WAYNE MARDLE will take on reigning Rileys Darts Zones UK Open champion Phil Taylor at the Reebok Stadium on Friday
night, as the world's top players enter the tournament at the third round stage.
Mardle overcame Mick McGowan 6-3 as the £200,000 event kicked off on Thursday night, with the Essex man holding off
the challenge of both the Irishman and his own nerves to progress to the last 64 in Bolton.
The game was Mardle's first appearance on television since he slumped to Germany's then-unknown Jyhan Artut in the
first round of the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship in December, but he admits he will enter Friday's clash
with Taylor in confident mood.
"I'm happy to get through and I can relax on Friday," said Mardle. "I was a bag of nerves and I've got no composure
at all at the moment. I'm scoring well and have to convert those positions into wins.
"I have to go into the game with Phil confident. I'm a professional dart player and I'm going up there to win it - and
I know how good I can be if I play my best game. I've not done it for a couple of years on TV but I'm getting back there."
Another crowd favourite, Peter Manley, suffered disappointment in his bid to retain a place in the world's top 32,
losing 6-3 in the second round to St Helens-based 19-year-old Michael Smith.
Smith was one of a number of youngsters who shone on the tournament's opening night, with 18-year-old Reece Robinson,
a Rileys Amateur Qualifier from Hull, rewarded for three victories on the night with a clash against World Championship
runner-up Simon Whitlock in the third round.
Robinson whitewashed Scotland's Hugh Ringland in the preliminary round to begin his charge, and dropped only five legs
in subsequent wins over Danny Pinhorne and Louis Blundell to reach the last 64.
Another eye-catching youngster was Ireland's William O'Connor, who whitewashed Stuart Monaghan in round one with a 94
average and then defeated Stoke's Mark Frost 6-3 to reach the last 32 in his first ever appearance in a major tournament.
"I'm speechless," admitted O'Connor, who drew Lowestoft's Peter Wright in round three. "I'm delighted to win two
matches and I'll prepare myself for Friday night and hopefully do well again."
Bradford's young star Joe Cullen, 20, overcame Darren Latham and Mike Nott to reach the third round, where he meets
world number four Mervyn King.
Other eye-catching third round games include Michael van Gerwen against Gary Anderson, three-time World Champion
John Part against Mark Walsh - who was the leading qualifier for the event with two wins in the eight qualifying
events - and Wes Newton against world number five Terry Jenkins.
2008 UK Open champion James Wade will begin his challenge for a second Bolton title with a clash against Coventry's
Steve Hine, who defeated Ian Gleeson and Melvyn Johnston to progress.
The father-and-son combination of Colin and Arron Monk both won through to round three, with the elder defeating Darren
Johnson 6-4 before cheering his 20-year-old son to a 6-3 win over Nick Fullwell.
Kirk Shepherd, the 2008 World Championship finalist, edged out Adrian Gray 6-4 and now meets Paul Nicholson, who
was a 6-4 winner against Leeds' Dave Smith in round two.
Two-time World Champion Dennis Priestley faces Steve Maish, Adrian Lewis takes on Michael Barnard, Ronnie Baxter
drew York's Chris Thompson and 2009 UK Open runner-up Colin Osborne meets Gibraltar's Dylan Duo.
2004 UK Open champion Roland Scholten's reward for a win over Rileys Amateur Qualifier Joe Palmer is a clash with
Plymouth-based newcomer Simon Cunningham.
Gary Mawson, the runner-up in Bolton two years ago, defeated Essex-based tractor driver Ashley Whisker in the
opening match of the evening but then lost first round 6-4 to Duo who showed a strong performance all evening.
Beside of Robinson three other Riley Amateur Qualifiers played themselves into third round: Tony Broughton,
Pete Fisher and Paul Warwick.
Broughton, from the Isle of Wight and sometimes practice partner of Simon Whitlock, now takes on Kevin McDine,
Oxford's former European powerlifting champion Fisher faces Sussex's Tony Ayres and Milton Keynes-based Warwick
drew Co Stompe.