Taylor Edges Out Anderson

PHIL TAYLOR sensationally edged out Gary Anderson 13-11 to win through to the final of the PartyBets.com Grand Slam of Darts.

The battle between the second and third seeds produced a scintillating contest in front of a packed house at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall.

The lead changed hands three times, but a break of throw from Taylor in the 15th leg, where he went 8-7 up, proved crucial in the final outcome.

Anderson started excellently, with an 11-darter and a 120 finish helping him into a 3-2 lead, despite a 113 checkout from Taylor in leg two.

Taylor won three legs in a row to move 5-3 up, only for Anderson to reply in kind to lead 6-5, including a crowd-pleasing 134 finish - hitting treble 18 and two double tops - and a sixth maximum of the game.

Taylor took the next to level after Anderson missed the bullseye to steal the leg, only for Anderson to take out a 13-darter for a 7-6 lead.

Taylor won the next three, including scores of 180 and 177 and a key break of throw in leg 15, to lead 9-7 and push clear for the first time in the game.

It would prove a pivotal moment, with Anderson striving to break back but paying for three misses in the 20th leg as Taylor moved 11-9 up.

Legs of 13 and 15 darts, including a 120 Shanghai finish, kept him in contention, but Taylor refused to let his advantage slip - with a double top finish seeing him move 12-10 up and within one leg of victory.

Anderson took the next at ease on his own darts - but Taylor kicked off the next leg with scores of 99 and two 140s to take command, and landed double 16 to seal his final place.

"It was difficult," said Taylor. "Gary is a massive scorer and he was banging in big shots all the time but I kept plodding on and used all my experience.

"When I went 11-9 up I started to relax because I had the darts. All I was concentrating on was my next leg with the darts.

"Gary's a very, very good player and he has been exceptional this week."

Match Stats