REPORTS from the semi-finals of the Blue Square UK Open at Bolton's Reebok Stadium.
Phil Taylor remains on course for a third UK Open title after his win over Ronnie Baxter, while Colin Osborne reached his first major final with victory against Kevin Painter.
Blue Square UK Open
Semi-Finals
Colin Osborne 10-7 Kevin Painter
Phil Taylor 10-6 Ronnie Baxter
COLIN OSBORNE 10-7 KEVIN PAINTER
COLIN OSBORNE won through to his first major PDC final with a 10-7 victory over Kevin Painter at the Blue Square UK Open.
The Derby ace erased the memories of his 2007 semi-final defeat to Vincent van der Voort to see off Painter's brave challenge.
Painter had battled through to his first UK Open semi-final, but he never recovered from allowing Osborne into a 5-1 lead early on.
Painter led after hitting double 19 in the opener, but Osborne took out 104 to level and punished four missed doubles to break and lead 2-1.
Osborne also took the next two and then hit a 177 score and a bullseye finish for a 5-1 cushion.
Painter took advantage of misses from Osborne to win the next two and halve the deficit, but then wasted two chances to take the ninth as double eight put the Derby man 6-3 up.
That was extended to 7-3 on double top before Painter fired in an 11-darter, featuring a 180 and a two-dart 86 finish.
He also began the 12th leg with a maximum, but double top put Osborne into an 8-4 lead and he also moved a leg away from victory at 9-5 after Painter edged a scrappy 13th on double one.
Painter hit a 180 on his way to the next leg, and stepped in after a missed double 16 for a 152 finish and victory from Osborne to pull back to 9-7.
A missed bullseye for a 170 checkout and two off-target efforts at double eight saw Osborne waste further match darts, but three misses from Painter gave him another chance, which he took on double four.
"It feels great," said Osborne. "I've done a lot of hard work and it's coming to fruition.
"Kevin missed a few doubles and I had to try and jump on that, which I did. It was nervy trying to get over the finishing line and I did that eventually!"
Painter admitted: "I saved my worst performance for the semi-finals, although neither of us played our best darts.
"My finishing was what got me to the semi-finals and then I played Colin and couldn't hit a double. I threw away five legs and that could have won me the match."
Match Stats
PHIL TAYLOR 10-6 RONNIE BAXTER
PHIL TAYLOR survived a huge scare from Ronnie Baxter before sealing his place in the Blue Square UK Open final with a 10-6 win.
Taylor looked set to follow up his quarter-final whitewash of Mark Lawrence with another heavy victory when he raced into a 6-0 lead.
However, Baxter won six of the next seven legs to cut the gap to one leg - only for Taylor to land a key 161 finish in jumping over the finishing line.
Baxter missed three darts to win the opening leg as Taylor broke throw immediately on double top, and then he extended the lead on double 16 and double ten.
Taylor's accuracy on double top and double 16 saw him push clear to 6-0, hitting two 13-darters and three 14-dart finishes in his run.
Two misses at double 19 from Taylor gave Baxter a chance to get off the mark in the next, which he took on double ten.
Baxter also punished misses from Taylor to win a second leg, and then fired in an 11-darter to halve the deficit.
Double top put Taylor 7-3 up, but a 100 finish gave Baxter a fourth leg and he also won the next two to pull back to 7-6.
Taylor visibly showed the pressure, but took out double 12 to edge away and then piled in a brilliant 161 checkout to lead 9-6.
He almost repeated that finish to win the match, this time wiring the bullseye, before taking out double eight to progress to the decider.
"I'm through but I know I'll have to improve for the final," said Taylor. "Ronnie was fantastic. I'd got him and then he came back and I started panicking, and he played really well, but the 161 was a massive shot.
"Colin has been doing the business all year, he is dedicated, works hard and he deserves to be in the final.
"It's always a tough game against him - I've played him about ten times this year and it's been a battle every time."
Baxter said: "I gave Phil a good head start but came back at him. I had three darts at a double in the first leg and missed too many doubles in the early legs.
"If anyone had said before the tournament that I'd reach the semi-finals, I'd have accepted that. It's great to play well and get through to play Phil, who I love playing against."
Match Stats
Phil Taylor remains on course for a third UK Open title after his win over Ronnie Baxter, while Colin Osborne reached his first major final with victory against Kevin Painter.
Blue Square UK Open
Semi-Finals
Colin Osborne 10-7 Kevin Painter
Phil Taylor 10-6 Ronnie Baxter
COLIN OSBORNE 10-7 KEVIN PAINTER
COLIN OSBORNE won through to his first major PDC final with a 10-7 victory over Kevin Painter at the Blue Square UK Open.
