WADE SNEAKS THROUGH AS WEBSTER SUFFERS LAST-GASP AGONY
WADE SNEAKS THROUGH AS WEBSTER SUFFERS LAST-GASP AGONY
NUMBER two seed James Wade and Wolverhampton favourite Wayne Jones edged into the last 16 of the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts on Tuesday night, but there was heartbreak for Mark Webster as he narrowly missed out on a second round berth.
The tournament saw Groups A-D complete their round-robin fixtures at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall, with only Tony O^Shea and Robert Thornton entering the night assured of qualification.
They completed the group phase unbeaten with respective wins over Justin Pipe and Simon Whitlock, but there was plenty of drama in the night^s decisive group games.
Colin Osborne took a 5-3 win over Dave Chisnall to qualify alongside Thornton from Group A, while wins for Mervyn King and Terry Jenkins saw them progress in Group C.
James Wade held off Vincent van der Voort^s fight back to join O^Shea in winning through from Group D in a dramatic finale, with the Dutchman hitting a 156 finish in coming from 4-1 down to level in their game before the left-hander won the decider with a 122 finish to qualify.
The night^s major drama, though, came in Group B, where Wayne Jones overcame Mark Hylton 5-3 but faced a nervous wait when Mark Webster took on Gary Anderson, who had won his first two games.
The Welshman needed to win 5-1 to knock out home favourite Jones, while a 5-2 victory would have forced a nine-dart shoot-out.
However, Webster missed six darts to win 5-1, as Anderson secured his own second round place, before completing a 5-3 win in vain.
"To beat Gary 5-1 was always going to be a big ask and to be honest I didn^t think I could do that against a player of his quality when I went on stage," said a visibly upset Webster.
"I gave it a good go and I^m gutted that I wasted my chance, but the best two players go through and I wasn^t in the best two, so I go home."
Anderson now takes on Osborne in the second round, while Jones faces Robert Thornton, who impressed in inflicting a third successive defeat on world number four Simon Whitlock.
O^Shea, a quarter-finalist last year, will now meet Terry Jenkins in the last 16, after the 2008 runner-up overcame an early scare to whitewash Stacy Bromberg, the Women^s World Champion who missed doubles to win the opening two legs of their clash.
Wade^s win means he now faces King in a tasty second round contest, with the latter having defeated Scotland^s John Henderson in a deciding leg to top Group C.
The group stage concludes on Wednesday when Groups E-H complete their fixtures, with reigning champion Phil Taylor needing to defeat Wes Newton to keep alive his hopes of a fourth successive Grand Slam of Darts title.
Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts
Tuesday November 16
Groups A-D Final Games
Tony O^Shea 5-4 Justin Pipe
Simon Whitlock 2-5 Robert Thornton
Terry Jenkins 5-0 Stacy Bromberg
Wayne Jones 5-3 Mark Hylton
Mervyn King 5-4 John Henderson
Gary Anderson 3-5 Mark Webster
Colin Osborne 5-3 Dave Chisnall
James Wade 5-4 Vincent van der Voort
Wednesday November 17 (6pm)
Groups E-H Final Games
Colin Lloyd v Tricia Wright
Adrian Lewis v Scott Waites
Ted Hankey v Michael van Gerwen
Ronnie Baxter v Arron Monk
Paul Nicholson v Steve Beaton
Co Stompe v Martin Phillips
Phil Taylor v Wes Newton
Raymond van Barneveld v Darryl Fitton
Thursday November 18 (6pm)
Groups A-D Second Round
Robert Thornton v Wayne Jones
Tony O^Shea v Terry Jenkins
Gary Anderson v Colin Osborne
Mervyn King v James Wade
TONY O^SHEA 5-4 JUSTIN PIPE
TONY O^SHEA ensured he ends the group stage of the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts unbeaten with a final-leg victory over Justin Pipe, who leaves the Wolverhampton Civic Hall without a win in his three matches.
O^Shea has impressed in the group stage of the tournament with wins over James Wade and Vincent van der Voort, and another strong display of finishing saw him overcome Pipe.
Newcomer Pipe slipped to his third successive defeat on his Grand Slam debut, but showed strong character to come from 2-0 down to force a deciding leg.
O^Shea made another exceptional start with back-to-back 14-dart finishes to win the opening two legs, finishing 97 in the opener and landing a 180 in the second.
Pipe got off the mark with a 90 finish, ending on the bullseye, in the third to break before hitting double four to level.
O^Shea hit a 180 and a 79 checkout to take the fifth and, after Pipe won the next with an 80 finish, the Stockport ace landed double 16 to move 4-3 up and a leg away from the win.
He missed a dart at tops for victory in the next, giving Pipe a reprieve after two misses as he returned to land double four to force a decider.
But he would not get a shot for the win, as O^Shea posted another 180 before checking out 101 on double 16 for a 12-darter to secure the spoils.
"I^m really pleased to be playing so well and to get through unbeaten," said O^Shea, a quarter-finalist last year. "Justin hasn^t shown what he can do but he^s got a big future and it was a relief to beat him."
