Players Championship Finals Second Round

PHIL TAYLOR ruthlessly powered past James Wade to book his place in Sunday's final stages of the Players Championship Finals, but number one seed Simon Whitlock crashed out of the internet-streamed tournament at the Doncaster Dome.

Taylor followed up Friday's defeat of Steve Brown with another powerful display, taking an lead of 4-0 before sealing the world number three's fate.

Taylor will now face in-form Wes Newton in the quarter-finals, in the first of three games he would need to win on Sunday if he is to take the £60,000 title and only his second tournament win since August.

Newton edged a 15-leg thriller with left-hander Mark Webster to book his place in a second successive major quarter-final, recovering from missing seven match darts to finally take victory.

Mervyn King, meanwhile, came from 5-2 down for the second successive match in sealing his place in the quarters with an 8-5 defeat of Simon Whitlock.

The Australian, who was the number one seed for the event following six Players Championship victories in 2010, hit four 180s in taking a 5-2 lead.

King, though, won six sucessive legs to follow up Friday's win over Co Stompe with another fightback victory.

He will meet Terry Jenkins in the last eight, with the Ledbury man coming from 6-5 down against Steve Beaton to win the last three legs without reply in progressing.

Sunday afternoon's quarter-finals will also feature World Championship finalist Gary Anderson against Andy Smith and Colin Lloyd against Steve Farmer.

Schedule of Play
Saturday February 5
Second Round
Afternoon Session (1pm-5pm)
Jamie Caven 4-8 Andy Smith
Steve Farmer 8-6 Colin Osborne
Gary Anderson 8-5 Kevin Painter
Colin Lloyd 8-3 Dennis Priestley

Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
Wes Newton 8-7 Mark Webster
Simon Whitlock 5-8 Mervyn King
Terry Jenkins 8-6 Steve Beaton
Phil Taylor 8-3 James Wade
Best of 15 legs

ANDY SMITH 8-4 JAMIE CAVEN
ANDY SMITH'S stong challenge in the Players Championship Finals continued as he defeated Jamie Caven 8-4 to reach the quarter-finals at the Doncaster Dome.

Smith had hit six doubles from as many attempts in his first round win over Ronnie Baxter, and continued his form to see off Derby's Caven.

Smith made a brilliant start to take the opening three legs without reply, twice breaking throw and also punishing misses from Caven with finishes of double ten, double 18 and double eight in the third, which secured a 14-darter.

Caven took out double top to get off the mark with a break of throw in the fourth, as Smith lost his range on the doubles with two misses in that leg and a further one in the next, at double 19 for a 155 finish, as the Derby man pulled back to 3-2 on the bull.

Smith took out 71 for the sixth, before Caven won two of the next three to reduce the gap to 5-4.

However, Smith posted double top to win the tenth leg and punished a missed double top from Caven with a key break of throw.

Smith then landed his first 180 of the game in setting up a 12-dart finish as he checked out 84 for the match, setting up a quarter-final with Gary Anderson.

Match Stats

Jamie Caven	4-8	Andy Smith
14	100+	23
3	140+	9
2	180	1
28.99	Ave1	29.86
86.98	Ave3	89.57
1	Legs Against Throw	3
70	High Finish	84

STEVE FARMER 8-6 COLIN OSBORNE
STEVE FARMER hit back from 4-0 down to defeat Colin Osborne 8-6 and win through to the quarter-finals of the Players Championship Finals at the Doncaster Dome.

Osborne made a superb start, hitting two ton-plus finishes in taking command of the match, but failed to maintain the momentum as Farmer battled back.

The Derby ace took out 63 to win the opening leg, and then finished 150 on double 18 to secure the second.

He also took out double 16 for a 3-0 lead before producing a brilliant 138 checkout to break throw again and take a four-lead lead.

He also hit a 180 in the fifth, but missed two darts to extend his lead as Farmer got off the mark, before finishes of double ten and 62 saw the Telford man pull back to within a leg.

Farmer then posted a 180 and double eight to square the match, before Osborne won his first leg in five on double two, after hitting a maximum earlier in the leg.

He then missed a dart to win the tenth leg as Farmer levelled on double ten, only to then hit double ten for a 6-5 advantage.

Farmer, though, raised his game with a maximum and double 19 to level before punishing three misses from Osborne on tops to lead for the first time at 7-6.

Osborne scrapped to keep the match alive in the next, but Farmer was first to the double and posted double 12 to reach his first major PDC quarter-final.

