Speedy Hire UK Open Quarter-Finals

JAMES WADE'S bid to win the Speedy Hire UK Open title for a second time continued as he ended Paul Nicholson's hopes at the Reebok Stadium on Sunday afternoon, as Mark Webster, Wes Newton and Denis Ovens joined him in the semi-finals.

Nicholson had knocked out Gary Anderson and reigning champion Phil Taylor in a brilliant day of darts on Saturday, but was unable to add world number four Wade to his list of victims in a tense quarter-final contest.

Wade pulled clear from two-all to lead 5-2 and 8-5, and despite a rally from the 2010 Players Championship Finals winner the left-hander held on to book his semi-final berth.

"It was a really tough game," said Wade, the 2008 UK Open champion. "Paul's had a great tournament and he pushed me all the way there too but I showed I've got the game to challenge this weekend.

"I've done it the hard way by starting in the first round on Thursday but I'm still in there and I think my odds are pretty good now!"

Wade will face another left-hander, Mark Webster, in Sunday evening's semi-finals, with Wes Newton or Denis Ovens awaiting the winner in the final in a testing night.

"Mark's a great player and it promises to be a fantastic semi-final," added Wade. "We both know each other pretty well and I'm looking forward to it."

Webster secured his first UK Open semi-final spot with a classy 10-7 win over Robert Thornton.

Webster led 4-0 and also took out a 142 finish in moving 6-2 up, but the Scot replied with three bullseye finishes, including a 170, before the left-hander eventually prevailed.

"I made a dream start and I thought that once I got out to 4-0 up I wouldn't surrender that," said Webster. "He put me under pressure but I closed the game out well.

"I've fallen in the semi-finals of PDC majors before, including at the World Championship, and I don't want to do that again tonight, I want to go all the way and I'm focused on that."

In-form Wes Newton booked his place in only the third major semi-final of his career - following up previous runs to the last four of the 2005 and 2006 Las Vegas Desert Classics with a 10-8 defeat of Dave Chisnall.

Newton had defeated Raymond van Barneveld 9-1 in Saturday's last 16 and never trailed against the Bolton debutant, who battled bravely but saw the Fleetwood ace take out finishes of 118 and 104 on his way to the win.

"It feels brilliant to be through," said Newton. "I didn't play as well in this game as I could, or as I did against Raymond, and it was a battle for both me and Dave.

"But I've got the win and still have a chance in this tournament, and I can look forward to the semi-finals now. I'm feeling good and will give it my all."

Veteran Denis Ovens will take on Newton in the last four, having defeated left-hander Mark Hylton 10-6 in their quarter-final clash.

Ovens made a superb start to lead 5-0 against Hylton, who pulled back to 7-6 at one stage finishes of 104 and 107, only for the 53-year-old from Stevenage a key 106 in reply to secure his second successive UK Open semi-final.

"I'm quite pleased but I know I've still got two games to win yet," said Ovens. "I started off well but then Mark started coming back, and thankfully I'd punished him for his slow start when I had the chance."

Sunday night's winner will pocket a cool £40,000 cheque, with the runner-up taking home £20,000 and the semi-finalists guaranteed £10,000.

Click here for Quarter-Final Photo Gallery

Speedy Hire UK Open
Quarter-Finals
Denis Ovens 10-6 Mark Hylton
Mark Webster 10-7 Robert Thornton
Wes Newton 10-8 Dave Chisnall
James Wade 10-7 Paul Nicholson
Best of 19 legs

Semi-Final Draw
James Wade v Mark Webster
Wes Newton v Denis Ovens
Best of 19 legs

DENIS OVENS 10-6 MARK HYLTON
DENIS OVENS reached the Speedy Hire UK Open Semi-Finals for a second successive year by defeating Mark Hylton 10-6 in the first of Sunday's Quarter-Finals.

The 53-year-old started the match superbly by taking the first five legs to establish control of the contest, averaging over 108 at that stage of the game.

Ovens looked set for a comfortable victory when leading 7-3, but Hylton won the next three legs to give the Hertfordshire man a fright.

Ovens, though, stopped his opponent's momentum to win the next three to cross the winning line.

Ovens started well by breaking throw in the opening leg of the contest and then produced a fantastic ten-darter to win the second.

