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Nathan Aspinall celebrates against Joe Murnan (Picture: Lawrence Lustig/PDC)

Darts results: Nathan Aspinall and Joe Cullen survive scares at PDC World Darts Championship

By Sporting Life

Darts

Thu December 23, 2021 · 3y ago

A review of Wednesday's action at the William Hill World Darts Championship, as Nathan Aspinall, Joe Cullen and Dirk van Duijvenbode survived scares

Nathan Aspinall came from 2-1 down in sets and survived a match dart as he battled his way through to the third round of the PDC World Darts Championship at the expense of Joe Murnan.

The Asp, whose arm heavily strapped arm due to tendonitis in his elbow, was expected to breeze through against a player who averaged less than 80 in a scrappy clash with Paul Lim but he struggled to get going early on and was made to pay for missing a dart at double eight in the deciding leg of the opening set.

Aspinall rallied in the second and took it 3-1 with the help of three 180s and a superb 145 checkout while a finish from 96 saw him break Murnan's throw in the first leg of the third.

However, the underdog showed grit and determination to keep the pressure on Aspinall rattle off three legs on the spin to move one set away from an unlikely upset.

Murnan maintained the momentum to move 2-0 up in the next set before earning a match dart at tops when leading 2-1 but he agonisingly missed and the two-time semi-finalist made the most of his reprieve.

Aspinall, who averaged 93.15 and hit eight of the 10 180s in the match, cruised through the deciding leg to force a fifth set, which he took comfortably 3-1 to set up a clash with either Brendan Dolan or Callan Rydz after Christmas.

𝗔𝗦𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗦𝗨𝗥𝗩𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗦 𝗔 𝗠𝗔𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗘! 🐍

Nathan Aspinall survives a match dart as he comes through a deciding set victory over Joe Murnan!

Huge relief on the face of the injured Asp!#WHDarts pic.twitter.com/V39E32sOAr
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 22, 2021

Dirk van Duijvenbode also founded himself in big trouble in a lively affair with fellow showman Boris Koltsov but eventually came from 2-1 down in sets to pinch the decider on a tie-breaker 4-2.

Neither player struggled with their scoring - or indeed their celebrations - as they combined to hit 14 180s and 34 scores of 140+ but their respective finishing was nervy to say the least, with numerous legs descending into doubling disaster.

Van Duijvenbode, who hit eight of the maximums, missed 34 of his 45 attempts at doubles while Koltsov didn't fare much better, blowing 30 of his 40.

𝗗𝗜𝗥𝗞 𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗦 𝗔 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗥! 🍆

Raw emotion on the big stage as Dirk van Duijvenbode comes through in a tie-breaker to clinch a 3-2 success over Boris Koltsov!

Incredible match played in fantastic spirit!#WHDarts pic.twitter.com/XNVmenpcFC
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 22, 2021

The doubling in the next match between Kim Huybrechts and Steve Beaton was even worse as the Belgian stumbled over the finishing line 3-1 despite missing 36 of his 46 attempts.

Huybrechts threw five of the seven 180s and averaged 88.71 but was let off the hook by the Bronzed Adonis, who spurned 26 of his 33 doubles in a disappointing end to his record-breaking 31st consecutive appearance.

Huybrechts will next meet Gerwyn Price and it goes without saying he'll need to make a dramatic improvement to trouble the defending champion.

Martijn Kleemaker continued his dream World Championship debut with a 3-1 defeat of former finalist Simon Whitlock.

The Dutchman, who had to withdraw from last year’s event after testing positive for Covid-19, will face Cullen in the last 32 after an emphatic win over the 20th seed.

The first two sets were shared before a fabulous 135 checkout kept Whitlock in the third, but that was to be as good as it got for the Australian as Kleermaker won the following four legs to complete victory.

AFTERNOON SESSION

Joe Cullen came through an early test of his World Championship credentials with a 3-2 victory over Jim Williams.