Match Stats

Steve Farmer	8-6	Colin Osborne
16	100+	14
9	140+	11
4	180	2
31.02	Ave1	29.68
93.06	Ave3	89.03
3	Legs Against Throw	2
98	High Finish	150,138

GARY ANDERSON 8-5 KEVIN PAINTER
GARY ANDERSON produced a second successive ton-plus average in seeing off Kevin Painter 8-6 to reach the quarter-finals of the Players Championship Finals on Saturday afternoon.

The recent Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship runner-up showed flashes of the brilliant form he produced at Alexandra Palace last month in progressing to a last eight clash with Andy Smith.

The Scot hit a 180 in the opening leg, which he took in 13 darts, and also posted a maximum in the second, only to miss four darts at double top as Painter levelled.

Painter, though, saw a dart at tops miss in the third before Anderson took out 142 to edge in front, and he then produced an 11-darter to move 3-1 up.

Painter set up double 18 with a 171 as he won the fifth, after Anderson missed the bull for a 170, only to fail to pressurise the Scot in the next as Anderson recovered from five missed doubles to post double two for a 4-2 lead.

Anderson also left a double in the next, hitting a 177 to leave 24, only for Painter to take out double 16 to win the leg - before the world number four produced a killer blow in return in the eighth.

Painter had hit scores of 140 and 180, but missed the bull to level and Anderson took out 122 - hitting the bullseye - for a 5-3 advantage.

The pair then traded 14-dart legs, and Painter punished four misses from Anderson to win the 11th and stay in touch at 6-5, but another missed bullseye to level allowed his opponent to take control.

Anderson swooped with double top to lead 7-5 before then closing out victory on double 16 for a 64 finish

Match Stats

Gary Anderson	8-5	Kevin Painter
23	100+	18
11	140+	9
2	180	4
33.43	Ave1	32.44
100.29	Ave3	97.32
3	Legs Against Throw	1
142,122	High Finish	43

COLIN LLOYD 8-3 DENNIS PRIESTLEY
COLIN LLOYD won through to the quarter-finals of the Players Championship Finals for a third successive year, defeating Dennis Priestley 8-3 at the Doncaster Dome.

Lloyd followed up Thursday's win over Jelle Klaasen with a strong performance against Priestley, holding off a fightback from the veteran before winning four legs without reply to seal the win.

While Lloyd had opened the game by hitting double top to take the first leg, Priestley checked out 150 in style to win the second.

Lloyd bettered that with a 155 finish in the third, before hitting a 180 and a bullseye finish to break in the fourth.

He then landed double eight to move 4-1 up before Priestley, courtesy of two double top finishes, pulled back to within a leg.

Lloyd, though, hit three ton-plus scores to open up a crucial eighth leg, before recovering from three missed doubles to post double one for a break of throw and a 5-3 lead.

He then hit legs of 13 and 14 darts to move to the brink of victory, and sealed the win on double eight as he set up a quarter-final with Steve Farmer on Sunday.

Match Stats

Colin Lloyd	8-3	Dennis Priestley
15	100+	17
10	140+	7
1	180	0
31.85	Ave1	28.80
95.56	Ave3	86.40
3	Legs Against Throw	1
155	High Finish	150

WES NEWTON 8-7 MARK WEBSTER
WES NEWTON won through to his second successive major quarter-final, edging out Mark Webster 8-7 in their last 16 clash at the Players Championship Finals.

Newton, who also reached the last eight at the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship a month ago, will now take on Phil Taylor on Sunday for a place in the semis as he chases his maiden major title.

He produced some moments of magic in an entertaining contest with Webster, who played his part but paid for one missed match dart after hitting back to force a deciding leg.

After Newton hit a 180 in taking the game's opening leg, Webster replied with a 14-dart finish and then made Newton pay for a missed double 12 by finishing on double top to break for a 2-1 advantage.

Newton checked out 104 to break back, and then landed another maximum and double ten in a 14-darter to move 3-2 up.

The pair also traded 14-darters as the next four legs went with the thrown, and double top from Webster saw him level in the tenth at five-all.

Webster then raised hopes of breaking with his second maximum of the game in leg 11, but Newton took out double top for a 13-dart finish as he edged back in front.

Newton then missed a dart at tops to break in the next as Webster hit the best to level, before the Fleetwood ace hit seven treble 20s in the 12th.

While a nine-darter went begging when his dart at treble 19 on a 141 finish landed in treble three, although he returned to finish double ten for a 12-darter in moving a leg away from the win.

However, Newton missed five match darts in the 14th leg as Webster took out 61 to force a decider, but the Welshman followed a 180 with 45 in the final leg as his opponent took control.

Newton missed two more darts for the win as Webster returned on 115 - only to miss double top and allow Newton back to hit double five with his third dart.

"It feels great to win but I almost blew it," said Newton. "When I got to 7-6 I thought about winning and it put me off, but thankfully I got there in the decider."

