VETERAN potter Lee Walker believes snooker boss Barry Hearn should be doing more to help first-round losers financially.

The 43-year-old from Newbridge, a former Crucible quarter-finalist, was speaking after losing his opening match at the 19.com Scottish Open.

Walker succumbed to a 4-1 defeat by Tom Jones under the Glasgow Emirates Arena lights, constructing a break of 75 in frame four but being unable to complete a miraculous comeback.

And the world number 80, who reached the last eight English Open earlier this year, reckons the chairman of Matchroom Sport could do more to aid the sport’s less successful players.

“I’d without a doubt like to see Barry Hearn address that – you don’t need people to make money, but it’s actually costing certain players, who are not having much success, money to play,” he said.

“I’ve won enough to cover my expenses after Crawley. It’s hard enough if you’re losing and not making a living, but when it’s actually costing you money on the tour, I don’t think that is right.

“You don’t need to reward players for losing, but just giving players something to cover expenses when they’ve worked hard to get on the tour in the first place is the right way to do it in my opinion.

“I certainly want to carry on with my coaching, and that’s something I want to do a lot more when I retire.

“It’s something I’ve been doing for the last four or five years and I go to Hong Kong a lot and coach over there, and I enjoy that as it’s keeping you in snooker.”

Elsewhere, Ebbw Vale teenager Jackson Page also exited in the first round, losing a tight game 4-3 to world number 35 Martin O’Donnell.

But it was a valiant showing from the Welsh world number 102, who made a break of 52 in the second frame before being edged out in a decider.

* Watch the Scottish Open live on Eurosport, Eurosport Player and Quest with studio analysis from Ronnie O’Sullivan and Jimmy White.