Hylton missed a dart at double 11 to win his first leg of the match in the third, which allowed Ovens to step in and hit double six to increase his lead.

The man from Stevenage, who defeated Andy Smith in the previous round, hit a 13-dart finish to win the fourth leg and an accurate attempt at double 18 increased his lead to 5-0.

Hylton, playing his first televised Quarter-Final, managed to get on the board by winning the sixth leg with an 87 finish, and he then won the seventh in just ten darts to reduce the deficit to 5-2.

Ovens held throw to win the eighth by hitting double top but Hylton won the next with a 12-dart-finish to keep himself in the game.

Ovens won the tenth leg by hitting double 16 to move 7-3 up, but Hylton won the next two legs in excellent style with finishes of 104 and 107 to reduce the gap to two legs.

The 45-year-old from Rugeley then won a third leg on the spin courtesy of the 13-dart finish and had a chance to level the game at seven apiece with a dart at tops - but that chance went begging and his opponent made him pay with an excellent 106 checkout to go 8-6 up.

The 15th leg saw Hylton miss six darts at doubles to close the gap to just a single leg again, and that allowed Ovens in to hit double one to move within touching distance of victory.

Ovens had the advantage of throw in the next leg and he made that count by converting a 74 finish to end Hylton's excellent run at this tournament.

MARK WEBSTER 10-7 ROBERT THORNTON
MARK WEBSTER reached the Semi-Finals of the 2011 Speedy Hire UK Open with a 10-7 triumph over Robert Thornton.

Webster had led the match 4-0 and 9-4 and had chances to progress with more comfort, but Thornton staged a brief revival before the 27-year-old confirmed his place in the last four.

Webster hit a maximum in the opening leg to settle any pre-match nerves and took out double top to establish an early advantage.

The Welshman then hit the same double to move two legs up and repeated the trick in the third leg, cashing on five missed darts at doubles from Thornton.

Webster, who came from 6-0 down to defeat Co Stompe on his way to the last eight,, hit double ten to move 4-0 up before Thornton managed to win his first leg of the match with the aid of a 13-dart finish.

Webster hit a maximum in the sixth leg, but it was the Scotsman who won it with a superb 140 checkout to reduce the gap to two.

Thornton should have closed the deficit to 4-3 in the next, but he missed nine darts at doubles and allowed Webster to nick it on double 12.

Webster then rubbed salt into the wound of his opponent as he won the eighth leg with a fabulous 142 checkout, with Thornton waiting on tops, to move 6-2 up.

Thornton won the next leg with an accurate attempt at double eight, but Webster took the tenth, which included his fourth 180 of the game to move 7-3 clear.

Webster was unusually off-target on double top in the 11th leg as three attempts, went begging and Thornton recorded an 81 finish on the bullseye to pinch it.

Thornton also had a chance to reduce the gap to 7-5, but he could not convert his attempt at double 16 and Webster hit double six with his last dart to move two legs away from the win.

Webster landed double 12 win the 13th leg against the darts and move 9-4 up, but he missed two darts for the match in the next and Thornton managed to keep his hopes alive by hitting double top.

Webster hit his fifth maximum of the match at the start of the next leg, but Thornton hit an incredible 170 checkout to reduce the deficit to 9-6.

The Welshman's nerves were starting to show and he missed five more darts for the match in the 15th leg, and Thornton landed double two to reduce to gap to two legs.

But Webster made no mistake in the next as powerful scoring left him with just 24 after 12 darts thrown, and he hit double 12 to complete the win.

"It's a big relief to perform so well in a televised tournament so soon after my disappointing Premier League experience," admitted Webster.

"I did feel the nerves a bit towards the end as Robert was coming back well and finishing a lot better - but I got the job done.

"I probably shouldn't be here after I was 6-0 down to Co Stompe yesterday afternoon, but you have to concentrate until that final double has gone in and maybe my name is on the trophy."

WES NEWTON 10-8 DAVE CHISNALL
WES NEWTON reached the Speedy Hire UK Open Semi-Finals with a hard-fought 10-8 victory over Dave Chisnall at the Reebok Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Missed opportunities at doubles from Chisnall allowed Newton to establish leads of 7-4 and 9-6, but the Bolton debutant made his opponent sweat by taking the next two legs before Newton crossed the winning line to reach his first televised Semi-Final for five years.

