TAYLOR EDGES PAST BEATON AS LEWIS TURNS ON STYLE IN WOLVERHAMPTON
PHIL TAYLOR avenged last year^s defeat to Steve Beaton in the William Hill Grand Slam of Darts on Monday night as he put one foot into the tournament^s last 16 in Wolverhampton.
The three-time Grand Slam of Darts champion saw his reign in the tournament ended 12 months ago with a quarter-final defeat to Beaton.
However, he secured a second successive group stage win in this year^s event with a 5-3 victory over Beaton.
Beaton actually led 2-1 early on, finishing 120 to break throw in the third leg, but Taylor hit an 11-darter in hitting back to lead before finishing 107 for victory.
"Steve^s a great player and he really pushed me again tonight," said Taylor. "He beat me here last year so I knew I had to be on my game tonight to get the result.
"It^s in my hands now to get through to the last 16 and I know I^ll have a tough game on my hands on Wednesday against Mervyn.
King defeated youngster James Hubbard 5-3 earlier on Monday night to join Beaton on two points in Group E, tension set to be high as they battle for spots in the second round.
Reigning champion Adrian Lewis powered through to the knockout stages, following up his narrow win over Martin Phillips on Sunday with a brilliant 5-1 defeat of Co Stompe, hitting five 180s and averaging 109.39 in the process.
Phillips^ 5-2 victory over Vincent van der Voort means that the Dutchman is now eliminated from the event and the Welsh left-hander meets Stompe on Wednesday in a shoot-out for a place in the second round.
Paul Nicholson remains unbeaten in Group F following a 5-4 win over Wes Newton, hitting five 180s in an impressive performance and sealing victory with a 13-dart finish to put move closer to a second round spot for the first time in the event.
Sweden^s Magnus Caris took a 5-1 win over Barrie Bates in the night^s other game to set up a tasty clash with Nicholson on Wednesday and leave Newton needing to defeat the Welshman to keep his hopes alive.
Group G also remains wide open, with Mark Webster remaining unbeaten following his 5-1 win over John Part and Holland^s Jan Dekker hitting five out of seven darts at a double in a 5-1 win over Arron Monk.
Webster faces Dekker in their final game, while Part plays Monk, although the Under-21 World Champion would need a heavy victory and a Webster win if he was to stand any chance of qualifying.
Groups A-D play their final first round games on Tuesday night, with only Dean Winstanley and Mark Walsh so far assured of a place in the last 16.
Stoke-born duo Ted Hankey and Ian White will do battle to join Winstanley in qualifying from Group B, while Tony O^Shea and Michael van Gerwen fight for the right to progress from Group A alongside Walsh, with reigning champion Scott Waites eliminated following two defeats.
The other two groups have plenty to play for, with unbeaten Wolverhampton favourite Wayne Jones meeting Gary Anderson and Nigel Heydon playing winless Brendan Dolan in Group C.
James Wade heads Group D on four points following two wins and meets Terry Jenkins, while Justin Pipe meets Dave Chisnall in their other game.
William Hill Grand Slam of Darts
Tuesday November 15
Groups E-H Second Games
Barrie Bates 1-5 Magnus Caris
Mervyn King 5-3 James Hubbard
Jan Dekker 5-1 Arron Monk
Vincent van der Voort 2-5 Martin Phillips
Mark Webster 5-1 John Part
Phil Taylor 5-3 Steve Beaton
Wes Newton 4-5 Paul Nicholson
Adrian Lewis 5-1 Co Stompe
Tuesday November 15 (7pm)
Groups A-D Final Games
Raymond van Barneveld v Dean Winstanley
Mark Walsh v Scott Waites
Brendan Dolan v Nigel Heydon
Justin Pipe v Dave Chisnall
Tony O^Shea v Michael van Gerwen
James Wade v Terry Jenkins
Ted Hankey v Ian White
Gary Anderson v Wayne Jones
Wednesday November 16 (7pm)
Groups E-H Final Games
Adrian Lewis v Vincent van der Voort
Wes Newton v Barrie Bates
Steve Beaton v James Hubbard
John Part v Arron Monk
Co Stompe v Martin Phillips
Phil Taylor v Mervyn King
Mark Webster v Jan Dekker
Paul Nicholson v Magnus Caris
MAGNUS CARIS 5-1 BARRIE BATES
MAGNUS CARIS managed to gain a vital two points with a 5-1 victory over Barrie Bates in the 2011 William Hill Grand Slam of Darts.
