THERE was double Dutch delight in Newport on Thursday as Raymond van Barneveld and Roland Scholten kept up the pressure on Phil Taylor at the top of the 2006 Holsten Premier League Darts.
The two men from Holland both defeated world ranked number one Colin Lloyd - 8-4 and 8-5 respectively - who missed his chance to strengthen his standing with the two defeats.
Ronnie Baxter overtook Lloyd in fourth place in the table by virtue of his 7-7 draw with Wayne Mardle, who remains bottom after a third successive tie.
Phil Taylor maintained his seemingly unassailable position ahead of the field with a straightforward 8-3 success over Peter Manley.
Taylor is the first player mathematically through to the Plymouth Pavilions for the semi-finals, and with van Barneveld and Scholten set to join him, the race is on amongst the remaining four players for the final spot.
2006 Holsten Premier League Darts
Night Seven, Newport Centre
Roland Scholten 8-5 Colin Lloyd
Ronnie Baxter 7-7 Wayne Mardle
Peter Manley 3-8 Phil Taylor
Raymond van Barneveld 8-4 Colin Lloyd
|
P |
W |
D |
L |
+/- |
Pts | |
|
Phil Taylor |
8 |
7 |
1 |
0 |
+35 |
15 |
|
Raymond van Barneveld |
7 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
+30 |
13 |
|
Roland Scholten |
8 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
+7 |
10 |
|
Ronnie Baxter |
8 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
-9 |
6 |
|
Colin Lloyd |
8 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
-15 |
5 |
|
Peter Manley |
9 |
2 |
0 |
7 |
-28 |
4 |
|
Wayne Mardle |
8 |
0 |
3 |
5 |
-20 |
3 |
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ROLAND SCHOLTEN 8-5 COLIN LLOYD
ROLAND SCHOLTEN returned to winning ways in the Holsten Premier League Darts with an 8-5 victory over Colin Lloyd.
The Dutchman has drawn his last two matches, against Ronnie Baxter and Wayne Mardle, but showed flashes of his best form against Lloyd.
He landed maximum 180's in each of the opening three legs as he opened up a 3-0 lead, although Lloyd hit two more of his own in taking the next two.
The world number one, though, missed double top to level matters going into the break, with Scholten landing double ten with his last dart to move 4-2 up.
Scholten opened up the next leg with back-to-back 140's as he opened up a three-leg advantage, but Lloyd defied two bounce-outs in the next to pull back to 5-3.
The tit-for-tat continued as Scholten punished missed doubles from his opponent in the next, before Lloyd returned the favour in the tenth.
Scholten secured at least a point by landing double 12 to move 7-4 up, and though Lloyd briefly rallied he could do little as the Dutchman wrapped up two points with double top.
"I'm happy with the win," said Scholten. "Colin didn't perform the way I know he can, he's my best mate and he never got going.
"I knew I had to keep plugging away because he did come back at me, but overall I'm pleased.
"I haven't performed the way I can overall in the Premier League so far, but I'm in the top three and that's where I want to be."
RONNIE BAXTER 7-7 WAYNE MARDLE
WAYNE MARDLE picked up his third successive draw in the Holsten Premier League Darts when he clawed back a point against Ronnie Baxter in Newport.
Mardle's topsy-turvey season continued with another mixed display against the world number three.
Baxter took the opening two legs before Mardle then hit top gear and reeled off four of his own to lead 4-2 at the break.
But Baxter re-emerged with scores of 180 and 177 on his way to taking the seventh leg, and he also won the next two to regain the lead.
Mardle pulled back the tenth leg, but a Shanghai 120 finish put Baxter 6-5 up.
Mardle took out 78 to pull back to six apiece, but a two-dart 66 from Baxter saw him earn a point.
But Mardle out-fought Baxter in the deciding leg to grab a third successive point and keep alive his slim hopes of a play-off spot.
"Every game in the Premier League is so hard," said Mardle. "You can be leading and then suddenly find yourself behind again.
"That was the case tonight, after the break Ronnie punished me and it's up to me to take points from the guys ahead of me now.
"I still feel that I'm not playing well - probably at 30 percent of my ability - but when I get going I'll get the wins."
PETER MANLEY 3-8 PHIL TAYLOR
PHIL TAYLOR continued his unbeaten run in the Holsten Premier League Darts, completing the double over Peter Manley with an 8-3 victory in Newport.
Taylor has now effectively ensured his place in the play-offs thanks to a seventh win in his eight matches so far this year, with only a draw against Raymond van Barneveld slowing his charge towards the title.
A second successive win over Manley in the Premier League - and his third big defeat of the Carlisle-based thrower this year - sets him up for a high-profile meeting with Raymond van Barneveld in Doncaster in a fortnight.
Taylor announced his intentions with his opening three darts, landing the first of eight 180's.
He was 2-0 up before Manley took the chance to hit back when Taylor burst on double five in the third leg.
However, Taylor landed two more maximums and a 177 in the next three legs as he stormed into a 5-1 lead at the break.
Manley took the opening leg after the restart in superb style, checkout out a brilliant 160 finish after Taylor himself missed double 19 for a 155 checkout.
Taylor took the next leg in 13 darts before Manley landed his trademark double top to pull back to 6-3.
Taylor's eight maximum helped him on the way to the next, before he hit double eight for the match.
"I was nervous tonight but I'm very pleased," said Taylor, who averaged over 102 in the game.
"Fair play to Peter for his 160 finish. I missed the 155 and didn't realise what he needed, but I saw the two treble twenty's go in and did superbly to hit double top.
"But I'm still unbeaten and I've got Raymond again in a fortnight.
"After drawing last time I'll be ready for that one, it's a big match for me now and I'll be putting in a lot of practice."
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD 8-4 COLIN LLOYD
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD compounded Colin Lloyd's misery by subjecting the world number one to a second defeat at the Newport Centre on Thursday.
Lloyd lost the opening game of the night to Roland Scholten, and it was a case of Double Dutch for the Essex star when he went down 8-4 to van Barneveld.
The four-time World Champion was close to his best with a classy display to ensure that he goes into his clash with Phil Taylor in Doncaster on 20 April unbeaten.
He hit a 180 with just his second throw of the match, and was three legs up in double-quick time by punishing Lloyd for missed doubles.
Lloyd landed double 16 to pull back the fourth leg, but a cool 110 saw van Barneveld regain his cushion and reach a 103.7 average.
Despite a second maximum of the match for van Barneveld in the sixth leg, Lloyd stepped in to land double 18 after his opponent missed double eight with two darts.
Lloyd, though, missed doubles after the restart to slip 5-2 behind, although he then checked out a superb 136 to win the eighth leg.
Van Barneveld hit back with double top in the next leg before sealing a point at 7-3 with a 12-dart leg.
Lloyd hit his only maximum in the 11th leg, and took out double eight with his last dart, but it was a brief rally as van Barneveld sealed the win with a two-dart 65 finish.
"There are no easy matches in the Holsten Premier League," said van Barneveld. "Everyone wants to win so much and I want to perform on the highest level.
"My main aim is to get into the top four and make sure I'm in the play-offs in Plymouth.
"But I've got Phil Taylor in two weeks in Doncaster. It's my birthday and I'll be doing all I can to get something from him because he's the man to beat."