Match Stats

Wes Newton	8-7	Mark Webster
19	100+	19
11	140+	8
4	180	3
32.27	Ave1	30.30
96.80	Ave3	90.90
1	Legs Against Throw	1
104	High Finish	66

MERVYN KING 8-5 SIMON WHITLOCK
MERVYN KING proved that lightning can strike twice, as he came from 5-2 down to win a second successive game in the Players Championship Finals by defeating Simon Whitlock 8-5.

King had fought back from the brink of defeat to take a 6-5 first round victory over Co Stompe, and took the final six legs without reply to move into the quarter-finals in Doncaster.

Whitlock played his part in a high-quality opening period, hitting four 180s on his way to a 5-2 lead, but lost his range as King - who won a Players Championship in Germany last Sunday - grasped the mettle.

Whitlock opened the game with a maximum and added a second in the first leg, which he took in 14 darts, before the pair traded 180s in the next, which King won on tops.

Whitlock finished double ten for the third leg, with King punishing misses at double 18 and double nine to follow another 180 with double eight.

The Australian took out 64 in two darts to win the fifth, and matched a King maximum before breaking with an 81 finish in the sixth for a 4-2 lead.

Double two moved him into a three-leg advantage at the break, but King returned in top gear.

He finished double four for the eighth leg, and after Whitlock missed double 16 in the next King took out 71 in two darts to break and pull back to within a leg.

King then hit 180s and finishes of 83 and 76 to take the next two legs, as he hit the front for the first time in the game at 6-5.

Double eight then moved King to the brink of victory, and he completed a remarkable comeback in the next when Whitlock saw two chances to stay in the game go begging.

Match Stats

Simon Whitlock	5-8	Mervyn King
17	100+	14
8	140+	10
4	180	5
32.26	Ave1	32.46
96.78	Ave3	97.38
1	Legs Against Throw	3
81	High Finish	83

TERRY JENKNS 8-6 STEVE BEATON
TERRY JENKINS won the final three legs without reply to come from 6-5 down and claim an 8-6 victory over Steve Beaton in progressing to the last eight of the Players Championship Finals.

Beaton looked set to follow up his first round win over Adrian Lewis by knocking out another of the world's top eight when he held the edge over Jenkins going into the latter stages.

But he crucially missed two darts to take the 13th leg as Jenkins took out double ten to lead for the first time since the opening leg, before the Ledbury ace went on to seal victory.

Beaton began the game with a 180, but missed doubles allowed Jenkins to take out 120 an break throw for the opening leg.

Beaton broke throw on tops to level before edging the third, but missed three darts for a 3-1 lead as Jenkins hit back to level on double one.

Beaton opened a second successive leg with a 180 in the fifth, and took out 102 on double 16 - a finish he repeated two legs later in moving 4-3 up.

Jenkins held throw to keep pace as the duo progressed to being locked at five-all, with double top edging Beaton 6-5 up.

Beaton also landed a maximum in the 12th, but a 120 finish from Jenkins saw him level.

Jenkins then opened the 13th with scores of 180 and 140, and stepped in after two missed double 16s from Beaton to hit double ten and move 7-6 up, a leg which proved crucial as he then won the next to secure the win.

Match Stats

Terry Jenkins	8-6	Steve Beaton
15	100+	15
17	140+	7
1	180	5
29.73	Ave1	29.21
89.19	Ave3	87.64
2	Legs Against Throw	1
120 x2	High Finish	102 x2

PHIL TAYLOR 8-3 JAMES WADE
PHIL TAYLOR ruthlessly powered past James Wade to book his place in Sunday's final stages of the Players Championship Finals at the Doncaster Dome with an 8-6 win.

Taylor followed up Friday's defeat of Steve Brown with another powerful display, taking leads of 4-0 and 7-2 before sealing the world number three's fate.

The 15-time World Champion picked up an immediate break of throw in the first leg on double 16, and a brace of double top finishes put him 3-0 up before the pair traded maximum scores in leg four.

Wade was first to a double, but wasted six opportunities to get off the mark as Taylor once again hit double top to move four legs clear.

Taylor landed a 177 in the fifth leg, but Wade put his previous double trouble behind him with a fine 107 checkout as he got onto the scoreboard.

Double five put Taylor 5-1 up, but he then missed double 16 in the next as Wade posted double nine to claim his second leg of the contest.

Taylor produced legs of 15 and 14 darts to move 7-2 up and move to the brink of victory, but missed the bull for a 92 checkout before Wade landed double ten to stay in the contest.

Taylor, though, wrapped up victory in style by hitting a second 180 of the game in a 12-darter to set up a quarter-final clash with Wes Newton.

Match Stats