Webby 4 – 8 The Bull
The misery continued for Mark Webster in Liverpool as he suffered his eighth consecutive defeat, this time at the hands of the Raging Bull. The Welshman has endured a nightmare debut season in the league and is still languishing at the foot of the table.
Webster started more brightly than he has done in recent weeks as he comfortably held throw in the first leg, although Jenkins mirrored this in the second.
The game was shaping up nicely as the third and fourth went with throw and then Webby kicked off the fifth with the first maximum of the contest on his way to taking the lead for the third time. The Bull wasn’t going to let up though as an 11-darter in the sixth saw him level it up going into the break.
The interval proved a turning point though as The Bull charged back onto the stage with another 11-darter and the first break of throw. Webby had a dart to break straight back, but he couldn’t capitalise and Jenkins kept up his 100% checkout rate eliminating 82 in two darts.
Webster again missed chances in the ninth and Jenkins continued his merciless streak, again only needing one dart at double tops to go 6-3 ahead. The 100% record was never going to last the whole match though as Jenks missed three in the tenth and Webby picked up his fourth leg.
That was as good as it got for the Welshman though as Jenkins reeled off the last two and took the game 8-4.
Jenkins kept his slim hopes of qualification alive, and he will keep fighting until the very end, although it seems it will be too late for The Bull. Webster just wants this tournament to end.
The Flying Scotsman 3 – 8 The Power
It wasn’t nearly as close as everyone had hoped between the two men who have dominated the league so far, and simply confirmed Phil Taylor’s supremacy at the top of the table.
It started ominously for Anderson, who so rarely loses on his own throw, as Taylor broke throw in the very first leg as a 180 set up, bizarrely, double two which he just about finished off. He then took the second with the Scot way back on 206.
A maximum from Anderson in the third wasn’t enough to get him on the scoreboard as Taylor matched him and then finished off 97 in two darts to go three up.
There didn’t seem to be anything Anderson could do as even when he kicked off the fourth leg with a 180 then a 140 he still managed to be pipped to the post as The Power hit another maximum and finished off 94.
Dreamboy finally got a leg on the board though in the fifth as he held throw to stay within three legs. He then kicked off the next with yet another maximum, the sixth of the contest, but missed a dart at the bull which let Taylor back in and yet again he only needed one dart to take out tops and go in at the break 5-1 up.
Anderson rallied after the interval with a 105 checkout followed by a 14-darter to get him up to three legs, but Taylor was never going to throw it away, and wrapped up a comfortable victory.
Barney 7 – 7 The Machine
The Dutchman showed the resolve that he has rediscovered this year as he didn’t really perform but managed to snatch a draw against a man in a lot better form.
Wade came flying out of the blocks as he immediately broke throw on his favourite double 10, but showed some fragility as he missed three at tops in the second and Barney broke straight back.
The match settled into a more familiar rhythm with the next four going with throw with Barneveld taking out 124 in the fifth and the match going in level at the break.
There didn’t seem to be much pressure on the throw as Barney held throw again I the seventh, but then it all changed as the Dutchman expertly took out 121 to go two ahead for the first time.
Wade wasn’t to be denied though as he hit a 180 and then checked out 125 to take the ninth leg. The Machine then opened the tenth with two maximums and ended with an 11-darter to level things up again.
The next two went with throw but the thirteenth was the key leg as Barney couldn’t finish it off after opening up a big lead. Wade eventually had one dart at double 13 for a key break but missed it and the Dutchman eventually finished off double 2 to guarantee a draw.
Wade wasn’t going to throw the point away though as he finished off 138 to make it 7-7.
The statistics show that The Machine had an average ten points higher than Barney and a checkout rate of 8% better so he was understandably frustrated not to take two points from the match. He certainly isn’t out of it yet though and could well nick that last play-off spot.
Jackpot 8 – 5 The Wizard
A critical game in the race for fourth and the World Champion showed his class by coming through it with flying colours giving himself the advantage in the play-off tussle.
The match looked like it was going to be of the highest quality from the start as the first two legs featured a 180 in each and a 100 followed by a 90 finish which saw both going with throw.
The third leg was key though as Whitlock has three darts to break Lewis early on but couldn’t manage it and Jackpot had no trouble finishing off 60 to go back into the lead, and then he showed the Aussie how to break in style by taking out 87 in two darts to take the fourth. The World Champion then continued his exhibition in finishing as he got rid of 91 to go 4-1 up and keep his 100% checkout rate.
The Wizard is not one to give up though and he needed just one dart at tops to stay in touch at 4-2 and then he stormed back out after the interval, hitting a 180 and breaking Lewis to beg him back further.
Both men were feeling the pressure in the eighth though as Lewis missed three darts to break and Whitlock missed seven, but he still took the leg and levelled the match up.
The Aussie’s scoring was magnificent as he hit three treble 18s on his way to having two darts at tops, but his finishing had deserted him, and Lewis stepped in to move ahead again. This showed how quickly the tables can turn in the Premier League as Lewis found his rhythm again, hitting a maximum and winning the leg to go 6-4 up.
It really looked like Whitlock had had it at the start of the eleventh as Lewis only kicked off with a 55, but the Aussie could only match his score and failed to capitalise. Jackpot responded with successive 180s and took the leg to secure the draw.
Whitlock took the next with a 91 finish but Lewis wouldn’t be denied on his own throw as he won the match in supreme style taking out 106 to seal the victory.
It really was a crucial win for the World Champion, who thanks to Wade’s result has moved into the all-important fourth spot. Vitally Jackpot doesn’t have to face the league leader again, although his main competitors Wade and Whitlock do so he really does have the edge. The Aussie will really have to find the form that seems to have deserted him, and find it very quickly indeed.
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