Darts results: Kevin Painter lands rare win over Phil Taylor at World Seniors Championship

Painter first beat Taylor in 2001, their head-to-head record at the time reading 1-1. But Taylor won their next 31 meetings, making up the remainder of both of their careers on the PDC circuit and one of the sport's most famous hoodoos.

Painter though was much the best here, winning nine legs out of 12 and only briefly looking as though the sight of the winning line might stop him in his tracks.

Taylor likewise reserved his best darts for when hope was all but lost, hitting 119 to make Painter throw for the match, but Painter stood tall and hit double eight for a place in the semi-finals.

"Neither of us played too well there, it's not the classic that the crowd wanted but obviously I'm very happy to win the game," said Painter.

"I sort of played OK the legs I needed to play well. I played well when it mattered there and had my moments.

"I'm happy I've won, I've finally beat Phil Taylor!"

These old rivals shared the first two legs of a match which didn't really deliver the expected promise, before Painter hit double 10 to break and then took out 106 for the set.

That was a big moment as it appeared to allow him to relax, hitting three 140s at the start of the second set and breaking throw on double 18, before bullseye and an 82 finish made it four legs on the bounce.

Painter missed tops for a 12-dart leg to win the set but took it in 13 anyway, and when he hit double 12 to go 1-0 ahead in set three, and then stole the next on double 18, the game was as good as over.

Taylor conjured one last hurrah, hitting tops in successive legs and latterly for a 119 checkout, but having done the hard work he never troubled Painter in the deciding leg as the latter secured a sweet victory.

Thorn still looking sharp

Robert Thornton is yet to drop a set in the tournament and produced another convincing display to beat Dave Prins 3-0.

Thornton was annoyed not to take the first set 3-0 but did the next best thing with a 76 checkout, and then pinned double 10 as he began to find his stride at the start of the second.

A 180 to start the next paved the way for a break as he took out 60 in a sharp two darts, with Prins waiting on 24, before bossing the next leg to close out the set.

Prins kept fighting and forced a deciding leg in set three but Thornton took out 124 to seal victory and confirm he's going to be hard to shift, despite facing in-form Painter in the semi-finals.

"I felt comfortable," said Thornton, who averaged over 91. "He never started off the way he can. I've played Davy quite a few times, and that's probably one of the worst games he's played against me.

"My wife always says 'if you're too nervous, just walk back to your table, take a big, deep breath' so, there you go darling, I did what you told me!"

The Bull continues charge

Terry Jenkins pinned double 15 at the fourth time of asking to beat John Walton 3-1 and reach the semi-finals of the World Seniors Championship.

Jenkins won the first set without dropping a leg, but Walton fought back to take out 107 and win the second.

A pivotal third set went the distance but Jenkins had the darts and made them count, before falling 2-0 down in the fourth as the match appeared set to go the distance.

Jenkins though took out 135 in a moment of real quality to begin to turn the set around, dominated the following leg, and then found the target after Walton had missed darts for the set.

"I got off to a good start and I just lost the sixty, it was so frustrating - I couldn't find it," said Jenkins. "I was battling against myself. I just could not find that sixty up there, it was frustration more than anything.

"I suppose it was a good game to watch, but it wasn't a good game to play in. When he started hitting good scores I seemed to hit some back at him.

Asked if winning the title had entered his mind now he was through to Sunday, Jenkins said it had not, adding: "You never know, (but) I've got to play better than that."

His assessment of a game in which both players averaged less than 80 was backed up by BBC pundit Bobby George, who felt that playing two rounds in one day had been too much for both players.

"I thought it was terrible, to be honest with you," was Bobby George's reaction. "It looked like they were worn out. It looked like they were too tired."

Jenkins will next face Martin Adams, a 3-1 winner against Larry Butler.

World Senior Darts Championship schedule and results

Thursday February 3
Evening Session (1900 GMT)
TV Coverage: BBC i Player/BT Sport
First Round (Best of 5 sets)

• Robert Thornton (94.66) 3-0 (80.91) Bob Anderson
• Peter Manley (76.16) 3-1 (71.49) Deta Hedman
• Tony O'Shea (84.40) 2-3 (85.27) Kevin Painter
• Darryl Fitton (76.69) 2-3 (83.07) Richie Howson

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Friday February 4
Afternoon Session (1300 GMT)
TV Coverage: BBC i Player/BT Sport
First Round (Best of 5 sets)

• Les Wallace (74.32) 2-3 (76.39) John Walton
• Paul Lim (84.95) 1-3 (90.15) Dave Prins
• Alan Warriner-Little (56.81) 0-3 (88.99) Larry Butler
• Terry Jenkins (84.32) 3-0 (76.19) Roland Scholten

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
TV Coverage: BBC i Player/BT Sport
Second Round (Best of 5 sets)

• Wayne Warren (75.52) 0-3 (94.59) Kevin Painter
• Martin Adams (91.46) 3-2 (87.45) Richie Howson
• Phil Taylor (81.29) 3-1 (74.43) Peter Manley
• Trina Gulliver (74.19) 0-3 (92.63) Robert Thornton

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Saturday February 5
Afternoon session (1300 GMT)
TV Coverage: BBC i Player/BT Sport
Second Round (Best of 5 sets)

• John Part (74.68) 1-3 (77.15) John Walton
• Lisa Ashton (80.66) 1-3 (86.58) Terry Jenkins
• John Lowe (71.77) 0-3 Dave Prins (90.79)
• Keith Deller (74.33) 2-3 Larry Butler (78.74)

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
TV Coverage: BBC i Player/Website
Quarter-Finals (Best of 5 sets)

• John Walton (75.44) 1-3 (77.02) Terry Jenkins
• Robert Thornton (91.17) 3-0 (77.27) Dave Prins
• Phil Taylor (86.10) 0-3 (88.88) Kevin Painter
• Larry Butler (83.49) 1-3 (84.83) Martin Adams

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Sunday February 6
Afternoon session (1300 GMT)
TV Coverage: BBC i Player/BT Sport
Semi-Finals (Best of 7 sets)

• Kevin Painter v Robert Thornton
• Terry Jenkins v Martin Adams

Evening Session (1900 GMT)
TV Coverage: BBC i Player/BT Sport
Final (Best of 7 sets)

• Winner SF 1 v Winner SF 2

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