A review of Thursday's action at the William Hill World Darts Championship as Gerwyn Price survives scare and Steve Beaton hits a 170 checkout.
Gerwyn Price's World Darts Championship dream is still alive but only after coming through an intense deciding set against William O'Connor, who was left to rue a baffling moment of miscounting.
The tournament's second favourite, who is widely tipped to be facing Michael van Gerwen on New Year's Day in a blockbuster edition of their budding rivalry, found himself 2-1 down in sets against his plucky opponent before battling to a 3-2 victory.
😅 Huge relief for Gerwyn Price and his army of backers after surviving a real scare against William O'Connor in a five-set thriller! pic.twitter.com/63iXthD2pS
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) December 19, 2019
Price had to win a deciding leg to force the fifth set, which he also trailed 2-1 before holding his throw to take the match into a tie-break situation, when the Irishman's costly error occurred.
After leaving himself four following two missed darts at doubles in the previous visit - the last of which being outside of double two - O'Connor took aim at two ones instead.
The Grand Slam of Darts champion made the most of his reprieve by taking out 75 for a crucial break and he comfortably served it out with a clinical 13-darter.
😱 If ever you need double two to go one leg away from beating Gerwyn Price, don't do this...pic.twitter.com/Rf9bNnutrN
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) December 20, 2019
Price was infamously the pantomime villain on this very stage 12 months ago during a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat against Nathan Aspinall, in which he missed a match dart at 2-0 up and crumbled under the weight of the boos, but on this occasion he enjoyed huge support in an excellent sporting match packed full of drama and passion.
Afterwards he spoke about how he's turned the jeers to cheers in an incredible year of five titles, three major finals and stellar performances but also admitted how crucial the fans can be in matches, citing Fallon Sherrock's victory over Ted Evetts as a prime example.
🙌🎯 Incredible drama at the Ally Pally, where Gerwyn Price brought the crowd to their feet with a thrilling five-set victory!
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) December 20, 2019
❄️ But how does the Iceman compare the atmosphere to this time 12 months ago when he was very much the villain...@Gezzyprice pic.twitter.com/qmrp5NZOE4
Price, who will face John Henderson in the next round, also said: "That's the most uncomfortable I've ever felt in a darts match, I couldn't handle the heat up there. From the moment I walked out I never felt at ease and I ended up chasing Willie throughout; he was probably the better player.
"He put me under pressure and I knew I don't have the best of records here but a win's a win. I had a bit of luck with Willie going for the wrong double at the end but I'm not going to tap him on the shoulder and tell him that!
"I've won tournaments before where I should've gone out in my first game so maybe this could be another one of those."
Price, who had won the opening set 3-2 before losing the next two 3-1, only averaged 90.98 compared to his opponent's 93.22 and while he hit five fewer 180s with three, he was pretty solid on his doubles, pinning 12 of his 26 attempts.
Chris Dobey battled back from the brink in a pulsating clash with Ron Meulenkamp as he moved into the third round at the Ally Pally.
In a dramatic final set true to his Hollywood nickname, Dobey came from 2-0 down and survived three clear match darts from the Dutchman before holding his nerve to triumph 3-2.
The highly-fancied Northumberland thrower, who has reached two major semi-finals at the World Grand Prix and Players Championship Finals in the past couple of months, was seemingly flying to a straight sets victory when he won the first two with 3-1 scorelines.
However, after missing a dart to take the third set to a deciding leg,
Meulenkamp began his comeback by racing through the next 3-0 and after Dobey then missed a dart at a double to take the fourth to a deciding leg as his opponent levelled the scores.
The Bomb moved 2-0 up and looked set to pull of a big shock but when Hollywood piled on the pressure by halving the deficit, he spurned two match darts.
💪 "I'm still here," yelled Chris Dobey after surviving these three match darts from Ron Meulenkamp...and he stayed true to his words.
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) December 19, 2019
🎞️ The Hollywood story continues! pic.twitter.com/Be0CikWiRV
Now in a tie-break situation, the tension cranked up and it was Dobey who coped best as he punished Meulenkamp for missing darts at doubles in each of the next two legs to triumph.
The 29-year-old could meet Fallon Sherrock after Christmas if the new darting superstar sees off Mensur Suljovic on Saturday night and he has no doubts who he’d rather face.
In this video, Dobey also revealed why he wouldn’t expect Sherrock to quieten the crowd like he had to against Meulenkamp.
👏 Chris Dobey told the Ally Pally crowd to stop booing Ron Meulenkamp during his inspired comeback...
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) December 19, 2019
...but find out why he doesn't want Fallon Sherrock to do the same should they meet in the third round!@Dobey10 @Fsherrock pic.twitter.com/SNwlhWdMyD
Dave Chisnall defeated Vincent van der Voort 3-1 but there's still room for improvement as he targets his first major title on the biggest stage of all.
