Stephen Bunting defied a slow start to ultimately run out a comprehensive winner of Group 18 in the PDC Home Tour.
Trailing 4-2 to Harald Leitinger in the opening match of the night, Bunting took the following three legs and 10 of his next 12, beating Kim Huybrechts to top spot.
With Leitinger and Nathan Derry having shown only modest form to date, this group always looked set to boil down to Bunting's clash with Huybrechts and it was one he dominated, a 5-1 win sending him top.
Another 5-1 victory over Derry - who won just three legs on the night - completed an excellent night's work.
Bunting produced an impressive comeback to win the opening game in Group 18.
The world-ranked number 17 trailed Leitinger 4-2 but reeled off three successive legs to seal a 5-4 success over the Austrian.
Huybrechts was victorious in the second match of the night, beating Derry 5-2.
The high point for Derry in the opener was a 122 checkout to get him off the mark in the third leg and the Gorleston player revealed on PDC TV after the game: "I'm more nervous in this than I've been in my life. I'm shaking."
Leitinger revived his hopes and ended those of Derry with a 5-0 whitewashing in the next game.
The Austrian took his tally for the night to five 180s and a 177 in brushing aside the 33-year-old.
Derry admitted: "I've been bloody awful."
Bunting convincingly maintained his 100 per cent record in the next game, defeating Huybrechts 5-1.
The St Helens player led 4-0 and although his Belgian opponent prevented a whitewash with a 149 checkout, Bunting wrapped up the match with an 11-dart sixth leg.
Huybrechts kept his hopes of winning the group alive with a 5-1 victory over Leitinger, dropping only the fourth leg, but Bunting dominated the final match of the night despite again losing the opening leg.
"I feel like I'm getting back to my best," said the former BDO world champion.
GROUP 18 - Monday May 4
- Stephen Bunting 5-4 Harald Leitinger
- Kim Huybrechts 5-2 Nathan Derry
- Harald Leitinger 5-0 Nathan Derry
- Stephen Bunting 5-1 Kim Huybrechts
- Kim Huybrechts 5-1 Harald Leitinger
- Nathan Derry 1-5 Stephen Bunting
GROUP STANDINGS
- Stephen Bunting P 3 W 3 L 0 Leg Diff +9 Pts 6
- Kim Huybrechts P 3 W 2 L 1 Leg Diff +3 Pts 4
- Harald Leitinger P 3 W 1 L 2 Leg Diff +0 Pts 2
- Nathan Derry P 3 W 0 L 3 Leg Diff -12 Pts 0
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