PETER MANLEY 4-3 JASON CLARK
(3-1, 2-3, 0-3, 3-1, 2-3, 3-0, 3-1)
PETER MANLEY came from behind to move into the last 16 of the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship with a 4-3 second round win over Jason Clark.
The number five seed looked set to join the list of big names to exit the tournament early on when he trailed Clark 3-2, paying for a host of missed doubles.
But the Carlisle-based star - nicknamed One Dart - showed his battling qualities to win the final two sets and put himself into round three.
Manley included checkouts of 137 and 156 in the first two sets, but Londoner Clark hit finishes of 120 and 101 to tie up the game at 1-1.
He then moved ahead by winning three successive legs, but Manley struck back to take the fourth set 3-1.
Clark won the fifth without reply before Manley found his rhythm, out-scoring his opponent to take the game into a deciding set and winning with a 99 checkout.
"I started off as 'One Dart' and finished as 'One Dart', but there were a lot of misses in-between," said Manley, who hit 14 of 40 attempts at a double in the game.
"Jason is a quality darts player who has qualified for the second successive year, and he showed why with that display.
"I'm pleased with how I came back and I've never been as relaxed as I have this year.
"I play for fun and am enjoying the game. I've been working hard and anything is possible now. I've been in finals before and this may be my year."
Match Stats
|
Peter Manley |
4-3 |
Jason Clark |
|
39 |
100+ |
34 |
|
17 |
140+ |
18 |
|
1 |
180 |
2 |
|
28.08 |
Ave1 |
28.37 |
|
84.23 |
Ave3 |
85.10 |