GARY ANDERSON won an Ally Pally classic to move into the last 16 of the William Hill World Darts Championship with dramatic tie-break win against Jermaine Wattimena.
Anderson, who missed opportunities to wrap up the match before facing the prospect of a shock elimination in the deciding set, survived a match-dart against the tenacious Dutchman before edging through.
Wattimena started the match with a superb 142 checkout and went on to take the first set after Anderson had missed a dart to win it.
Finishes of 85 and 110 helped Anderson go level in sets and he shrugged off a 117 checkout from his opponent to win the third set 3-1.
Wattimena missed a dart at the bull for a 128 finish to win set four and Anderson took full advantage by taking out 62 with his last dart in hand.
Wattimena won the fifth set 3-1 with winning legs of 14,15 and 11 darts before Anderson won the first two legs in set six - but the Scotsman missed five darts for the match, allowing Wattimena to clean up 25 to stay in it. The Dutch ace went on to clinch the set with a 71 finish.
Wattimena went two legs up in the deciding set before missing the bull for an incredible match-winning 170 attempt.
Anderson won the following two legs to force a tie-break, in which Wattimena went ahead with a 104 finish, but the two-time World Champion took the next three legs to scrape through.
Averages:
Anderson - 97.33
Wattimena - 95.19
180s:
Anderson - 8
Wattimena - 6
Highest Finish:
Anderson - 110
Wattimena - 142
100+ Checkouts:
Anderson - 1
Wattimena - 4
Finishing:
Anderson - 19/49
Wattimena - 16/39
