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Afternoon

PAINTER SEES OFF LEWIS AS WRIGHT, PIPE & DOLAN CLAIM BETVICTOR WORLD MATCHPLAY WINS

KEVIN PAINTER held off BetVictor World Matchplay debutant Jamie Lewis with a 10-7 first round win on Sunday afternoon, as Justin Pipe, Peter Wright and Brendan Dolan joined him in picking up victories at the Winter Gardens.
Painter booked his place in the second round against Simon Whitlock on Tuesday with a strong display against the Welsh youngster, who competed well on his first appearance in Blackpool. Lewis took the game's opening leg, but Painter took five of the next six - hitting a 164 checkout in the process - as he took command of the contest. The 21-year-old, who reached the final of the recent Gibraltar Darts Trophy to qualify for the World Matchplay, pulled back to trail just 6-5 at one stage, taking out a nerveless 104 for a 12-darter in one leg, but Painter landed a fifth 180 of the game as he sealed victory.

"I'm pleased to get through," said Painter. "I expected Jamie to play well and he did, and a couple of times I felt like I had him and he crept back and won a couple of legs, and he made me work hard for it. It's great experience for him and it shows the standard of the young lads coming through - I'm 46 now and he's the standard we've got to put up with! It will be good to be back in the next round and I'd love to stay here all week. I've been playing okay this year and I'm looking forward to playing Simon Whitlock."

World number nine Justin Pipe progressed to a second round clash with Raymond van Barneveld by defeating Mark Webster 10-4, as the Welshman limped throughout the game after tearing ankle ligaments recently playing five-a-side football.
Webster took out 101 as he led 2-0 and the left-hander was also 3-2 up before Pipe won eight of the next nine legs to sweep to victory with an impressive average of 99.24.

"Mark gave it his all and showed because he played really well and showed that for all the talk of his ankle injury, you throw with your hands not your feet!" said Pipe. "Rather than feel sorry for him, I had to go up there and do a job. "There's no friends up there and your fighting for your family, and I took advantage. I'm hitting a lovely bit of form again and I can move on prepare for playing Raymond van Barneveld. It would be great to beat him and reach another quarter-final in the World Matchplay, but it's going to be tough."

Kim Huybrechts became the first seeded player to be knocked out of this year's World Matchplay as he went down 10-4 to Peter Wright, a UK Open semi-finalist last month who continues to impress on the big stage. The pair shared the game's first six legs before Wright took two crucial breaks of throw in a four-leg burst which put him 7-3 up. Belgian ace Huybrechts hit back in leg 11, but Wright landed a 13-darter to regain his edge and took the next two legs to progress to play either Michael van Gerwen or Colin Lloyd.

"I'm very happy with that," said Wright. "Kim's been in great form and it was always going to be a tough game. Getting that first break was so important and I knew I had to break him when I did because the game could have gone all the way. I'll have to improve in the second round because whoever I play out of Michael van Gerwen and Colin Lloyd will be tough. They're both champions and I know what I'll have to do because they're great players."

Northern Ireland's Brendan Dolan picked up his first World Matchplay win with a narrow 10-8 defeat of former World Champion Steve Beaton in the afternoon session's other game. Beaton led 3-1 and 5-2 before Dolan won five successive legs to turn the game on its head and move 7-5 up. The Warwickshire thrower hit back to level, but crucially missed a dart at tops on the 17th leg as Dolan broke to move 9-8 up before he landed a 180 and double eight to seal victory.

"It was a very tough game and it was nip-and-tuck all the way," said Dolan. "Neither of us got into our flow or the way we wanted to play and it was a battle, so it's nice to come through and win when you're not at your best.To win like that against an experienced former World Champion like Steve Beaton can only do my confidence the world of good. There was nothing between us and I'm glad to get through it. Last year I came here and got beaten by Andy Hamilton in the first round, but every player comes here to win it. It's the 32 players who are the best at the minute, but I've got a lot of confidence in myself and I know I've got a chance of winning this." .

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Evening

TAYLOR KO'S KELLETT TO BEGIN BETVICTOR WORLD MATCHPLAY TITLE DEFENCE IN STYLE

Phil Taylor made a winning start to his bid for a 14th BetVictor World Matchplay title by sweeping aside Stuart Kellett in Blackpool on Sunday evening.

Taylor returned to the Winter Gardens stage in typically imperious form, as he began his bid to claim a record sixth successive World Matchplay title, and continue his incredible run of success in the past two decades, with a dominant display.
The World Champion punished Blackpool debutant Kellett for a poor start as he took the game's opening seven legs, hitting a 161 checkout, in ruthless fashion. The 31-year-old landed a 180 and double nine as he finally got off the mark in leg eight, but Taylor finished 96 to restore his cushion, took out 134 to lead 9-1 and sealed victory with a superb 11-darter which featured two 180s.

"It's a great first round for me and it was more comfortable than I thought it would be," said Taylor, who now meets Terry Jenkins in round two on Tuesday. Stuart's a lot better player than he showed tonight - he beat me in a Players Championship a few weeks ago and maybe he had some nerves. I've prepared well and I'm happy to be through. My average of 103 was average really, because a lot of players are hitting those types of scores, but I know Terry will test me in the second round."

Number two seed Michael van Gerwen held off a brave fightback from 2005 champion Colin Lloyd before he progressed to a second round clash with Peter Wright courtesy of a 10-7 victory.
Van Gerwen raced into a five-leg lead before Lloyd, aided by a 120 finish, hit back to trail just 7-6 at one stage, but a key bullseye from the Dutchman denied him the chance to pull level before the Premier League Darts champion edged into the last 16.

"Colin's a brilliant player and he never gave up, so I'm happy to have won that match," said van Gerwen. "I'm really pleased to play so well in the first round because you always want to play well on this stage and I'm proud to do it. Winning the game was most important and I hope I can do well in this tournament.

Former Premier League Darts champion Gary Anderson knocked out number 13 seed Mervyn King with a fine 10-5 victory, showing flashes of his brilliant best as he returned from the illness which recently saw him miss the European Championship. The Scot showed no signs of ill-effects as he took the game's first three legs without reply, and he also led 8-2 before King took the next three to threaten a fightback. Anderson, though, steadied himself with a 177 and an 84 finish as he won a ninth leg, before taking out 76 to progress to a second round clash with 2007 champion James Wade.

"At times it felt pretty good and the trebles were going in and the finishing was fine, but at the back end of the game I started to struggle a bit," said Anderson. "I was telling myself not to throw it away, and I got there in the end. My practise has been going brilliant, so if they can get a bit better on stage I'll be a lot happier. James is very steady and you know what you're going to get against him, so I'll have to dig in."

Dave Chisnall, meanwhile, twice hit back from behind before defeating Paul Nicholson 10-8, claiming his first victory at the Winter Gardens in his third World Matchplay appearance.
Nicholson led 3-1 early on before Chisnall took three of the next four to level, before taking out 121 in a three-leg burst as he moved 7-5 up. Former Players Championship Finals winner Nicholson then took three legs of his own to lead 8-7, but the game had another twist as Chisnall landed the bull to level, double nine to move 9-8 and double eight to seal a narrow victory.

"Paul didn't play his best game and I wasn't at my best, and it was a game where I had to scrap," said Chisnall. "When I was 4-1 down I thought it was going to be like previous years here, but I dug in, pulled it out of the bag and I'm glad to get the victory. Now that I've won here, when I come back on Wednesday I hope I'll be a bit more relaxed and able to play my best darts."

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