The Derby ace erased the memories of his 2007 semi-final defeat to Vincent van der Voort to see off Painter's brave challenge.
Painter had battled through to his first UK Open semi-final, but he never recovered from allowing Osborne into a 5-1 lead early on.
Painter led after hitting double 19 in the opener, but Osborne took out 104 to level and punished four missed doubles to break and lead 2-1.
Osborne also took the next two and then hit a 177 score and a bullseye finish for a 5-1 cushion.
Painter took advantage of misses from Osborne to win the next two and halve the deficit, but then wasted two chances to take the ninth as double eight put the Derby man 6-3 up.
That was extended to 7-3 on double top before Painter fired in an 11-darter, featuring a 180 and a two-dart 86 finish.
He also began the 12th leg with a maximum, but double top put Osborne into an 8-4 lead and he also moved a leg away from victory at 9-5 after Painter edged a scrappy 13th on double one.
Painter hit a 180 on his way to the next leg, and stepped in after a missed double 16 for a 152 finish and victory from Osborne to pull back to 9-7.
A missed bullseye for a 170 checkout and two off-target efforts at double eight saw Osborne waste further match darts, but three misses from Painter gave him another chance, which he took on double four.
"It feels great," said Osborne. "I've done a lot of hard work and it's coming to fruition.
"Kevin missed a few doubles and I had to try and jump on that, which I did. It was nervy trying to get over the finishing line and I did that eventually!"
Painter admitted: "I saved my worst performance for the semi-finals, although neither of us played our best darts.
"My finishing was what got me to the semi-finals and then I played Colin and couldn't hit a double. I threw away five legs and that could have won me the match."
Match Stats
|
Colin Osborne |
10-7 |
Kevin Painter |
|
21 |
100+ |
29 |
|
14 |
140+ |
11 |
|
1 |
180 |
4 |
|
32.17 |
Ave1 |
31.59 |
|
96.51 |
Ave3 |
94.77 |
|
104 |
High Finish |
90 |
|
4 |
Legs Against Throw |
2 |
PHIL TAYLOR 10-6 RONNIE BAXTER
PHIL TAYLOR survived a huge scare from Ronnie Baxter before sealing his place in the Blue Square UK Open final with a 10-6 win.
Taylor looked set to follow up his quarter-final whitewash of Mark Lawrence with another heavy victory when he raced into a 6-0 lead.
However, Baxter won six of the next seven legs to cut the gap to one leg - only for Taylor to land a key 161 finish in jumping over the finishing line.
Baxter missed three darts to win the opening leg as Taylor broke throw immediately on double top, and then he extended the lead on double 16 and double ten.
Taylor's accuracy on double top and double 16 saw him push clear to 6-0, hitting two 13-darters and three 14-dart finishes in his run.
Two misses at double 19 from Taylor gave Baxter a chance to get off the mark in the next, which he took on double ten.
Baxter also punished misses from Taylor to win a second leg, and then fired in an 11-darter to halve the deficit.
Double top put Taylor 7-3 up, but a 100 finish gave Baxter a fourth leg and he also won the next two to pull back to 7-6.
Taylor visibly showed the pressure, but took out double 12 to edge away and then piled in a brilliant 161 checkout to lead 9-6.
He almost repeated that finish to win the match, this time wiring the bullseye, before taking out double eight to progress to the decider.
"I'm through but I know I'll have to improve for the final," said Taylor. "Ronnie was fantastic. I'd got him and then he came back and I started panicking, and he played really well, but the 161 was a massive shot.
"Colin has been doing the business all year, he is dedicated, works hard and he deserves to be in the final.
"It's always a tough game against him - I've played him about ten times this year and it's been a battle every time."
Baxter said: "I gave Phil a good head start but came back at him. I had three darts at a double in the first leg and missed too many doubles in the early legs.
"If anyone had said before the tournament that I'd reach the semi-finals, I'd have accepted that. It's great to play well and get through to play Phil, who I love playing against."
Match Stats
|
Ronnie Baxter |
6-10 |
Phil Taylor |
|
24 |
100+ |
27 |
|
13 |
140+ |
13 |
|
1 |
180 |
3 |
|
32.70 |
Ave1 |
35.23 |
|
98.10 |
Ave3 |
105.70 |
|
100 |
High Finish |
161 |
|
2 |
Legs Against Throw |
4 |