Chizzy, who has enjoyed a superb season with three titles and a run to the World Grand Prix final, was seemingly on course for a straight sets triumph as he made the Dutchman's missed darts in the deciding leg of the first en route to going 2-0 up.
Van der Voort suddenly found a new lease of life as he raced through the third set without reply to give Chisnall something to think about but the St Helens man kicked off the next with a 124 checkout and closed it out 3-1.
124 CHECKOUT!
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 19, 2019
Chisnall needed that as he takes out a huge 124 finish to lead in such a pivotal set! pic.twitter.com/UcNJEaDflF
Chizzy averaged 93.1 and hit four 180s but the key to his triumph was pinning nine of his 14 darts at doubles as the wasteful van der Voort missed 22 of his 29.
Callan Rydz's dream debut at the Alexandra Palace came to an agonising end as he suffered a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Danny Noppert.
The 21-year-old from Newcastle, who beat Steve Lennon in a deciding leg in round one, gave the 31st seed a real scare when landing a 160 checkout en route to a 2-1 set lead.
NOPPERT WINS!!!
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 19, 2019
Danny Noppert beats Callan Rydz 3-2 to book his place in the Third Round.
It was a good debut year from Rydz, who bows out gracefully. #WHDarts pic.twitter.com/VVTWcDVO6k
Neither player could find a break of throw in the opening 10 legs of the match, with Noppert levelling it up at 1-1.
The pattern continued into the third set as well as five more successive holds meant Rydz moved one away from yet another famous victory.
That's 15 consecutive legs won on throw as Callan Rydz clinches the third set!
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 19, 2019
The youngster leads once more. pic.twitter.com/qjLl2QNEOk
Ab absorbing encounter then swung in Noppert's favour as a 12-darter was followed by the first break of the match before Rydz was left to rue four missed attempts at a double.
The World Series of Darts Finals runner-up maintained the momentum into a decider, with a 110 checkout helping him seal his place in the last 32 of the PDC World Championship for the first time.
NOPPERT WINS!!!
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 19, 2019
Danny Noppert beats Callan Rydz 3-2 to book his place in the Third Round.
It was a good debut year from Rydz, who bows out gracefully. #WHDarts pic.twitter.com/VVTWcDVO6k
Steve Beaton produced a vintage performance on his 29th successive appearance at a World Darts Championship as he moved into the third round for the first time since 2005.
The Bronzed Adonis, 55, threw a 170 checkout during his 3-1 victory over Kyle Anderson while he also three two more 100+ finishes, seven 180s and ended with an average of 91.92.
1⃣7⃣0⃣🎣 Steve Beaton rolls back the years on his 29th world darts championship appearance in a row!
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) December 19, 2019
👏 The Bronzed Adonis has still got it at the age of 55...pic.twitter.com/rpb49u4dgu
Beaton, who competed in 10 BDO world championships before crossing over to the PDC in 2002, hadn't advanced to the third round since 2005 but it's performances like these that show just why he's been in the world's top 32 for such a long time.The 1996 Lakeside king
The 1996 Lakeside king finished from 107 to seal the first set that he won 3-1 - despite Anderson's 142 checkout - and kicked off the next with the Big Fish before following it up with another fine checkout from 133 when trailing 2-1.
BEATON IS ON FIRE 🔥
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 19, 2019
Back-to-back huge checkouts from Beaton as he follows his 170 with a 133! pic.twitter.com/bp5lCBEb0I
Anderson, however, restored parity in sets with a sublime 116 checkout to complete a 12-darter.
WHAT A SET OF DARTS THAT IS!
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 19, 2019
Three ton-plus finishes
A 170 checkout
Six 180s
... And Anderson levels the match! pic.twitter.com/zRXcs11AgK
Beaton threatened a nine-darter with back-to-back 180s at the start of the third set, which he breezed through 3-0 with the help of two double eights in an exhibition style finish in the second leg.
Anderson had three darts to force a deciding set from when he led 2-1 in the fourth but he missed the lot and the 55-year-old from Coventry took full advantage.
After the match Beaton talked about his longevity in the sport, why he keeps coming back for more and whether he has time for one last hurrah.
🌎 29th World Championship in a row
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) December 19, 2019
🎯 19 in the PDC, 10 at the Lakeside
👏 Steve Beaton has been operating at the top of the sport for almost 30 years and today he proved why. But what's the secret?@Stevebeaton180 pic.twitter.com/v5Wqs2iPoq
Justin Pipe marked his Alexandra Palace return with a highly-emotional victory, but he had to survive three match darts against the unheralded Benjamin Pratnemer.
The Somerset thrower was last seen on this stage two years ago when being heavily booed against Phil Taylor due to the 'cough-gate' victory over Bernie Smith in the previous round - a moment he recently admitted "destroyed his darts career for 12 months".
