Holsten Premier League Darts - Night Three, Nottingham

MATCH REPORTS from the Holsten Premier League Darts at the Nottingham Arena on the third night of the tournament.

The evening was watched by a PDC record crowd of over 3,500 fans inside the Nottingham Arena.

Watch highlights in DartsTV from Friday evening - click here for details.

Holsten Premier League Darts
Nottingham Arena, Night Three
Terry Jenkins 6-8 Phil Taylor
Raymond van Barneveld 7-7 Peter Manley
Adrian Lewis 8-5 Colin Lloyd
Dennis Priestley 8-3 Roland Scholten

PHIL TAYLOR 8-6 TERRY JENKINS

PHIL TAYLOR edged his first win of the 2007 Holsten Premier League Darts as he saw off Terry Jenkins 8-6 after being pushed all the way by his plucky opponent.

Having struggled at the Masters of Darts in Holland during the week, Taylor finally recorded a much-needed victory after two draws in his opening two Premier League matches.

On the back of victory against Roland Scholten the previous week in Wolverhampton, Jenkins arrived in Nottingham full of confidence as the pair opened proceedings in front of a PDC-record crowd of over 3500.

Jenkins held throw with tops in the opener before Taylor missed double 16 for a 111 in the second but then nailed double eight with his second dart next time around.

Jenkins profited from another missed dart from Taylor to hold his throw in leg three but the 13-time World Champion took out 96 to win leg four.

Taylor was averaging an uncharacteristically low 92 at this stage, but that was still seven points higher than his opponent - although Jenkins check-out percentage of 67 percentage was double that of Taylor.

The next leg saw the first break of the match as Taylor punched the air after hitting double 16 with Jenkins struggling to find his range.

Jenkins wasted two chances to break back before Taylor secured a two-leg lead at the interval.

Having started promisingly, Jenkins' finishing was starting to make him sweat with three missed darts at tops in leg seven and then only hitting double ten with his last dart to cut the deficit.

Taylor then reeled off two successive legs and hit the first 180 of the match in leg 10 on his way to securing at least a share of the spoils.

A much needed maximum from Jenkins kept him in contention as he hit tops with his first dart to make it 7-4, and then broke the throw in the next before nailing another 180 in the thirteenth leg, which he finished with a clinical 100 check-out to force a decider.

Taylor hit the wire on double eight for a 121 to win the leg - and the match - and although Jenkins responded with a 177, it was too little too late as Taylor hit double four with his third and final dart to record a first win of the league.

"It's brilliant to get my first win in the league," he said. "Nottingham's fantastic, the crowd are so supportive and there are so many of them!

"Terry came back well and I was under so much pressure but I loved hearing the crowd singing my name.

"It's 20 years of dedication and hard-work to be up here in front of this many people.

"I can settle down and play in the event properly now I have a win under my belt - I'm beginning to up my standard now, all the other players are playing so well and you need to get it spot-on.

"In three or four months time I think I'll be back to my best and maybe even better!"

Match Stats

Terry Jenkins	6-8	Phil Taylor
19	100+	19
9	140+	9
2	180	1
30.78	Ave1	30.96
92.35	Ave3	92.88
100	High Finish	96
1	LWAT	2

LWAT = Legs Won Against Throw

RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD 7-7 PETER MANLEY

MAN of the moment Peter Manley ran World Champion Raymond van Barneveld all the way in a high-octane draw in week three of the 2007 Holsten Premier League Darts.

Manley, who had won all five of his group matches in the Masters of Darts, produced his very best darts to share the points with van Barneveld, who held his nerve to secure a point at a packed Nottingham Arena.

The match was played at an impressive standard throughout with van Barneveld taking out 96 and Manley 84 as they shared the first two legs.

A phenomenal 138 finish from Manley in the third saw him break van Barneveld, but the advantage didn't last as the Dutchman hit two 180s on his way to a 12-dart leg.

Both players were averaging over 100 and went in to the break all-square before Manley began to stretch clear.

He took out 56 to lead 4-3 after van Barneveld missed double eight to see his check-out percentage tumble to a one-in-five ratio and then opened up a two clear leg advantage.

Van Barneveld scrambled the ninth leg with double eight after both players missed chances to win the leg and then took out 91 to level the match at 5-5.

Manley was in no mood to let up, and re-asserted a slim advantage by taking leg 11 and with van Barneveld off course, he hit double 10 to ensure he would at least avoid defeat.

