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Darryl Fitton 5:3 Tricia Wright

Darryl Fitton survived a thrilling fightback from Tricia Wright before winning their Group F contest 5:3 at the Daily Mirror Grand of Darts.
Wright, the PDC Unicorn Women's World Championship runner-up, had been whitewashed by Raymond van Barneveld in her opening group game, but twice missed darts to lead against Fitton.
After coming from 3-1 down to level, she was made to pay as Fitton took out finishes of 119 and 157 to edge to victory - handing him a lifeline in the tournament ahead of Wednesday's final contest with Raymond van Barneveld.

Fitton opened the match with double six to take the first leg, but Wright took the second despite a 180 from the Stockport ace, hitting double top for a 70 finish. She also had a chance in the third to break throw, missing two darts at double ten for an 80 checkout as Fitton sneaked a 2:1 lead.
He then hit a 177 and a superb 132 checkout - again finishing on double six - to enter the break with a 3-1 advantage. However, Wright returned with scores of 140 and 180 before winning the fifth leg in 13 darts on tops to cut the lead to one - before then hitting another maximum and double 16 to level, raising hopes of emulating Anastasia Dobromyslova's win over Vincent van der Voort in last year's event.

Three ton-plus scores saw her reach the double first in the next, but she missed two darts at tops to lead, and after the second hit double one she missed a further dart at double 19. Fitton returned to the oche to hit the same bed, finishing a superb 118 combination as he moved 4:3 up before hitting a 174 score and 157 checkout to take victory.

"The pressure was on me anyway after I lost the first game against Colin Lloyd but Tricia played fantastically," said Fitton. I'm glad I won the game eventually and I had to pull out some finishes. I've given myself a chance and we'll see how it goes against Raymond now."

Steve Beaton 5:1 Arron Monk

Steve Beaton kick-started his Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts challenge with a superb 5:1 win over Arron Monk in their second Group G game.
Beaton had been defeated by Ronnie Baxter on Sunday in their opener, but bounced back in style with a 100 average against the youngster.

Monk missed two darts to win the opening leg as Beaton secured an immediate repeat of throw with a 14-darter, and he repeated the trick to take the second with a 75 finish despite a 180 from his opponent.
Monk - who reached the PDC Unicorn Under-21 World Championship final recently - landed double ten to get on the scoreboard in leg, but double top gave Beaton a 3:1 cushion at the break.
The former Lakeside Champion found an extra gear after the restart, finishing 96 for a 14-dart leg before hitting his first 180 of the game in sealing victory in the next leg.

Wes Newton 5:4 Michael van Gerwen

Wes Newton kept alive his Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts hopes with a dramatic final-leg defeat of Dutchman Michael van Gerwen in their second Group H contest.
Both players entered the game having lost disappointingly in their opening matches, as van Gerwen went down 5:1 to Phil Taylor and Newton was defeated by Ted Hankey.
The pair raised their game to play out a thriller, with Newton taking a 3.1 lead before van Gerwen edged 4:3 up only to miss his chance for victory in the decider.

Newton punished a missed double top from the 21-year-old to break throw in the game's opening leg, only for van Gerwen to hit back and level with an 86 finish. However, three further missed doubles allowed Newton in to hit double seven in the third before a 66 finish - unconventionally made up of single ten, double 16 and double 12 - put him into a 3:1 lead.
Newton also opened the fifth with a maximum, but double top saw van Gerwen kick-start his challenge before he hit a 180 of his own in levelling in leg six, which was won on double ten. Newton responded with a 180 in the seventh, but two misses at double 16 gave van Gerwen his chance on tops, which the Dutch ace took to lead for the first time at 4:3.
He then hit a 180 and had left 40 in leg eight, only for Newton to post double ten and send the match into a decider. Van Gerwen was first to the finish, but when needing 68 he hit a single one with his first dart, before missing the bullseye for victory before Newton finished 82 on tops to edge the win.