Pipe, who wholeheartedly denies he made any noise with his coughs that he was subsequently fined £3,000 for, was also making his first appearance at the Alexandra Palace since losing his father earlier in the year.
An incredibly emotional win for Justin Pipe, who is back at the Ally Pally after losing his father earlier in the year.
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) December 19, 2019
His celebration says it all.#PDCWorldChampionship pic.twitter.com/WnjCyGVFSD
Despite enjoying crowd support, he found himself in real trouble against the second ever Slovenian to play at the World Championship when losing the opening set in a deciding leg.
Pipe, who was 1/7 favourite before a dart was thrown, responded by taking the second set 3-1 but any thought that he'd go on and rattle through the next two - relatively speaking of course - were kicked into touch when his virtual unknown opponent moved one away from victory with a 3-1 scoreline in the third.
A match high 118 checkout from the Force at the start of the fourth was quickly wasted by missing five darts at doubles in the next leg, which Pratnemer took full advantage of before moving 2-1 up.
Pipe levelled with a finish from 70 and then forced a deciding set after the Slovenian blew three clear darts from 20 to seal the biggest victory of his life.
The 48-year-old made the most of his reprieve with 14 and 13-darters and although Pratnemer pulled one back, it would merely delay Pipe's moment of closure.
After the match,Pipe revealed one of the secrets behind his climb back up the rankings was going back to the practice regime that his late father had taught him.
Justin Pipe decides to go back to the practice regime his father taught him after he passed away earlier this year.
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) December 19, 2019
Since then he rediscovered his form, earned a return to the Ally Pally and can now celebrate victory on tis famous stage #PDCWorldChampionship pic.twitter.com/nroNLd4kEg
Ryan Joyce produced a fine comeback from two sets down but then spurned four match darts in an agonising 3-2 defeat to Jan Dekker.
Last year's quarter-finalist, who had hopes of repeating his exploits on the Alexandra Palace stage, was punished for a sloppy start as he missed five darts at doubles in the opening set, which Dekker won 3-1.
The Dutchman raced through the next by the same scoreline before Joyce started his recovery thanks to an 11-darter and a 110 checkout in set three and then it was his turn to take advantage of his opponent's poor finishing to force a decider.
Joyce seized the initiative with a break of throw to go 2-1 up but he blew three match darts and watched Dekker take out 96 under huge pressure to force a sudden death leg.
The affable Geordie looked to have put those woes behind him as he reached a finish first but he failed to get down from 140 in two visits, spurning another match dart at double 16, and Dekker made him pay.
WOW!
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 19, 2019
Joyce misses three match darts and Dekker bravely goes the 18s route on 90 to take this match all the way to a sudden death leg! pic.twitter.com/V896fXCGMY
John Henderson cruised into the third round of the World Championship with a crushing 3-0 victory over James Richardson.
The popular Scotsman dominated the clash from start to finish with an average of 93.34 and four 180s as he only allowed his opponent eight darts at doubles in the match.
Richardson, who had come through a pulsating sudden death leg to beat Mikuru Suzuki in the opening round, only managed to hit three of those but he did manage the high checkout of the match with a 106.
Afterwards, Henderson compared the experience of playing at the World Championship with the incredible atmosphere he created during one of the most memorable matches of the year - his 6-6 draw with Michael van Gerwen in the Premier League in front of a partisan Aberdeen crowd.
Many fans would have branded that the darting highlight of 2019 until Fallon Sherrock's history-making exploits on Tuesday night - but does he feel aggrieved to be knocked off top spot?
Watch the video below to find out.
🙌🎯 John Henderson's 6-6 draw with MVG in the Premier League was everyone's darting moment of 2019...
— Sporting Life (@SportingLife) December 19, 2019
👊...so is the popular Scotsman disappointed that Fallon Sherrock has now knocked him off top spot?!@hendo180 @Fsherrock pic.twitter.com/qONYPSQMTm
Who needs trophies when you're this popular.
— Chris Hammer (@ChrisHammer180) March 7, 2019
John Henderson has helped create one of the greatest darts atmospheres ever known! The scenes when he hits tops!pic.twitter.com/AhN2U3Ccr2
SHERROCK MAKES HISTORY.
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) December 17, 2019
Fallon Sherrock has become the first woman to win a match at the PDC World Championship.
Just look at these scenes, a history making moment for darts. pic.twitter.com/zqoOeyQLmt
Thursday December 19
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
First/Second Round (Best of 5 sets)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports Darts
Evening Session (1900)
Second Round (Best of 5 sets)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports Darts
Friday December 20
Afternoon Session (1230 GMT)
Second Round (Best of 5 sets)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports Darts
Evening Session (1900)
Second Round (Best of 5 sets)
TV Coverage: Sky Sports Darts
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