The Swede put on an impressive display to defeat Bates, which has confirmed the Welshman^s elimination from the competition and leaves Caris to face Paul Nicholson on Wednesday.
Caris made an impressive start to the match by landing double seven to break and he then hit an 11-darter to lead 2-0.
The Swede should have taken the third leg but missed six darts at doubles and Bates stole it by hitting a 72 finish, completed on the bullseye.
Caris got back to winning ways by hitting a two-dart 80 finish to win the fourth leg and he landed a 177 in the process of taking the fifth to lead 4-1.
Caris, who lost to Wes Newton in his opening group match, missed six darts at double top to take victory, but landed the target at the seventh attempt to close out the match and keep his hopes of qualifying alive.
"It^s a very important win," said Caris. "I feel I played well against Wes but I didn^t get the result, but this was good for me and I was relieved at the end.
"I feel confident and the others had better watch out! I^ve got one game to go now and I^m enjoying the tournament."
MERVYN KING 5-3 JAMES HUBBARD
MERVYN KING was made to work hard before overcoming James Hubbard with a 5-3 victory in the William Hill Grand Slam of Darts at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall.
King, who lost to Steve Beaton in his opening Group E clash, will take on Phil Taylor on Wednesday evening in his final round-robin contest.
"I^ve probably got to beat Phil on Wednesday to qualify and that^s going to be a big challenge," said King. "My form over the last 12 months has been under-par but I^ll be giving it my best shot."
King made an excellent start the game, hitting a 180 in the opening leg, followed by 101 checkout for a 12-dart finish to break throw.
But King failed to build on that advantage as he missed six darts at doubles and Hubbard nicked the second by landing double five with his last dart to level.
Hubbard then took out double top at the first time of asking to lead 2-1 but King hit a clinical 14-darter to square the match at two apiece.
King was guilty of missing six more darts to take the fifth and the youngster capitalised again by hitting double four to lead for a second time.
King pegged back by taking the sixth leg and then took the seventh to lead 4-3 with a 62 finish after Hubbard missed a dart at double top to take the leg himself.
The eighth leg saw King produce consistent high scoring and he converted a 62 finish for the third time in the contest to end Hubbard^s challenge.
JAN DEKKER 5-1 ARRON MONK
JAN DEKKER defeated Arron Monk at the William Hill Grand Slam of Darts with an impressive 5-1 victory to get his challenge back on track.
Monk, who lost in a thrilling deciding leg to Mark Webster in his opening match, was unable to find of the form of Sunday and the Lakeside Championship semi-finalist capitalised to take the two points.
Dekker, who had disappointed on his debut against John Part, held throw to take the opening leg then converted a 66 finish to double his lead after Monk missed two darts at double top.
Dekker won the third leg to establish a 3-0 lead before Monk got himself on the scoreboard with a 12-dart finish which included a maximum.
But the Dutch youngster got back to winning ways by taking the fifth leg with a 75 finish and sealed victory in style with an excellent 13-darter.
"I was pleased with the way I played," said Dekker. "My finishing in particular was excellent and that got me the win.
"I^m enjoying my experience here in Wolverhampton and I^m confident ahead of my game against Mark Webster on Wednesday."
MARTIN PHILLIPS 5-2 VINCENT VAN DER VOORT
MARTIN PHILLIPS earned an excellent 5-2 victory against Vincent van der Voort to keep his alive of qualifying from Group H in the William Hill Grand Slam of Darts.
The Welshman won the opening leg before Van der Voort replied by hitting double ten to take the second.
Phillips then broke throw with a 62 finish in the next to take a 2-1 advantage and that soon became 3-1 when he took out 78.
Phillips took out 68 to win the fifth leg but missed two darts at double top to win the match in the next and the Dutchman landed double top to keep himself in the hunt.
But Phillips made no mistake in the seventh leg as he landed double nine to leave van der Voort with a mountain to climb to qualify for the knockout phase.
"I^ve beaten Vincent on the previous two occasions that we^ve played," said Phillips. "My scoring wasn^t as good as it could have been but my finishing was clinical tonight."
Phillips will now take on Co Stompe in his final group match added: "Co beat me 5-4 to qualify for the knockout stages last year, so I owe him one!"
MARK WEBSTER 5-1 JOHN PART
MARK WEBSTER continued to shine at the William Hill Grand Slam of Darts with a convincing 5-1 victory over fellow World Champion John Part.
