Daily Mirror GSOD Day Seven

PHIL TAYLOR returned to his ruthless best to power into the quarter-finals of the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts, defeating Ronnie Baxter 10-1 at the Wolves Civic.

Taylor had ditched his new-look glasses to see off Wes Newton in progressing through the group stage, and turned on the style in continuing his bid for a fourth straight Grand Slam win.

Taylor will now meet Steve Beaton in Saturday's last eight, after the former Lakeside Champion swept aside Ted Hankey 10-6.

Hankey led 3-0 after a brilliant start but Beaton won six in a row to take command and finished the contest with a 101 average.

Co Stompe also averaged 101 in powering into the last eight, seeing off Colin Lloyd 10-4 with a superb display, as he continued his impressive form in Wolverhampton.

Stompe will take on 2009 runner-up Scott Waites in the last eight, after the Yorkshireman knocked out five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld 10-7.

The Dutchman came from 3-1 down to trail 6-5 at one stage, but Waites hit a crucial bullseye finish in the 12th leg before going on to complete the win.

Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts
Friday November 19
Groups E-H Second Round
Colin Lloyd 4-10 Co Stompe
Ted Hankey 6-10 Steve Beaton
Scott Waites 10-7 Raymond van Barneveld
Ronnie Baxter 1-10 Phil Taylor

CO STOMPE 10-4 COLIN LLOYD
CO STOMPE romped into the quarter-finals of the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts, producing one of his finest televised performances to defeat Colin Lloyd 10-4 in the second round at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall.

The Dutchman had dramatically won his place in the last 16 by coming from 4-1 down to win 5-4 against Martin Phillips in his deciding group game.

That was followed by a scintillating display to see off Lloyd, as he hit eight 180s and a 101 average to power into the quarter-finals.

While Lloyd won the opening leg on double nine, Stompe hit back with a two-dart 100 finish in the second and then break throw with a superb 14-dart leg to lead.

Lloyd hit a second maximum and double top to break back, but had little answer to a brilliant run of five successive legs from Stompe, as a 121 finish kicked him into action.

He hit five 180s in the spell, including two in a 12-dart leg and one in a 13-dart finish in taking a 7-2 lead without Lloyd having a dart at a double to leave the former World Matchplay champion trailing.

Lloyd hit another maximum and double ten to end the run in the tenth, and also won the next by hitting the same bed to cut the gap to 7-4.

However, he missed one dart at double 16 for a 104 checkout in the next, and Stompe stepped in on double ten to win his eighth leg, before hitting two maximums again in an 11-darter to move to the brink of victory.

Lloyd replied with a pair of 180s in the next, but Stompe added his eighth and took out 79 for a 14-dart leg in wrapping up his place in the last eight - appearing tearful as he performed his now-trademark 'Crane' pose to celebrate the triumph.

He revealed afterwards: "It means a lot to win and reach the quarter-finals anyway but I was doubly determined because my son travelled over from Holland to surprise me.

"He'd paid his own airfare and walked four miles from the train station to my hotel, so I really wanted to do well for him.

"I'm playing really well but I know I'd need to improve further if I'm going to win this tournament because the standard is so great now and there are so many brilliant players."

Lloyd said: "I don't think I played that badly but Co was just great. Every time he got a shot he took it and it was a great display, and he fully deserved to win."

Match Stats

Colin Lloyd	4-10	Co Stompe
17	100+	21
9	140+	5
5	180	8
32.18	Ave1	33.81
96.53	Ave3	101.44
2	Legs Against Throw	5
60	High Finish	121,100

STEVE BEATON 10-6 TED HANKEY
STEVE BEATON came from 3-0 down to power to a 10-6 win over Ted Hankey and move into the quarter-finals of the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts with a fine display.

Hankey made a brilliant start in the battle of the former Lakeside Champions, but failed to handle a brilliant run from Beaton, who won six successive legs before going on to complete the win.

Beaton had his chances in the opening two legs, missing one dart to win both before Hankey hit double top and a 91 finish to lead 2-0.

The Shropshire-based star then landed to move 3-0 up before Beaton fired his challenge with a 180 and double eight to take the fourth leg.

He opened the next with a maximum before checking out a 14-dart leg, punishing a miss at double 16 from his opponent, before levelling the game in 13 darts.

Beaton bettered that with a 121 finish for a 12-darter and took out double two to lead 4-2 before hitting six perfect darts in the ninth, although he almost allowed the leg to slip away as Hankey missed double top and ten to hit back.

Hankey did win the next two, taking out finishes of 84, on the bull, and 68 to pull back to 6-5 - only for Beaton to again pull away.