"It feels brilliant to be through," said Newton. "I never played how I could out there and it was a battle in the end but I'm happy to cross the winning line and keep myself in with a chance to win the tournament."

Both players shared the opening two legs, which were won against the darts, and that trend continued when Chisnall hit double top to win the third leg.

The St Helens man had chances to move 3-1 up, but he missed two darts at doubles which allowed Newton to step in and nick it the fourth by hitting tops with his last dart.

Newton hit double eight in the fifth leg to lead the match for the first time and then moved two legs clear after Chisnall missed five attempts at doubles.

Newton hit his second 180 of the game in the seventh leg, which was won in 13 darts, before Chisnall stopped the rot by winning the next with an 11-dart finish.

More missed doubles were costly for Chisnall in the ninth leg, which Newton won on double top before Chisnall managed to take the tenth courtesy of an accurate attempt at double eight.

The man from Fleetwood hit an excellent 118 finish to restore his three-leg advantage before Chisnall won the 12th by hitting double top to keep in touch.

Newton hit a 180 in the next leg, although Chisnall was the first to double only to miss two chances before Newton hit double 12 to move closer to the winning line.

Chisnall held throw with a successful attempt at double nine before Newton took out a 104 finish to move 9-6 ahead and require just one leg for the win.

Chisnall continued to fight and won the 16th leg in 13 darts and then won the next against the throw on double top after Newton had missed a dart at the same bed to win the match.

Chisnall hit his sixth 180 of the game early in the 18th, leg but Newton hit one of his own which saw him to a finish first, and he hit double top at the first time of asking to close out the game.

JAMES WADE 10-7 PAUL NICHOLSON
JAMES WADE kept his hopes of claiming a second Speedy Hire UK Open title alive by ending the challenge of Paul Nicholson with a 10-7 triumph.

Nicholson was unable to produce the magic that saw him prevail in final-leg thrillers against Gary Anderson and Phil Taylor in the previous two rounds as he fell to the left-hander in a tense contest.

Nicholson managed to hold throw in the opening leg by hitting double four after Wade was off-target with a dart at tops.

Wade squared the game by winning the second leg before Nicholson took out a 62 finish with two darts.

Wade hit a 72 finish to level and then secured the first break of the match by hitting double 12 at the first time of asking after Nicholson was off-target with his attempt at double 18.

The 2008 champion hit a maximum in the sixth leg and went on to win it with a 61 finish before breaking Nicholson's throw once again by hitting double ten.

Nicholson, the 2010 Players Championship Finals winner, managed to stop a run of four losing legs by breaking his opponent's throw with a 14-dart finish to reduce the gap to 5-3.

Wade restored his three-leg advantage by taking the ninth leg in just 13 darts, but Nicholson won the next leg in the same fashion to keep matters finely balanced.

Nicholson reduced the gap to just one leg by winning the 11th with an 86 finish before Wade went 7-5 ahead with a 110 checkout, with his opponent waiting on a two-darter.

Wade hit his third maximum on the way to a 12-dart-finish to take the 13th leg against the darts and move three clear of Nicholson again.

The next leg was a tense affair but it was Wade who won it by hitting double top with his last dart to go 9-5 up.

Although Nicholson won the 15th leg in 14 darts to keep his hopes alive, and after Wade missed two match darts in the next leg he landed double top to reduce the gap to just two legs.

Nicholson had the advantage of throw in the next leg, but Wade was first to a finish and managed to take out 78 to confirm a place in the last four.

Click here for Quarter-Final Photo Gallery

Watch Live at LIVEPDC.TV!
Coverage for users outside of the UK & Ireland is shown live in LIVEPDC.TV
Highlights will also be available 24 hours after each session for subscribers.
Subscription packages to Watch Live cost £4.99 per Monthly Subscription or £49.99 for an Annual Subscription.
Users in the UK can purchase a £2.99 Monthly Subscription or a £29.99 Annual Subscription to enjoy highlights and archive footage.
Annual Subscriptions also allow fans to purchase tickets in Priority Sales periods for major PDC events.
Click here to visit LIVEPDC.TV