By Harry Eddolls, in Blackpool
A thrilling Sunday of darts continued this evening at the World Matchplay at the Winter Gardens. Tonight saw some electric performances, and the introduction of many major winners.
MATCH 1: GARY ANDERSON vs LUKE WOODHOUSE
The first match saw the 2018 champion Gary Anderson face Englishman Luke Woodhouse. It was Woody who started the brightest, taking the first two legs, which included a sublime 167 out in leg two. It wouldn’t take long for Anderson to make his mark however, as he stormed through the next three legs to take the lead into the first interval.
He started well in the second session, breaking to put himself 4-2 up, but then Woodhouse found some form, breaking straight back before holding to draw himself level at 4-4. The pair then traded legs to finish off the session, and leave the match locked at 5-5 heading into the final session.
That would turn out to be the last leg that Woodhouse would win, as Anderson stormed through the final session, securing a 10-5 victory and becoming only the third seed to progress to round two.
MATCH 2: JONNY CLAYTON vs MARTIN SCHINDLER
The next game saw a battle between the Welsh and German number ones, namely Jonny Clayton and Martin Schindler. The Welshman started brilliantly, roaring into a 3-0 lead. The third leg began a spell of three straight breaks of throw which left The Ferret 4-1 up going into the second session.
That began with four straight holds of throw, to leave Clayton 6-3 up. Schindler was the one who found the first break of the session in the final leg before the interval, to reduce the deficit to two.
The German immediately lost his break back however, before Clayton held to make the score 8-4. That began another spell of four straight holds, which included the only ton-plus checkout of the match, a 108 from Clayton in leg 14. The Wall found a break in leg 16, but that was only delaying the inevitable, as The Ferret broke straight back to secure a 10-7 victory, and condemn Schindler to yet another first round defeat at the Winter Gardens.
MATCH 3: LUKE LITTLER vs RYAN SEARLE
Next to take to the oche was the firm favourite and reigning world champion Luke Littler, who faced fellow Englishman Ryan Searle. The opening session turned into a decimation, as Littler stormed through every leg, including taking a 126 out in leg two, to take a 5-0 lead into the interval.
The Nuke won the first leg back with a 102 out, before Searle prevented a whitewash by taking leg seven. This was just a bump in the road to the world champion however, who got firmly back on track, taking the next two legs to put himself 8-1 up and within touching distance of the match. Heavy Metal would get the last laugh in the session though, breaking to go in at 8-2 down.
The match would not last much longer however, as Littler picked off two more legs to secure a dominant 10-2 victory, with a staggering 108.92 average.
MATCH 4: STEPHEN BUNTING vs RYAN JOYCE
The final match was another clash of Englishman, this time between Stephen Bunting and Ryan Joyce. The opening session was a cagey affair with moments of brilliance. Joyce took the first leg before Bunting replied with three in a row, including a nice 102 out in leg three. Relentless found a ton-plus of his own, a 116, to reduce the deficit to 3-2 going into the first break.
The next session started with a trade of legs between the pair, before a break from Joyce got him back on level terms at 4-4. Bunting immediately broke back however, before holding to go in to the final interval with a 6-4 lead.
Bunting’s run of legs stretched to four at the start of the final session, making it 8-4, and seemingly leaving him in cruise control. It wouldn’t last however, as Joyce found a spell, himself going on a four leg run to bring himself back from the brink and level the match at 8-8. The Bullet would not let the comeback be complete however, and kept his composure to break in leg 17 before holding in leg 18 to record a 10-8 victory, and ensure a clean sweep for the seeds in tonight’s matches.