UK Open - Semi-Finals

REPORTS from the semi-finals of the Rileys Darts Zones UK Open.

Rileys Darts Zones UK Open
Semi-Finals
Tony Ayres 3-10 Gary Anderson
Denis Ovens 5-10 Phil Taylor
Best of 19 legs

Final
Gary Anderson 5-11 Phil Taylor
Best of 21 legs

GARY ANDERSON 10-3 TONY AYRES
GARY ANDERSON marched into the Rileys Darts Zones UK Open final with a 10-3 defeat of Tony Ayres at the Reebok Stadium.

Anderson followed up his quarter-final defeat of Andy Hamilton with another high-quality display in seeing off Ayres, the world number 62 who had battled through to the last four in his best-ever run in a professional event.

The duo shared the opening two legs before the Scot took three in a row to lead 4-1, including a 121 finish for a 12-darter which was bettered by an 11-dart finish.

Double 16 gave Ayres the sixth leg, but Anderson began the next two with 180s, and finishes on double top and double ten gave him a 7-2 cushion.

Ayres, from Billingshurst in Sussex, took out 64 to win the tenth leg and hit a 180 in the next - only to see Anderson take out double top for a 13-dart finish.

The Scot hit a third 180 of the game and finished 76 to move to the brink of victory, and double top in the next saw his place in the final secured.

"It's a tough event but I'm really pleased to be in the final," said Anderson. "I'm feeling confident and it would be great to win this."

Match Stats

Tony Ayres	3-10	Gary Anderson
12	100+	22
6	140+	10
1	180	3
26.60	Ave1	33.16
79.80	Ave3	99.49
64	High Finish	121
0	Legs Against Throw	3

PHIL TAYLOR 10-5 DENIS OVENS
PHIL TAYLOR set up a final against Gary Anderson at the Rileys Darts Zones UK Open with a 10-5 defeat of gritty Denis Ovens at the Reebok Stadium.

Ovens, appearing in his first major semi-final after 25 years as a professional, gave as good as he got against Taylor, taking an early 2-0 lead and trading maximums throughout the contest with the reigning champion.

Taylor ended the game with an average of 113, and hit ten from 12 attempts at a double in a clinical display.

Ovens opened the final with a 180 and broke Taylor's throw with a 14-darter before taking out a bullseye finish of 90 to move 2-0 up.

He was also sat on 81 after nine darts in the third leg, but Taylor followed up a 180 with a bull checkout of his own to get off the mark.

Ovens finished double five and 64 to take two of the next three, with an 11-darter from Taylor sandwiched between them as the Hertfordshire man led 4-2.

Taylor, though, raised his game to superbly reel off five successive legs in taking command of the match - putting together a run of 14, 12, 11, 13 and 14-dart finishes which included a 124 finish, two 180s and a 177 score.

Ovens checked out 71 to win a fifth leg and kicked off the next with a maximum, only for Taylor to fire in another 11-darter - his third of the game - to lead 8-5.

Further 180s from Ovens were not enough in the next two legs as Taylor produced legs of 14 and 12 darts to move into the final.

"I haven't seen Denis play that well on TV and I'm pleased for him," said Taylor. "He countered everything I did so I had to hit that big average to win that."

Match Stats