stanjames.com World Matchplay Day Five

REPORTS from Thursday's second round games at the stanjames.com World Matchplay.

The second round is concluded with six games across two sessions at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.

stanjames.com World Matchplay
Thursday July 23
Afternoon Session (1pm start)
Mervyn King 13-8 Steve Beaton
Vincent van der Voort 13-6 Wayne Mardle
Terry Jenkins 14-12 Denis Ovens

Evening Session (7pm start)
Ronnie Baxter 16-14 Alan Tabern
Raymond van Barneveld 13-11 Mark Walsh
James Wade 13-7 Gary Anderson

Click here for a second round photo gallery

Watch live on Sky Sports or listen to live audio commentary in PDCtv

MERVYN KING 13-8 STEVE BEATON

MERVYN KING moved into the quarter-finals of the stanjames.com World Matchplay with an impressive 13-8 win over Steve Beaton.

King ensured his place in Friday's last eight with a classy performance, averaging over 100 for much of the contest.

A superb start did much of the damage, with King - who had struggled with the pain of an abscess in his tooth in a first round win over Mark Dudbridge - leading 5-1 and 9-3 before holding off Beaton to claim the win.

The game's first two legs were shared before King powered in an 11-darter and a 111 checkout to secure the first break of throw.

Double 12 moved him 4-1 up before a missed double 16 from Beaton allowed King to secure another break.

King landed a third maximum of the game in leg seven, but double four from Beaton saw him break back.

The pair traded maximums in the next, with Beaton hitting 140, 180 and 170 to lead 11 after nine darts only to then miss five darts at a double to allow King to hit double eight for a 6-2 lead.

King lifted his average above 106 in the next, with a 171 score setting up double 18, while Beaton hit the same bed in leg ten.

Double eight put King 8-3 up, and a 177 score left double 12 as he extended the gap to six legs.

Beaton took the next two, and hit back after a King double top to win leg 16 with a 110 checkout in pulling back to 10-6.

King replied with a 110 checkout of his own to win an 11th leg, before the pair traded double eight finishes.

Double top, though, edged King to the brink of victory before a clinical 72 finish on double 12 ensured his semi-final place.

"I felt comfortable and felt good - a lot better than Sunday," said King. "The tooth is fine now and I've finished the course of antibiotics so hopefully I will get through the rest of the tournament with no problems.

"There is a bit more to come from my game too. I was probably about 80 percent, but you never really know what you're capable of doing except to look at what you've done previously.

"I can beat anybody when I'm on song but I'm not the most consistent player in the world. I'm too up and down but if I'm on top of my game my opponent has problems."

Match Stats

Mervyn King	13-8	Steve Beaton
33	100+	26
13	140+	12
5	180	2
32.30	Ave1	30.77
96.90	Ave3	92.30
111,110	High Finish	110
4	Legs Against Throw	2

VINCENT VAN DER VOORT 13-6 WAYNE MARDLE

VINCENT VAN DER VOORT reached the quarter-finals of the stanjames.com World Matchplay for the first time with a 13-6 win over Wayne Mardle.

The Dutchman produced one of his most clinical displays on the big stage to set up a tasty last eight fixture with Mervyn King on Friday.

He led 4-0 before Mardle hit back, but crucially found an extra gear to hit four 180s in five legs to pull clear for victory.

Van der Voort took the opening leg on double ten, and then secured an immediate break of throw on tops in the second.

Mardle landed a timely 174 score to leave 134 in the third, but a missed double top was punished by van der Voort on double 16, and he repeated the trick in the next to lead 4-0.

A 101 checkout got Mardle off the mark, and he took the next on double 16 before hitting two maximums in a 13-darter in pulling back to 4-3.

Van der Voort broke Mardle's throw on double 12 to regain breathing space, and double five put him 6-3 up before two missed doubles allowed the 2003 runner-up to hit double eight and hit back.

Van der Voort, though, returned from the break to produce a superb spell, taking five successive legs to leave Mardle trailing at 11-4.

He hit 180s to leave a finish in the first three, landed double eight in the fourth and hit another maximum on his way to the fifth,

He also missed two darts to extend the winning run, with double 18 giving Mardle a fifth leg.

Van der Voort posted another maximum on his way to a 12-5 lead, and the pair traded 180s before double top gave Mardle hope of a comeback.

But any chances of a fightback were ended by a sensational 121 checkout as he moved into the quarter-finals.

"I feel very comfortable on stage and am delighted to win again," said van der Voort.

"I didn't score well at the start of the game but Wayne gave me more chances than I expected, and I took them.

"My scoring power is high and it came through in the second half of the game. I've not shown an extra gear in matches to win games, so this is a major step forward for me."

