BARNEY KO'S LEWIS IN CORAL UK OPEN AS ANDERSON & JENKINS CRASH OUT
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD knocked reigning Coral UK Open champion Adrian Lewis out of this year's tournament with a fine third round victory on Friday night, as World Champion Gary Anderson let his chance to progress to the last 32 slip away in Minehead.
Lewis had claimed the fourth major individual title of his career when he swept aside Terry Jenkins 11-1 in last year's final at the Butlins Minehead Resort, but saw his hopes of retaining the title dashed by the Dutchman.
Although Lewis hit back from 2-0 down to level at two-all - aided by three 180s and a 106 finish in a two-leg burst - van Barneveld took the next six legs to move to the brink of victory with some superb darts.
A ten-dart finish from Lewis kept alive his hopes, but two misses at double top allowed van Barneveld in to complete a 14-darter to seal the win - boosting the two-time champion's confidence following his Premier League defeat to Kim Huybrechts 24 hours earlier.
"I'm extremely happy with this win," said van Barneveld. "I remembered that Adrian beat me 9-2 here last year and I was really focused this time."
Van Barneveld has now been drawn against Peter Wright, who hit a brilliant ten 180s in his 9-5 win over Steve Beaton in their third round contest.
World Champion Anderson missed a total of 13 match darts across four legs as he allowed Mervyn King to come from 8-4 down to edge a 9-8 victory in their clash.
2014 UK Open runner-up Jenkins also exited the event in the third round as he lost out 9-3 to Jamie Caven, who now takes on Devon Petersen after the South African defeated Matt Clark, Mark Cox and Mark Barilli on Friday.
Five-time Premier League champion Phil Taylor swept aside Rileys qualifier John Ferrell 9-2 with a 103 average before drawing Shropshire youngster David Pallett, who had seen off Colin Fowler 9-4.
World number one Michael van Gerwen defied the pain of a pulled muscle in his throwing arm to defeat Paul Nicholson 9-3, setting him up for a last 32 clash with Rileys Amateur Qualifier Paul Hogan.
"I think that I pulled a muscle in my arm in the sixth or seventh leg and I need to get it looked at before tomorrow," said the Dutch star.
"It's really strange and I was quite surprised, but it could be a long weekend and you can't afford anything to possibly cost you the title."
Hampshire's Hogan followed up his three wins in Friday's afternoon session with a 9-5 defeat of Dutch youngster Benito van de Pas as he reached the fourth round in Minehead for a second successive year.
Hogan is the last remaining amateur qualifier following Ferrell's loss to Taylor and Jason Mold's 9-0 whitewash against Wes Newton, who now plays another former UK Open runner-up in Vincent van der Voort, the Dutchman who defeated Lee Evans 9-4.
Kevin Painter also suffered a 9-0 whitewash as he went down to Andrew Gilding, who now meets Dutch ace Jelle Klaasen after the former Lakeside Champion overcame Brendan Dolan 9-4.
Stephen Bunting edged out Michael Smith 9-8 in a dramatic deciding leg of their clash, with the former World Youth Champion missing two match darts to allow the Premier League ace to follow a 177 by landing tops for the win.
Bunting now faces another fellow St Helens ace, Dave Chisnall, after the in-form Premier League leader defeated youngster Ryan Harrington 9-6.
Two-time UK Open champion James Wade enjoyed a 9-3 win over Joe Murnan as he progressed to play emering ace Nathan Aspinall, who defeated Chris Dobey and James Richardson on Friday,
Norfolk's Nathan Derry claimed an impressive 9-2 win over World Youth Champion Keegan Brown as he moved through to a local derby against King on Saturday.
2012 UK Open champion Robert Thornton knocked out Australian ace Simon Whitlock 9-5, and the Scot will now take on UK Open debutant Eddie Dootson, with the St Helens newcomer defeating Joe Cullen 9-6.
Australian ace Kyle Anderson won his third game of the day with a 9-6 defeat of Alan Norris, and he now plays debutant James Wilson after the Yorkshireman saw off Ricky Evans 9-4.
Kent youngster Josh Payne was a 9-6 winner against former semi-finalist as he set up a fourth round meeting with Austrian Mensur Suljovic, who swept aside Dutchman Joey Ten Berge by dropping only one leg.
Ronnie Baxter's 9-2 defeat of Brian Woods earned him a last 32 clash with Jan Dekker, whose 9-5 win over Justin Pipe sees him complete a quartet of Dutchman in the fourth round.
Christian Kist almost became a sixth Dutchman to progress as he came from 6-0 down to force a deciding leg against Ian White only for the Stoke ace to prevail.
White now meets William O'Connor in the fourth round, with the Irish player overcoming Wales' Mark Webster 9-5.
2013 UK Open finalist Andy Hamilton was a narrow 9-8 winner against Aaron Turner, and he now plays Kim Huybrechts after the Belgian hit a 170 finish against Max Hopp before coming from 7-5 down against the German teenager to win 9-7.
Scotland's John Henderson was a 9-7 winner against left-hander Steve Douglas as he moves through to meet Northern Ireland's Daryl Gurney, who dropped only one leg as he knocked out Newcastle's Kevin McDine.
