DENNIS SMITH 4-0 MARK WALSH
(3-0, 3-0, 3-2, 3-0)
DENNIS SMITH moved into the last 16 of the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship with a surprisingly easy straight sets defeat of Mark Walsh.
Smith, a former Purfleet semi-finalist, wasted little time in seeing off the world number 12, dropping just two legs in the match.
Walsh looked a shadow of the player who reached the Budweiser UK Open final earlier this year, failing to find his accuracy both around the treble 20 bed and on his doubles.
That allowed Smith the time to get into his rhythm, winning the first set without reply and punishing Walsh further to move 2-0 ahead.
Walsh finally hit a double at the 11th attempt to go ahead in the third set, and also led 2-1 but missed three darts for the set to allow Smith to extend his lead.
The Hungerford thrower then wrapped up victory without reply in the fourth set to ensure a meeting with Peter Manley in round three.
"It's brilliant," said Smith. "I hit the doubles when I had to and it's fantastic to still be in the tournament."
Smith revealed that a massage from friend John Whiting over Christmas helped to heal an elbow problems, and he added: "It was like going up there with a new arm!
"He has diagnosed it as Darters Elbow, and he worked on my shoulder and forearm as well, and it has worked wonders."
Match Stats
|
Mark Walsh |
0-4 |
Dennis Smith |
|
16 |
100+ |
19 |
|
5 |
140+ |
7 |
|
2 |
180 |
4 |
|
25.87 |
Ave1 |
29.33 |
|
77.60 |
Ave3 |
87.98 |