Match Stats

Vincent van der Voort	13-6	Wayne Mardle
23	100+	21
16	140+	11
6	180	3
30.78	Ave1	27.76
92.34	Ave3	83.28
121	High Finish	101
5	Legs Against Throw	2

TERRY JENKINS 14-12 DENIS OVENS

TERRY JENKINS held off battling Denis Ovens to edge into the quarter-finals of the stanjames.com World Matchplay with a 14-12 victory.

The 2007 World Matchplay runner-up seemed on course to coast into the last eight when he led 5-1 and 10-5, only for Ovens to produce a superb comeback to level and send the game into a tie break.

However, Jenkins made the decisive move with 180s in successive legs to earn the required two-leg lead for victory.

After sharing the opening two legs, which went against the throw, Jenkins took the third on double top, took out double 18 for a 3-1 cushion and secured another break after four missed doubles from Ovens.

Double top put Jenkins into a 5-1 advantage, before Ovens won the next two to halve the deficit.

But he was left waiting on a finish in the next two as Jenkins restored a four-leg cushion before taking out a two-dart 70 finish to pull back to 7-4.

Jenkins posted a 180 in taking the 12th leg, but another maximum was bettered by Ovens in the next as he landed a 13-darter.

He missed doubles in leg 14 as double five helped Jenkins capitalise, and double four earned him a 10-5 cushion.

But misses in the next gave Ovens a chance to kick-start his comeback, and he then landed 180s in three successive legs, which the Stevenage man took out in 14, 15 and 15 darts to reduce the arrears to just one leg.

Double top from Jenkins ended the run, but Ovens then landed double 18 to pull back to 11-10 and levelled with a 120 checkout.

The next two were shared as tensions rose, sending the match beyond the scheduled 25-leg distance.

Jenkins landed a maximum in the next and took out double top to regain the lead, and another 180 to open leg 26 helped to set up a 12-darter for victory, which was sealed with a 76 finish.

"I'm happy to get the win because people don't realise how tough a player Denis is to play against," said Jenkins.

"To be honest, at 10-5 I thought I had the game in the bag but I went to sleep and couldn't hit a treble.

"Denis saw that I was struggling and it gave him a little bit of confidence, and he started hitting the big scores.

"I made it hard work instead of turning a 10-5 lead into an easy win and it was a struggle.

"But I had two good legs at the end and hit some big scores, so I scraped over the finishing line."

Match Stats

Terry Jenkins	14-12	Denis Ovens
31	100+	39
22	140+	20
6	180	5
30.69	Ave1	30.16
92.06	Ave3	90.48
80	High Finish	120
7	Legs Against Throw	6

RONNIE BAXTER 16-14 ALAN TABERN

RONNIE BAXTER edged Alan Tabern 16-14 in an epic to move into the stanjames.com World Matchplay quarter-finals.

The duo slugged out a 30-leg battle in front of a capacity crowd, with Tabern twice hitting back from behind to lead only to eventually fall in a tie break.

Baxter made a brilliant start to win the first three legs, punishing a string of misses from Tabern in the first, breaking on double ten in the second and hitting a 180 in the third.

Double eight got Tabern off the mark in leg four, and his comeback gained momentum as misses from Baxter in the next two allowed him to level and then go ahead with a 90 checkout.

Baxter hit a 177 on his way to levelling matters, and landed 180s and double top finishes in the next two to lead 6-4.

Another double top finish moved him three legs clear before a superb 108 checkout saw him take a fifth successive leg for an 8-4 cushion.

Tabern once more hit back, with a 107 finish stopping Baxter's run then followed by checkouts of 68 and 83 as he won four legs in a row to level once more.

Baxter set up a two-dart 78 finish with a 180 to lead 9-8, but Tabern took out a 12-darter on 84 to level and 73 to edge in front.

Double 16 moved him 11-9 up, and after Baxter took out 78 to hit back the St Helens man powered home a 157 checkout to move a leg away from the win.

Baxter took out double nine to stay in the game and landed a 177 and double top to square the contest, before the pair shared the next four legs as the game went beyond the scheduled distance to 14-all.

Tabern landed a 180 in the 29th leg, but crucially missed three darts at double 16 to break before double ten edged Baxter 15-14 up.

And the 1998 runner-up then sealed the win with a two-dart 88 finish to edge a marathon contest.

"It was a great game to be involved in and it's even better to come out of it a winner," said Baxter.

"It was all about stamina and I showed that. I missed a few doubles but so did Alan to let me back in.

"His 157 was brilliant and he was always there on my heels."

Baxter was born in Blackpool and enjoys plenty of support from the Winter Gardens crowd on his favourite stage.

"It holds a lot in my heart," he added. "It's my birthplace and I want to do well.