Pipe, who had only played in the UK Open previously on television before winning through the ITV Wildcard Qualifier recently to earn a Grand Slam spot, admitted: "It^s been a great experience for me.
"I^m disappointed to have lost all three games but in this game I hit my doubles and my scoring wasn^t there, and it was the other way around previously. Tony played great darts and deserved to win but hopefully I^ll have plenty more big events in the future."
ROBERT THORNTON 5-2 SIMON WHITLOCK
ROBERT THORNTON picked up a third successive Group A victory, powering past former Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts semi-finalist Simon Whitlock 5-2 to end the first round unbeaten.
Thornton has returned to form in Wolverhampton following a disappointing year, but will enter the knockout phase on a high after seeing off Whitlock.
While the Australian - who conversely has endured successive defeats in the Grand Slam despite a tremendous 12 months on the PDC circuit - took the opening leg with double top, he could do little as Thornton won the next three.
Whitlock landed a 180 in the second only to see Thornton post tops to level, before the Scot hit a maximum of his own in breaking throw before checking out 78 on double 12 to lead 3-1.
A miss at double top allowed Whitlock in to take the fifth on double ten, but Thornton regained his range to lead 4-2 before rounding off the win in style with a brilliant 167 checkout.
TERRY JENKINS 5-0 STACY BROMBERG
TERRY JENKINS overcame an early scare before whitewashing American ace Stacy Bromberg 5-0 to book his place in the last 16 of the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts.
Bromberg, the PDC Unicorn Women^s World Champion who had lost her opening two Group C matches, matched Jenkins blow for blow in the early exchanges of their decisive contest.
However, she paid for missing a dart at double top for a 117 finish in the opening leg and then missed a dart at the same bed in the second as Jenkins held on to lead 2-0.
Bromberg was also waiting on a finish in the third as Jenkins checked out tops to move 3-0 up, before double ten gave him a fourth leg.
Any hopes the American had of a fightback after the break were quickly extinguished, as Jenkins wrapped up victory in style with an 11-dart finish which was begun with a 180 and finished with a 94 checkout.
"I^m really glad to have got through that and, to be honest, a 5-0 scoreline doesn^t reflect the game," said Jenkins, the 2008 Grand Slam of Darts runner-up.
"I went up there trying to win like that but Stacy had chances early on and it could have been different."
Bromberg, who won the Women^s World Championship in July with a defeat of Tricia Wright in Blackpool, said: "I^ve really enjoyed the Grand Slam but I^m disappointed with my finishing.
"I scored pretty well and had my opportunities but it wasn^t to be."
WAYNE JONES 5-3 MARK HYLTON
WAYNE JONES picked up his second victory of the group stage in the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts with a 5-3 defeat of Mark Hylton - but was left with a nervous wait before qualifying for the knockout stage of the tournament.
The Wolverhampton favourite had to overcome Hylton to remain in with a chance of progressing to the last 16, and did so with a mixed performance under pressure at the Wolves Civic.
After sharing the first two legs, Jones hit double top to break in the third before hitting a 180 and an 81 finish to move 3-1 up.
The pair shared the next two by exchanging double top checkouts before Hylton scrambled home double six - with Jones waiting on 36 - to keep the game alive and pull back to 4-3.
He also hit a 180, his second of the game, in the next but missed the single 18 for a 118 finish, after hitting the treble 20, to allow Jones in to seal the win on double ten.
Jones was left to sweat after the victory before his second round place was confirmed, with a 5-3 win for Mark Webster over Gary Anderson not enough for the Welshman to overhaul the legs difference.
"I^m relieved to get through, eventually, but I was a bit annoyed with my performance," said Jones. "I was hoping to play well and go through on a high but I^m in the last 16 now and that^s all that matters."
Hylton, an ITV Wildcard Qualifier whose only previous experience in a televised event came at the 2007 UK Open, said: "Although I lost all three games I^m happy to have played fairly well and I feel I justified being here.
"It would have been nice to finish with a win but I can take this experience forward and am looking forward to hopefully playing in the PDC World Championship now."
MERVYN KING 5-4 JOHN HENDERSON
MERVYN KING secured a third successive Group C victory to progress to the last 16 of the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts with a deciding leg defeat of Scotsman John Henderson.
King had secured wins over Stacy Bromberg and Terry Jenkins in his opening two matches, but was made to battle all the way against the ITV Wildcard Qualifier at the Wolves Civic.
Henderson began the match in style with a 180 and took the game^s opening leg in 12 darts with a 101 finish.
King landed double two in the next to get off the mark, but a miss at double top allowed the Scot to land double eight to lead.
A brace of double 16 finishes - including a 110 checkout - saw King take control at 3-2, only for Henderson to then land a 180 to level and punish two misses at double 16 from his opponent to land tops and move 4-3 up.
Henderson also hit a 180 in the next, but King replied in kind before checking out double six to break in 12 darts and force a deciding leg, which he won on double top.
