Magic Maish's Grand Slam Joy

STEVE MAISH won a place in the PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts with a 5-3 victory over Arron Monk in the ITV Wildcard Qualifier on Friday night.

Maish completes the 32-player field for the £400,000 Grand Slam of Darts event, which takes place from November 14-22 at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall.

Southend's Maish, 45, hit four 180s in the final as he held his nerve to book a spot in front of the ITV Sport cameras.

Teenager Monk, the 19-year-old son of experienced professional Colin, took the final's opening leg before Maish won the next two to lead.

Monk - in his best run since coming onto the pro circuit a year ago - levelled, but Maish hit a 180 in breaking throw for a 3-2 lead and another maximum to create a two-leg cushion.

Monk took the seventh leg, but Maish earned the victory by hitting double 18 with his third dart in the next.

"I'm absolutely delighted," said Maish. "I played well all night and took my chances.

"To come through nearly 190 players and win a place in the Grand Slam is a very proud moment and I can't wait to get on stage in Wolverhampton."

Maish will now compete in Group C of the PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts, which begins next Saturday in Wolverhampton, alongside Mervyn King, Darryl Fitton and Kirk Shepherd, taking on Fitton in his opening game.

Wolverhampton's Wayne Jones narrowly missed out on a spot in front of his home fans, losing 4-3 to Monk in the semi-finals.

Jones had shown great form in whitewash wins over Jan van der Rassel and Mark Jodrill in reaching the last four, and battled back from 3-0 down to level against the youngster before being edged out in a decider.

Ronnie Baxter, the highest ranked player in the PDC Order of Merit not to have already qualified, also missed out in the semis, losing 4-2 to Maish.

Baxter had edged out Jamie Caven 4-3 in the quarters, with the Derby man coming from 3-1 down to earn a deciding leg only to miss one match dart as the Blackpool man progressed.

Cheshire's Mark Jodrill enjoyed a run to the quarter-finals, including wins over Barrie Bates and Dennis Priestley, in his best display in a PDC event.

Alan Tabern, one of three qualifiers from last year's ITV Wildcard Knockout, also reached the last eight, alongside Matt Clark.

Scotland's Mike Veitch and Stoke's Andy Boulton - both players with experience in the Lakeside Championship - were amongst the losing players at the last 16 stage, alongside previous Grand Slam competitors Priestley and Peter Manley.

Wes Newton, who won last year's ITV Wildcard Qualifier, was among a host of top seeds to lose in the first round, while last year's third placed qualifier Colin McGarry was defeated 4-3 by Nick Fullwell in the preliminary round.

PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts
ITV Wildcard Qualifier Draw
Preliminary Round

Jamie Atkins 4-3 Lee Martin
AJ Urmston-Toft 4-1 John Nicol
Nick Fullwell 4-3 Colin McGarry
Billy Meakins 4-2 Paul Burrows
Neil Dickson 4-0 Frazer Gunn
Evander Stevenston 4-0 Martin Payne
Tony Martin 4-3 Paul Gudgeon
Sean White 4-0 Wayne Moulds
Jamie McGougan 4-0 Shane Lennon
Paul Alexander 4-3 Andy Pearson
Danny Pinhorne 4-1 Chris Gibson
Justin Pipe 4-0 Tommy McIntosh
Ian Lever 4-3 Chris Maguire
Andy Relf 4-0 David Ansell
Matt Draper 4-0 Richard Johnson
George Collumb 4-0 Alan MacFayden
John Phillips 4-1 Alan McNiven
Martyn Turner 4-0 Norman Fletcher
Darren Johnson 4-2 Andrew Fletcher
Dean Lawrie 4-2 Jordan Smith
Shayne O'Connor 4-1 Darren Latham
Geoff Wylie 4-3 Geoff Whitworth
Ray Farrell 4-0 Stewart Eyre
Simon Burt 4-1 Chris Allen
Cameron Menzies 4-1 George Dempsey
Steve Grubb 4-3 Alan Tabern Jnr
Peter Johnstone 4-2 Craig Sharples
Daz Mawer 4-2 Par Riihonen
Bryan de Hoog 4-1 Mark Lawrence
Steve Musson 4-2 Stuart Holden
Fraser Dempsey 4-2 Andy Pearce
Don Haughton 4-3 Alan Brown
Mark Jodrill 4-2 Matt Jackson
Carl Minter 4-0 Andy Fulton
Brian Mailey 4-3 Jim Leighton
Alex Tinsley 4-0 Derek Ulke
Rick Lowther 4-3 Matt Padgett
Steve Evans 4-2 Derek Penn
Gary Welding 4-0 Neil Morton
Joe Cullen 4-3 Chris Loudon
James Barton 4-0 Mark McLernon
Stephen Hardy 4-1 Ian Gleeson
Mark Carter 4-2 Jon Archer
Dylan Duo 4-3 Mickey Stihl
Dave Ahmet 4-0 Graham Moulds
Jason Clark 4-3 Rocco Maes
Trevor Frost 4-1 Tom Martin
Paul Williams 4-3 Gary Stone
Graeme Stoddart 4-3 Darren Weaver
Wayne Atwood 4-3 Andy Callaby
Drew Callary 4-0 Jim Law
Mike Veitch 4-1 James Watson
Ian Swain 4-2 Ralph Hirst
Andy Middleton 4-2 Steven Harbert
John Murdoch 4-3 Mark Stephenson
Fraser McKinnon 4-3 Kevin Phaup
Iain Jones 4-1 Kevin Harris