"I was very disappointed to lose the first game but I bounced back and am pleased with that," said Newton. "It was do-or-die for both of us and we had a lot of nerves. But I've come into this event in good form and played well in patches, so hopefully I'll keep improving for my third game against Phil Taylor."

Co Stompe 5:3 Adrian Lewis

Co Stompe won his first ever game at the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts, coming from 3:2 down to win 5.3 in a thriller against Adrian Lewis.
Stompe was a 5:4 loser in his three group games at last year's tournament, and was defeated by Scott Waites in a deciding leg in Sunday's opening group match.

The pair traded the opening two legs but Stompe was left trailing in the third, with Lewis landing double 16 as the Dutchman sat back on 256. Lewis hit a 170 score in the next, but was denied a dart at a double as Stompe landed double ten to level.
Lewis won the fifth with a fine 13-darter on double top to edge 3-2 up, with Stompe replying in 14 darts to square the contest. The Stoke ace looked to have the advantage in the seventh when he left 60, but Stompe took out a brilliant 148 checkout to break throw for the first time and move 4:3 up.
It proved a hammer blow as he hit three ton-plus scores to edge in front in the next before posting double top for the win.

"I'm delighted to finally get my first win and I've got a chance of going through now too," said Stompe. "The 148 was really sweet and a big moment for me in the match."

Scott Waites 5:1 Martin Phillips

Scott Waites booked his second round place at the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts with a brilliant 5:1 win over Martin Phillips - eliminating Adrian Lewis from the tournament in the process.
Waites followed up Sunday's victory over Co Stompe with a fine display in a high-scoring clash with the Welshman, with both players averaging over 103.

While Waites had enough breathing space to miss two darts for the first leg before returning to land double 18, before hitting a 174 score to leave 68 in the second only to miss double eight as Phillips levelled on tops. Waites produced some magic in the next two, with 180s leaving finishes of 86 and 81 which he took out to lead 3:1, although the Welshman paid the price for miscounting in the latter when on 99.
The 2009 runner-up then finished 136 in style to move 4-1 up, before defying another Phillips 180 to take out 90 on double 15 in sealing the win and a second round spot.

The defeat leaves Phillips facing Co Stompe in a winner-takes-all contest on Wednesday, with Waites facing Lewis with the Stoke ace eliminated from the event.

"I'm really pleased with how I played and I hit my doubles when I needed to because Martin was always hot on my heels," said Waites. When he miscounted it gave me a chance and I took advantage."

Paul Nicholson 5:3 Ronnie Baxter

Paul Nicholsonput one foot into the second round of the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts with a 5:3 win over Ronnie Baxter, who must defeat Arron Monk in his final game if he is to progress.
Nicholson, January's Players Championship Finals winner in Purfleet, continued his unbeaten start to the Grand Slam of Darts with another strong display to follow up Sunday's win over Monk.

Nicholson edged the opening leg as the pair initially missed darts at double top before double ten gave him the lead, and the pair then posted 180s in the second as Baxter levelled.
The next two were also shared before Nicholson finished 56 to move 3:2 up, only to then miss four darts to break as Baxter posted double two for the sixth leg. Baxter kicked off the seventh with a 177, but was unable to capitalise on a missed bullseye from Nicholson when he missed two darts at double six and three as the Geordie returned to hit double 16 for a 4;3 lead.
He was then first to a finish in the next, despite three ton-plus scores from Baxter, before taking out 84 on double 18 for a 14-darter to secure a precious win.

"It means a lot to me to win again because I'm trying to get back my confidence after a bad run of form," said Nicholson. "If I play like I have done so far in the tournament in my last group game on Wednesday against Steve Beaton and keep gaining confidence then hopefully I can kick on if I reach the knockout stages."

Baxter must now defeat Monk on Wednesday in their final group game, and admitted: "My doubles failed me a couple of times and that proved the difference. It's a short format and you've got to get in and out as quickly as possible, and I'll have to do that against Arron on Wednesday."