But van Barneveld wasn't easily beaten, and with consummate ease he checked-out 136 to force a deciding leg.

A vital maximum from van Barneveld set him up with six darts for an 85 finish, but he only needed three of them to secure a thrilling draw and maintain his position at the top of the table.

"I've put a few new things in to my game and I beat Ray last week so I was confident," Manley said.

"I've been disappointed with my averages so I've changed how I play - I try to throw a bit slower now.

Van Barneveld added: "It's pleasing to get a draw after being 7-5 down, we missed some crucial darts each but Peter deserved a win.

"This wasn't my night but I've had a tough week and Peter played superbly. There's a lot of pressure being World Champion and I have to work hard because everyone wants my head so I'm just pleased to get a point."

Match Stats

Raymond van Barneveld	7-7	Peter Manley
19	100+	20
11	140+	7
4	180	0
31.72	Ave1	30.15
95.15	Ave3	90.44
136	High Finish	138
3	LWAT	3

ADRIAN LEWIS 8-5 COLIN LLOYD

ANOTHER devastating display from Adrian Lewis gave him his second successive win in the 2007 Holsten Premier League Darts and left beleaguered Colin Lloyd as the only player in the competition still without a point.

Lewis raced out of the blocks, showing no signs of nerves at the Nottingham Arena, and won the first three legs in 13, 14 and 16 darts without missing a double and averaging over 105.

Lloyd responded with a much-needed double ten in leg four, but it was soon 4-1 as Lewis refused to allow his opponent any mercy.

Former world number one Lloyd kept in the game with double top in leg six after Lewis, needing 80, misjudged his throw by attempting double top when left on 60.

A 12-dart leg took the young Stoke-on-Trent star to 5-2 but a well-executed final dart into a covered double eight bed gave Lloyd a glimmer of hope.

But three missed darts when left on 24 cost him dearly as Lewis capitalised by hitting tops.

A maximum put Lloyd in the driving seat in the tenth leg and successive 64 clearances saw him break back to within a leg of Lewis.

But Lewis hit three 180s in the next two legs to see him over the line to victory as he followed up victory over Peter Manley in Wolverhampton with another impressive performance.

"I thought we showed each other too much respect - I can't believe I averaged 98," Lewis smiled.

"When Colin made it 7-5 I thought it would be tough for me to get over the line, and I'm pleased I did.

"Being second at this stage of the league is fantastic and I know I've got it in me to win a major televised tournament either this year or next year."

Match Stats

Adrian Lewis	8-5	Colin Lloyd
9	100+	17
12	140+	6
4	180	1
32.53	Ave1	28.95
97.60	Ave3	86.84
81	High Finish	64 x2
2	LWAT	1

DENNIS PRIESTLEY 8-3 ROLAND SCHOLTEN

DYNAMIC Dennis Priestley stormed to the top of the 2007 Holsten Premier League Darts with an annihilation of Roland Scholten at the Nottingham Arena.

Priestley continued his recent fine form with a ruthless destruction of Scholten, who hardly knew what hit him in front of the record crowd.

A pedestrian opening leg was taken by Priestley after a neat 77 finish and he broke throw in the second before upping the tempo.

A 136 finish followed up a maximum in leg three which Priestley took in 12 darts against a shell-shocked Scholten.

There was no let up in leg four as a bullseye saw him take out 127 to move 4-0 in front and then a more modest finish of ten left the Dutchman in all sorts of trouble.

He pulled his dart at tops for a 116 check-out in the next, but Scholten was way off the mark and missed three darts at the same target to leave Priestley a double ten to go in to the interval a seemingly unassailable six legs in front.

Scholten finally got off the mark with a double seven and then a maximum and 78 finish saw him begin to restore credibility.

With his confidence returning, Scholten took out 81 to cut the deficit further but he was left kicking himself after missing tops to hold his throw in leg ten and Priestley punished him with a 66 finish.

He rounded it off with a 24 to secure a deserved victory and move to the top of the League with a leg difference of plus-eight compared to the plus-five of Raymond van Barneveld.

"It's a great feeling to be top," Priestley beamed. "I tried a bit too hard after the break at six-nil, but I'm happy - it's going well so far.

"I thought I could get a whitewash, but Roland got back in the game a bit although he didn't play as well as he can.

"It's absolutely brilliant to play like that here, and when we're in Sheffield near my home town there will be even more there!"

Match Stats