First Round
Ronnie Baxter (1) 4-1 Tony Ayres
Jamie Atkins 4-2 Lee Holden
Mark Frost (32) 4-2 John Harrison
AJ Urmston-Toft 4-3 Nick Fullwell
Andy Jenkins (16) 4-3 Paul Hughes
Billy Meakins 4-0 Neil Dickson
Alex Roy (17) 4-2 Richie Burnett
Tony Martin 4-1 Evander Stevenston
Jelle Klaasen (8) 4-2 Andrew Downie
Sean White 4-0 Jamie McGougan
Mick McGowan (25) 4-3 Dave Ladley
Danny Pinhorne 4-0 Paul Alexander
Jamie Caven (9) 4-0 James Weldon
Justin Pipe 4-3 Ian Lever
Ian Gunion 4-3 Brendan Dolan (24)
Matt Draper 4-3 Andy Relf
Peter Manley (5) 4-0 Andy Willcox
Michael Barnard 4-1 George Collumb
Colin Monk (28) 4-0 John Dalton
Martyn Turner 4-3 John Phillips
Tony Eccles (12) 4-3 Toon Greebe
Darren Johnson 4-0 Dean Lawrie
Steve Maish (21) 4-0 Colin Finlay
Geoff Wylie 4-3 Shayne O'Connor
Alan Tabern (4) 4-1 Dave Smith
Ray Farrell 4-3 Stuart Bousfield
Steve Hine (29) 4-2 Ian MacFarlane
Simon Burt 4-3 Cameron Menzies
John Quantock 4-3 Michael van Gerwen (13)
Steve Grubb 4-2 Peter Johnstone
Louis Blundell 4-3 Adrian Gray (20)
Bryan de Hoog 4-3 Daz Mawer
Dennis Priestley (2) 4-0 Adam Major
Steve Musson 4-0 Philip MacLeod
Steve Brown (31) 4-2 Gary Swan
Don Haughton 4-1 Fraser Dempsey
Barrie Bates (15) 4-1 Joe Bata
Mark Jodrill 4-0 Carl Minter
Sam Allen 4-3 Paul Nicholson (18)
Alex Tinsley 4-1 Brian Mailey
Wayne Jones (7) 4-1 Dave Honey
Rick Lowther 4-0 Steve Watts
Dennis Smith (26) 4-0 Jamie Whitmore
Steve Evans 4-3 Gary Welding
Andy Smith (10) 4-0 Geoff Harvey
James Barton 4-1 Joe Cullen
Jan van der Rassel (23) 4-1 Chris Jackson
Mark Carter 4-3 Stephen Hardy
Andy Boulton 4-3 Mark Dudbridge (6)
Lionel Sams 4-2 Dylan Duo
John MaGowan (27) 4-0 Dave Atkins
Dave Ahmet 4-3 Jason Clark
Arron Monk 4-3 Wes Newton (11)
Paul Williams 4-1 Trevor Frost
Michael Smith 4-2 Jacko Barry (22)
Wayne Atwood 4-2 Graeme Stoddart
Mark Walsh (3) 4-0 Nigel Birch
Drew Callary 4-1 Steve Gerrard
Peter Wright (30) 4-0 Simon Pugh
Mike Veitch 4-1 Ian Swain
David Brown 4-2 Roland Scholten (14)
John Murdoch 4-1 Andy Middleton
Matt Clark (19) 4-2 Ken Dobson
Iain Jones 4-2 Fraser McKinnon