The Welshman is now in a commanding position to qualify for the knockout phases after two wins in Group G.
Webster came out of the blocks firing with a maximum with his first three darts and then broke Part^s broke with comfort to establish a 2-0 lead.
Webster then hit double top to take the third leg and should have won the fourth but missed four darts at doubles _x007f_and Part landed double top with his last dart.
That only stemmed the tide for the Canadian as the Welsh ace restored his three leg advantage with a 15-darter and double four secured the victory.
"I scored well tonight and that put me in good positions," said Webster. "I^ve had some heartbreak in this competition before so I know that the job of qualification hasn^t been achieved just yet."
PHIL TAYLOR 5-3 STEVE BEATON
PHIL TAYLOR effectively confirmed his place in the last 16 of the William Hill Grand Slam of Darts by claiming a tight 5-3 victory over Steve Beaton.
The match was finely balanced at three apiece before the world number one dug deep into his reserves to take the next two legs and a second straight victory.
Taylor opened the contest with a clinical two-dart 67 finish but Beaton replied to take the second on double ten after Taylor missed a dart at double 16.
Taylor missed double 16 again in third leg, and Beaton capitalised by hitting a 120 finish to lead 2-1 with a break of throw.
The three-time Grand Slam champion squared the game by landing double 16 in the fourth to break back before hitting back-to-back maximums in the fifth leg to set up a potential nine-darter.
The attempt at seventh treble 20 landed just above the wire, but the leg was won in 11 darts to put Taylor back into the lead.
Beaton, who defeated Taylor in the quarter-finals of last year^s competition, won the sixth leg on double ten but Taylor edged ahead again to lead 4-3.
The eighth leg saw Beaton hit his second 180 of the game, but he missed a dart at double top to force a decider and Taylor capitalised by converting a superb 107 checkout to win the match in style.
"Steve^s a great player and he really pushed me again tonight," said Taylor. "He beat me here last year so I knew I had to be on my game tonight to get the result."
PAUL NICHOLSON 5-4 WES NEWTON
PAUL NICHOLSON edged out Wes Newton 5-4 to win his second Group F game in the William Hill Grand Slam of Darts in Wolverhampton.
Nicholson hit five maximums during the contest and has put himself in an excellent position to qualify for the last 16 following a superb final leg, as he took victory with a 13-darter.
Newton missed a dart at double ten for an immediate break of throw in the opening leg, and Nicholson landed double eight for an early lead.
The Fleetwood ace won the second leg on double six and then broke throw to take the third after Nicholson was guilty of missing three darts at doubles.
Nicholson, who whitewashed Barrie Bates in his first Group F match, put those errors behind him and broke back immediately with a fabulous 11-darter which included two 180s.
Newton hit his second maximum of the match in the next, but missed a dart at double top and Nicholson stepped in with an excellent two-dart 100 to lead 3-2.
Newton stopped Nicholson^s winning run by winning the sixth leg on double eight but Nicholson regained the lead by landing double ten to move 4-3 up.
Both players fired in maximums in the eighth leg but Newton hit a 63 finish to set up a deciding leg showdown.
Nicholson had the advantage of throw and he hit another 180 to get to a finish first before posting double 16 at the first time of asking to end a tight contest.
"I was really looking forward to this game against Wes tonight," said Nicholson. "We^ve had a few really good battles over the last couple of years and tonight was no different.
"To hit a 13-darter in the deciding leg under that kind of pressure was very satisfying."
ADRIAN LEWIS 5-1 CO STOMPE
ADRIAN LEWIS produced a sensational display to defeat Co Stompe 5-1 in only 15 minute at the William Hill Grand Slam of Darts.
The World Champion ended with a three-dart average of 109.39 - the highest of the tournament so far - and confirmed his place in the knockout phases with a thrilling performance.
Lewis made a confident start to the match by hitting a 180 followed an 80 finish to take the opening leg.
The World Champion was in control of the second, but two missed darts at doubles allowed Stompe to step in and hit double 18 to level.
Lewis won the third leg in 15 darts and then hit two superb maximums in a 12-darter to break Stompe^s throw and move 3-1 up.
Stompe hit a 180 of his own in the next, but it could not stop Lewis charging on as he won the fifth leg in 14 arrows and posted a clinical 85 finish to seal the victory.
"I was confident coming into tonight^s match," said Lewis. "I^ve hit the highest average of the tournament so far and I believe that I^ve got a good chance of winning this week."