The 2009 European Championship finalist restored his advantage with an 86 finish and landed his sixth maximum in an 11-darter to move 8-5 up.

Hankey landed a 180 of his own - his first of the game - in taking the next, but missed the bullseye as Beaton checked out 74 for a 9-6 lead and another 11-dart finish to complete a fine display.

"I'm delighted to be through," said Beaton. "I felt lucky to get it back to 3-2 at the first break and when I got the lead I had to hang on to it.

"Ted played some great darts in patches but I'm really happy with my performance because I was consistent and I'm very pleased."

Hankey said: "I didn't play as well as I could and Steve played better, and deserved the win. At 3-0 down he suddenly turned up and began playing and to be fair to him he was brilliant."

Match Stats

Ted Hankey	6-10	Steve Beaton
21	100+	16
9	140+	16
1	180	6
30.09	Ave1	33.77
90.26	Ave3	101.31
3	Legs Against Throw	5
91	High Finish	121

SCOTT WAITES 10-7 RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD
SCOTT WAITES' love affair with the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts continued as he reached the quarter-finals for a second successive year after seeing off Raymond van Barneveld 10-7.

The Yorkshireman powered through to the final last year in Wolverhampton and followed up his unbeaten run in the group phase with victory against the five-time World Champion.

Waites now meets Co Stompe in the quarter-finals on Saturday, but conceded he needs to improve if he is to go one better than last year at the Wolves Civic.

"I'm relieved to be through to be honest because I feel that was my worst performance for a while and my doubles let me down at times," said Waites.

"I got to ten legs first, which was the main thing, but Raymond didn't really turn up. I know he's a lot better than that but maybe he was scared of the form I'd shown in the group stage and I was a bit in awe of him because I was playing Barney.

"I held it together and I'll look forward to playing Co now."

Waites made an ideal start, finishing 68 for the first leg and matching a maximum from van Barneveld before breaking on double four in the second.

The Dutch star got off the mark in the third, hitting another 180 and a 96 finish for a 12-dart leg, with Waites then taking out 135 on the bull to lead 3-1 onlu to miss five darts for the next as double five saw van Barneveld cut the gap to one leg again.

Waites, though, edged the sixth leg and hit double top and a 13-dart leg to pull clear at 6-2.

He also missed two darts for the next as van Barneveld hit double nine to break, after the pair had traded 180s, and then held throw for the first time in the game with a brilliant 137 checkout.

He also hit double 12 to win the 11th in taking a third successive leg to cut the gap to 6-5.

Waites, though, won a crucial 12th leg, hitting the bull for a 72 finish as his opponent waited on a checkout to level the contest.

Waites then won the next in 14 darts for an 8-5 lead, and hit a 13-darter to win his ninth leg - which was sandwiched between finishes of double two and double six as the below-par Dutch star battled to stay in the game.

Van Barneveld also left a double in the next, but Waites took his chance to wrap up the win on double top as he moved into the quarters.

Match Stats

Scott Waites	10-7	Raymond van Barneveld
20	100+	23
15	140+	9
2	180	3
30.45	Ave1	29.67
91.35	Ave3	89.02
5	Legs Against Throw	4
135	High Finish	137

PHIL TAYLOR 10-1 RONNIE BAXTER
PHIL TAYLOR returned to his ruthless best to power into the quarter-finals of the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts, defeating Ronnie Baxter 10-1 at the Wolves Civic.

Taylor had ditched his new-look glasses to see off Wes Newton in progressing through the group stage, and turned on the style in continuing his bid for a fourth straight Grand Slam win.

Baxter had a chance to take the game's opening leg, but missed two darts at double ten before Taylor returned to hit double four for the lead.

He immediately broke on double top before hitting a 180 in a 12-darter and a 104 checkout for a 4-0 lead.

Baxter then missed a dart for tops in the fifth as Taylor hit the same bed to extend his lead, and he then took out 75 and 88 in moving seven legs clear.

Baxter missed double 18 for a 116 finish in the eighth, as Taylor hit double eight and then posted another 12-darter to move a leg away from the win.

He could have completed a whitewash in the next, but missed the bull for an 84 checkout as Baxter finished 66 on double 18.

Baxter then hit a 180 in the 11th, but misses at double 18 and double nine allowed Taylor to complete a heavy win on tops.

"I'm really happy with that and I can look ahead to the weekend now," said Taylor. "Ronnie let me in with a few missed doubles early on and after that I had to keep on top of him."

Baxter conceded: "I was all around the doubles but didn't quite hit them and when I gave Phil chances he took them."

Match Stats