Second Round
Ronnie Baxter 4-3 Jamie Atkins
AJ Urmston-Toft 4-3 Mark Frost
Andy Jenkins 4-1 Billy Meakins
Tony Martin 4-1 Alex Roy
Sean White 4-3 Jelle Klaasen
Danny Pinhorne 4-1 Mick McGowan
Jamie Caven 4-3 Justin Pipe
Matt Draper 4-0 Ian Gunion
Peter Manley 4-2 Michael Barnard
Colin Monk 4-1 Martyn Turner
Tony Eccles 4-0 Darren Johnson
Steve Maish 4-1 Geoff Wylie
Alan Tabern 4-0 Ray Farrell
Simon Burt 4-3 Steve Hine
Steve Grubb 4-2 John Quantock
Bryan de Hoog 4-3 Louis Blundell
Dennis Priestley 4-2 Steve Musson
Don Haughton 4-3 Steve Brown
Mark Jodrill 4-3 Barrie Bates
Sam Allen 4-2 Alex Tinsley
Wayne Jones 4-3 Rick Lowther
Dennis Smith 4-2 Steve Evans
Andy Smith 4-3 James Barton
Jan van der Rassel 4-2 Mark Carter
Andy Boulton 4-2 Lionel Sams
John MaGowan 4-0 Dave Ahmet
Arron Monk 4-1 Paul Williams
Wayne Atwood 4-1 Michael Smith
Mark Walsh 4-2 Drew Callary
Mike Veitch 4-3 Peter Wright
David Brown 4-2 John Murdoch
Matt Clark 4-2 Iain Jones

Third Round
Ronnie Baxter 4-2 AJ Urmston-Toft
Andy Jenkins 4-1 Tony Martin
Danny Pinhorne 4-2 Sean White
Jamie Caven 4-0 Matt Draper
Peter Manley 4-0 Colin Monk
Steve Maish 4-2 Tony Eccles
Alan Tabern 4-0 Simon Burt
Steve Grubb 4-2 Bryan de Hoog
Dennis Priestley 4-3 Don Haughton
Mark Jodrill 4-1 Sam Allen
Wayne Jones 4-3 Dennis Smith
Jan van der Rassel 4-2 Andy Smith
Andy Boulton 4-1 John MaGowan
Arron Monk 4-3 Wayne Atwood
Mike Veitch 4-2 Mark Walsh
Matt Clark 4-1 David Brown

Fourth Round
Ronnie Baxter 4-3 Andy Jenkins
Jamie Caven 4-0 Danny Pinhorne
Steve Maish 4-2 Peter Manley
Alan Tabern 4-2 Steve Grubb
Mark Jodrill 4-2 Dennis Priestley
Wayne Jones 4-0 Jan van der Rassel
Arron Monk 4-2 Andy Boulton
Matt Clark 4-1 Mike Veitch

Quarter-Finals
Ronnie Baxter 4-3 Jamie Caven
Steve Maish 4-2 Alan Tabern
Wayne Jones 4-0 Mark Jodrill
Arron Monk 4-2 Matt Clark

Semi-Finals
Steve Maish 4-2 Ronnie Baxter
Arron Monk 4-3 Wayne Jones

Final
Steve Maish 5-3 Arron Monk
Winner wins place in PartyPoker.com Grand Slam of Darts