"It sends a shiver up my spine when I'm on that stage and performing well and long may it continue."

Match Stats

Ronnie Baxter	16-14	Alan Tabern
45	100+	44
10	140+	16
8	180	5
30.07	Ave1	28.80
90.20	Ave3	86.41
108	High Finish	157,107
6	Legs Against Throw	5

RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD 13-11 MARK WALSH

RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD continued to battle his darting demons as he progressed to the quarter-finals of the stanjames.com World Matchplay with a narrow 13-11 win over Mark Walsh.

The Dutchman set up a last eight clash with Terry Jenkins on Friday with the victory, but made hard work of the performance.

Van Barneveld led 9-5 but then showed the self-doubt which has plagued his summer in allowing Walsh to battle back and level - only to then regain his composure and seal the win.

Van Barneveld opened the game with a 180 in the first leg, but three misses at double 14 allowed Walsh to lead on double top.

The duo then shared the next three legs before van Barneveld took out 76 on double 18 to take the game's first break of throw.

He then repeated that shot to move 4-2 up, only for Walsh to take out double top and then land two 180s in the eighth to level the contest.

A 104 checkout saw van Barneveld break throw once more, and finishes of double nine and double 14 helped him to move 7-4 up.

The lead was extended to four legs with another 76 checkout after the duo traded 180s, and the next two legs went with the throw to leave the Dutch star 9-5 up.

Double eight saw Walsh begin his fightback, and he then broke van Barneveld's throw with a 13-darter before landing double ten to continue the revival.

A 110 finish from Walsh, following an earlier 180, saw him draw level as the Dutchman began to show signs of fragility.

Missed doubles from Walsh allowed him to stop the run on double top, and a 180 gave him the breathing space to miss two darts at double 16 before landing in the same bed to move 11-9 up.

Walsh landed a 180 and double ten to take the next, but a 32 finish of two double eights saw van Barneveld move a leg away from the win.

The pair traded maximums before Walsh took out 96 to keep his hopes alive, but some poor scoring in the next gave the Dutchman his chance, and he wrapped up victory on double nine.

"Mark's been playing really well on the circuit but on stage it's different and I managed to get ahead of him," said van Barneveld.

"I always make it hard for myself. I couldn't find the trebles all of a sudden and I let him get back to nine-all.

"I am happy with the win but I have to improve for the quarter-finals."

Match Stats

Raymond van Barneveld	13-11	Mark Walsh
30	100+	30
15	140+	14
5	180	7
31.60	Ave1	31.48
94.81	Ave3	94.44
104	High Finish	110
4	Legs Against Throw	3

JAMES WADE 13-7 GARY ANDERSON

JAMES WADE continued his stanjames.com World Matchplay love affair with a superb 13-7 win over Gary Anderson as he progressed to the quarter-finals at Blackpool's Winter Gardens.

The 2007 champion has reached the final in his three previous World Matchplay campaigns, and remains on course for another appearance after a high-quality win over Anderson.

It was his first win over the Scot, whose debut in Blackpool came to a gallant end in an exciting contest.

The pair traded ten maximums, but missed doubles proved costly for Anderson as Wade's clinical accuracy set up a quarter-final with Ronnie Baxter.

Wade won the opening leg with a 100 finish, and defied maximums from Anderson to take the next three, with the Scot missing doubles in two.

Anderson hit a fourth 180 of the game and a 151 finish to get off the mark, but missed double 14 for a second leg as Wade punished him with a double 12 checkout set up by a 177 score.

Wade also landed 138 to leave tops to earn a sixth leg, which was sandwiched between finishes of double 18 and double top as Anderson pulled back to 6-3.

Anderson missed a chance on double six in the next as Wade landed a 62 finish on double ten, and though the Scot took out double 18 for a fourth leg further misses allowed the 2007 winner to pull clear with three successive legs.

Anderson then won two of the next three, defying a Wade maximum in the first, but at 11-6 another missed double top proved crucial.

Wade stepped up to hit the same bed and move a leg away from the win, although he then missed bullseye for victory in the next as Anderson scrambled home double ten.

Anderson also landed a 180 in the next leg, but Wade took out double 18 for a 13-darter which secured the win.

The 26-year-old acknowledged that he expected Anderson to prove stiff test for him, admitting: "This was the game I didn't want to play and I've come through it.

"I was very nervous beforehand because it was being built up as a massive game but I think the greatest battle for both of us was to overcome that and play a game of darts.

"Gary didn't produce his best but I hit enough vital shots to make sure he didn't turn up and did what I do best with some good finishing.

"I'm delighted to win the game but I can play better and I'll take the win and move on to the quarter-finals. I can relax now and enjoy the rest of the competition."

Match Stats