Cullen's record at Alexandra Palace leaves much to be desired, but he showed grit to match his scoring prowess here and finally saw off a dogged opponent late in the day.

Cullen trailed 1-0 and 2-1, but began the fourth set with a pair of maximums in a 10-dart leg and raced through it, before a pair of 13-dart legs saw him boss the fifth set.

It's been a tough year off the oche for the talented 32-year-old but on it he's won a pair of Players Championship events and will now look to better last year's run to the last 16, where he lost to Michael van Gerwen in an empty arena.

𝗖𝗨𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗡 𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗦 𝗜𝗧!

That is a marvellous victory for Joe Cullen who comes from 2-1 down to clinch an impressive deciding set success over Jim Williams!#WHDarts pic.twitter.com/edCQHKjAXD
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 22, 2021

"I've never had that before, every time I've done well here there's been no crowd!" he said, as fans behind him roared 'there's only one Joe Cullen'.

"I'm just happy to win to be honest. Jim played well to get in front, then he didn't really kick on from that. I don't care, my record here's absolutely terrible, so to get a win, under that pressure, it's amazing.

"At least this year it's in front of a crowd. Last year was great but there was nobody there to see it. Jim Williams was a tough draw but I've come through it, so happy days."

Borland back down to Earth

Ryan Searle dominated the first match on day eight of the tournament, beating nine-dart hero William Borland 3-0.

Borland missed six darts at double in the first leg and was always on the back foot thereafter, although he kept things respectable by taking sets two and three to deciders.

In the end though, Heavy Metal was too savvy for the youngster and remains one to watch despite a modest 92.45 average.

🗣 "𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗲, 𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆 𝗺𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀"

Hear from Ryan Searle after his superb whitewash success over nine-dart hero Willie Borland! pic.twitter.com/iU7y4bQpdD
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 22, 2021

William O'Connor was below that level himself but still had no problems in dishing out a 3-0 beating to Glenn Durrant, whose well-publicised struggles continued.

O'Connor started off with a 170 checkout and was ruthless until the end, before offering Durrant his best wishes as the former BDO world champion desperately searches for the form which saw him win the Premier League title in 2020.

Luke Humphries was another potential dark horse who didn't need to be at his best to see off a below-par Rowby-John Rodriguez, winning nine of 11 legs in a 3-0 victory.

Two-time quarter-finalist Humphries wasn't entirely happy with his new darts but still had far too many guns for his opponent, who is yet to go beyond round two.

Wednesday's results & Thursday's schedule

Wednesday December 22
Afternoon Session (12.30pm GMT)
Second Round (Best of 5 sets)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports Darts

Ryan Searle (92.45) 3-0 (77.69) William Borland
(Set scores: 3-0, 3-2, 3-2)
Glen Durrant (80.45) 0-3 (90.74) Willie O'Connor
(Set scores: 1-3, 0-3, 0-3)
Luke Humphries (92.91) 3-0 (82.64) Rowby-John Rodriguez
(Set scores: 3-0, 3-1, 3-1)
Joe Cullen (96.96) 3-2 (89.76) Jim Williams
(Set scores: 0-3, 3-0, 1-3, 3-0, 3-1)

Evening Session (7pm GMT)
Second Round (Best of 5 sets)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports Darts

Nathan Aspinall (93.15) 3-2 (87.86) Joe Murnan
(Set scores: 2-3, 3-1, 1-3, 3-2, 3-1)
Dirk van Duijvenbode (88.69) 3-2 (86.34) Boris Koltsov
(Set scores: 3-2, 0-3, 1-3, 3-1, 4-2)
Kim Huybrechts (88.71) 3-1 (85.72) Steve Beaton
(Set scores: 1-3, 3-1, 3-1, 3-2)
Simon Whitlock (87.93) 1-3 (88.84) Martijn Kleermaker
(Set scores: 2-3, 3-2, 1-3, 0-3)

Thursday December 23
Afternoon Session (12.30pm GMT)
Second Round (Best of 5 sets)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports Darts