Colin Lloyd 5:3 Raymond van Barneveld

Colin Lloyd ensured a spot in the last 16 of the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts, defeating Raymond van Barneveld 5:3 to pick up a second successive victory.
Lloyd backed up from Sunday's narrow win over Darryl Fitton with another strong performance to book his second round place, meaning van Barneveld now takes on Fitton on Wednesday for a place in the last 16.

The Dutchman began the contest well, hitting a 14-darter to open the game before Lloyd matched his double top to level. The Essex ace also missed three darts to break in the third, but when van Barneveld saw one dart at double 16 go begging in the next he took his reprieve on double four.
Lloyd then fired in a 180 and double nine to lead 3:1 at the break before van Barneveld landed a 180 and double four to hit back in the fifth leg. He was waiting on eight in the next to level the game as Lloyd responded to the pressure with a 14-darter, finishing in style with a 96 checkout.
Van Barneveld bettered that with a 180 and a 91 finish in an 11-darter to pull back to 4:3, but Lloyd landed three ton-plus scores to be first to the finish in the next, and took out 64 in two darts for victory.

"Raymond missed a few doubles and I hit a few at crucial times which won it for me," said Lloyd. "It's a very tough tournament and we're all having to work hard in this group, but I'm very pleased to be through."

Van Barneveld added: "It was strange to lose because I felt comfortable on stage but Colin got ahead of me at 3:1 and it was hard to get back because he's a high scorer and a class player. It will be hard again when I play Darryl but I know what I have to do and that's to win, simple as that."

Ted Hankey 5:4 Phil Taylor

Reigning champion Phil Taylor was stunned by Potteries rival Ted Hankey in a deciding leg thriller to seal his own place in the second round of the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts.
Hankey had crashed out in the group stage of last year's Grand Slam when, as the reigning Lakeside Champion, he lost two of his three matches in the round-robin phase. However, he remains unbeaten after two matches in Group H and is now guaranteed a second round berth following a superb performance, in which he averaged almost 104 and hit four 180s.
Taylor, playing for only the second time competitively whilst wearing glasses, found himself 2:0 down before taking the game into a decider, but failed to pressurise Hankey and must now defeat Wes Newton to stay in the event on Wednesday.

Hankey started the game in style with a 15-darter in the opening leg, finished on double three, and a 13-dart checkout to break throw and lead 2:0.
Double eight got Taylor onto the scoreboard in the third, before double five with a high-pressure last dart - as Hankey waited on 40 - saw him level the match.
Both players stepped up a gear after the break, with a 12-dart finish from Hankey bettered by an 11-darter from Taylor, who hit a 180 and a 90 finish of bullseye and double top. Hankey hit his second maximum of the match and an 81 finish with another 12-dart leg as he moved 4:3 up and to the brink of victory - only to then see two match darts go begging at double 19 in the eighth leg.
Taylor, who had left 32 with successive scores of 180 and 174, landed double eight to send the game into a decider, only to then hit only one ton in the final leg. Hankey opened with a fourth maximum of the game and also added a 140 before hitting double five for a 14-dart finish to claim a memorable triumph.

"I'm really happy because I played well and am delighted with the win," said Hankey. "Phil came back at me well but I held on and am very pleased. I felt I let myself down last year but I had a tough time. I've got through my shoulder problems and I was really looking forward to coming back to Wolverhampton, so to be in the last 16 is great."

Taylor admitted: "Ted outplayed me. My darts were clipping the wires just on the wrong side and I know I didn't play as well as I can. I'm struggling with the glasses and because it's new for me I'm thinking about it all the time, but I've got to get used to them. I'll have a tough challenge against Wes Newton on Wednesday but both of us know the task and we probably prefer a shoot-out between us to see who gets through. I'll get ready and I'll be up for it."

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