officers are under formal investigation.


An employee at ferry operator Caledonian MacBrayne has won an award for her efforts to help seven island weddings to go ahead.

Demi Wylie organised a small team to liaise with the couples and guests during industrial action that affected CalMac sailings in June last year.
Travel plans for more than 600 people were adjusted so they could reach the Western Isles weddings.
Ms Wylie, 23, was recognised at the 2016 Scottish Transport Awards.
She won the Frontline Employee of the Year category at a ceremony in Glasgow.
Ms Wylie is based in CalMac's contact centre in Gourock which handles calls across the company's services.
Ferries had been key to getting brides, grooms and many of their guests to ceremonies and venues for the weddings across the Hebridean islands chain.
Ms Wylie and her team identified services that were running, or running at different times, and rebooked the wedding parties on those ferries.
The industrial action came amid a row over tendering process for the Clyde and Hebrides Ferries Network.


Readers of the Daily Mail's website were shown fake advertisements that linked to malware, a security company has discovered.

Bogus ads for shoes briefly appeared among the selection of banners displayed on DailyMail.com.
Instead of online shops, the advertisements linked to malware that can expose computers to "ransomware".
Ransomware encrypts files on a victim's computer and asks for a payment to decrypt them again.
The practice is known as "malvertising".
Security company Malwarebytes made the discovery last week and published a report about its findings online.
The report says Malwarebytes contacted the Daily Mail and relevant advertising networks about the issue on Friday.
By Monday morning, the security company was informed that the fake ads had been removed.
The banners, purporting to be for an online shoe retailer, were published via a bogus ad server.
From there, they were distributed via an advertising network that presents ads to readers on the Daily Mail's website.
If a user clicked on one of the ads, they would be redirected to a well known piece of malware called the Angler Exploit Kit, which attacks vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer and Flash.
There are various ways to protect yourself from ransomware, according to Tony Berning, senior manager at software company Opswat.
"To protect against ransomware, users must back up their data regularly," he said.
"In addition to this, an important defence against ransomware is the use of anti-virus engines to scan for threats.
"With over 450,000 new threats emerging daily, anti-malware engines need to detect new threats continuously, and will inevitably address different threats at different times," Mr Berning said.
The Daily Mail did not immediately provide a comment.