Following Friday's opening day, 16-time World Champion Phil Taylor is the 15/8 favourite with sponsors Coral to claim the title on Sunday, with world number one van Gerwen 11/4 and in-form Chisnall 10/1 to take his maiden major triumph.
Wade is 12/1 to pick up his third UK Open title, with van Barneveld 18/1 to complete a UK Open treble, Huybrechts and Thornton both rated 22/1, Bunting a 25/1 chance and Wright 28/1.
Saturday afternoon's fourth round in the £300,000 tournament is followed in the evening session by the fifth round as the last 16 bid to win places in Sunday's decisive Finals Day.
Live coverage of the Coral UK Open will be broadcast in the following territories:
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OSN - Middle East & North Africa]
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Coral UK Open
Friday March 6
Evening Session
Third Round
Raymond van Barneveld 9-3 Adrian Lewis
Phil Taylor 9-2 John Ferrell
Mervyn King 9-8 Gary Anderson
Michael van Gerwen 9-3 Paul Nicholson
Kim Huybrechts 9-7 Max Hopp
Peter Wright 9-5 Steve Beaton
Robert Thornton 9-5 Simon Whitlock
Stephen Bunting 9-8 Michael Smith
Paul Hogan 9-5 Benito van de Pas
David Pallett 9-4 Colin Fowler
Vincent van der Voort 9-4 Lee Evans
Jelle Klaasen 9-4 Brendan Dolan
John Henderson 9-7 Steve Douglas
Nathan Aspinall 9-4 James Richardson
Nathan Derry 9-2 Keegan Brown
James Wade 9-3 Joe Murnan
Mensur Suljovic 9-1 Joey Ten Berge
James Wilson 9-4 Ricky Evans
Josh Payne 9-6 Andy Jenkins
Kyle Anderson 9-6 Alan Norris
Andrew Gilding 9-0 Kevin Painter
Ronnie Baxter 9-2 Brian Woods
Andy Hamilton 9-8 Aaron Turner
Jamie Caven 9-3 Terry Jenkins
Eddie Dootson 9-6 Joe Cullen
Jan Dekker 9-5 Justin Pipe
William O'Connor 9-5 Mark Webster
Ian White 9-8 Christian Kist
Devon Petersen 9-8 Mark Barilli
Wes Newton 9-0 Jason Mold
Dave Chisnall 9-6 Ryan Harrington
Daryl Gurney 9-1 Kevin McDine
All third round games are the best of 17 legs
Fourth Round
Main Stage
Phil Taylor v David Pallett
Paul Hogan v Michael van Gerwen
Raymond van Barneveld v Peter Wright
Stephen Bunting v Dave Chisnall
Nathan Aspinall v James Wade
Board Two
Robert Thornton v Eddie Dootson
Kim Huybrechts v Andy Hamilton
Vincent van der Voort v Wes Newton
Devon Petersen v Jamie Caven
Board Three
Kyle Anderson v James Wilson
Mensur Suljovic v Josh Payne
Ronnie Baxter v Jan Dekker
Ian White v William O'Connor
Board Four
Daryl Gurney v John Henderson
Jelle Klaasen v Andrew Gilding
Mervyn King v Nathan Derry
All Fourth Round games are the best of 17 legs
Coral UK Open
Outright Odds
15/8 Phil Taylor
11/4 Michael van Gerwen
10/1 Dave Chisnall
12/1 James Wade
18/1 Raymond van Barneveld
22/1 Kim Huybrechts
22/1 Robert Thornton
25/1 Stephen Bunting
28/1 Peter Wright
33/1 Vincent van der Voort
33/1 Mervyn King
40/1 Jelle Klaasen
50/1 an White
50/1 Jamie Caven
50/1 James Wilson
66/1 Mensur Suljovic
66/1 Andrew Gilding
80/1 Wes Newton
100/1 Andy Hamilton
100/1 Kyle Anderson
125/1 Daryl Gurney
125/1 Jan Dekker
150/1 Devon Petersen
150/1 Ronnie Baxter
150/1 William O'Connor
200/1 John Henderson
250/1 Paul Hogan
250/1 Eddie Dootson
250/1 Josh Payne
400/1 Dave Pallett
400/1 Nathan Aspinal
400/1 Nathan Derry
Fourth Round Match Odds
6/4 Devon Petersen v Jamie Caven 8/15
1/4 Robert Thornton v Eddie Dootson 3/1
8/11 Raymond van Barneveld v Peter Wright 11/10
6/5 Kyle Anderson v James Wilson 4/6
1/3 Mensur Suljovic v Josh Payne 9/4
EVS Ronnie Baxter v Jan Dekker 4/5
2/5 Ian White v William O'Connor 15/8
8/13 Vincent van der Voort v Wes Newton 5/4
1/16 Phil Taylor v Dave Pallett 8/1
5/1 Nathan Aspinall v James Wade 1/8
5/4 Stephen Bunting v Dave Chisnall 8/13
1/4 Mervyn King v Nathan Derry 3/1
6/1 Paul Hogan v Michael van Gerwen 1/10
4/6 Jelle Klaasen v Andrew Gilding 6/5
4/11 Kim Huybrechts v Andy Hamilton 21/10
4/6 Daryl Gurney v John Henderson 6/5
Odds courtesy www.coral.co.uk and subject to fluctuation.