King progresses to the last 16 unbeaten, but admits he has yet to reach anywhere near his best as he bids to regain his form as well as overcome the recent loss of his father.
"I^m nowhere near my best and the last two months have been very bad for me," said King. "I lost my dad and I^m still not over that, and it might take several months for that to happen.
"As soon as I get it right in my head my game will come good again, but I^m trying my hardest here and hopefully I can go on to good things in the rest of the tournament."
MARK WEBSTER 5-3 GARY ANDERSON
MARK WEBSTER suffered heartbreak at the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts, defeating Gary Anderson 5-3 but missing six darts to put himself into the last 16 of the tournament.
The Welshman needed to win 5-1 to knock out home favourite Wayne Jones, while a 5-2 victory over Anderson would have forced a nine-dart shoot-out.
However, Webster missed six darts to win 5-1 as Anderson secured his own second round place, before completing a 5-3 win in vain.
Webster began well, punishing five missed doubles from Anderson to win the first leg on double 15 before taking the second on tops despite a 180 from the Scot.
Anderson hit another 180 and double 18 to take the third in 14 darts, only to then miss four darts to win the fourth as double five gave Webster a 3-1 lead.
Webster then took out a 12-darter, which featured a 177 and a 96 finish, to lead 4-1 and move to the brink of a victory which would see him oust Jones - who had defeated him in Saturday^s opening game - from the event.
Three ton-plus scores put Webster first to the finish in the next, but he missed six darts at double top, ten and five as Anderson posted double top to snatch the leg.
He also took the next on double eight to pull back to 4-3, meaning Webster could not even force a nine-dart shoot out with Jones - having needed a 5-2 win to force that scenario.
The Welshman regained his nerve to hit three 140s and then land double six to take an ultimately painful victory.
"To beat Gary 5-1 was always going to be a big ask and to be honest I didn^t think I could do that against a player of his quality when I went on stage," said a visibly upset Webster.
"I gave it a good go and I^m gutted that I wasted my chance, but the best two players go through and I wasn^t in the best two, so I go home.
"The game that cost me was losing to Wayne on Saturday when I didn^t play as well as I should."
COLIN OSBORNE 5-3 DAVE CHISNALL
COLIN OSBORNE booked his place in the second round of the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts, defeating Dave Chisnall 5-3 in their winner-takes-all clash at the Wolverhampton Civic.
The pair took to the Wolves Civic stage needing victory to progress alongside Robert Thornton from Group A, and Osborne averaged 101 in a superb display to follow up Sunday^s defeat of Simon Whitlock.
Osborne actually found himself behind when Chisnall took the opening leg, but produced excellent legs of 14, 14 and 15 darts to move 3-1 up, hitting a neat 88 finish in the process.
Chisnall had a chance to punish three misses from the 2009 UK Open finalist in the next, but missed the bull for an 85 finish as Osborne landed double eight to lead 4-1.
Osborne then missed one dart for victory in the next, as Chisnall - the Lakeside Championship runner-up who had defeated Whitlock 5-1 in his opener - took out a 13-darter to stay in the game.
The St Helens ace then hit a 180 and a pressure double top to pull back to 4-3, but Osborne held the advantage in the next and landed double 16 for the win.
"I^m through and I^m playing well so that^s very pleasing for me," said Osborne. "I^ve qualified and am up for having a good go in the rest of the tournament now.
"Dave didn^t do himself justice tonight because he was great against Simon Whitlock on Saturday but he^s a good player and he^ll be back."
JAMES WADE 5-4 VINCENT VAN DER VOORT
JAMES WADE won a final-leg shoot-out with Vincent van der Voort to claim a spot in the second round of the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts from their decisive Group D clash.
The number two seed was forced into a decider with defeat to Tony O^Shea on Sunday night, but looked set to stroll into the last 16 when he took leads of 3-0 and 4-1.
But van der Voort, inspired by a 156 finish, hit back to force a ninth leg, only to see Wade progress courtesy of a 12-dart finish.
Wade began the game with a brace of 14-darters which ended on double ten, although the Dutchman had darts to win each leg as the left-hander edged in front.
Wade then took out 97, again on double ten, to win the third before van der Voort opened his account on double 16 in the next.
Wade, though, took out 104 for a second 15-dart leg of the game in taking a 4-1 lead only to see van der Voort hit back.
The former UK Open finalist landed a superb 156 checkout to take the sixth, and a 14-darter pulled him back into the game at 4-3 before he finished 72 on tops to level.
He also hit a 180 in the deciding leg, but Wade was the more consistent with three ton-plus scores before checking out 122 on double ten to secure his place in the last 16, where he now meets Mervyn King on Thursday.
"My form^s a bit indifferent at the moment and there wasn^t a lot between Vincent and myself tonight," said Wade.
"Vincent looked comfortable and scored well and it was a funny game because I felt like I was picking up the scraps at times. But I^m grateful I^m through and I^ll look forward to a hard game against Mervyn now."