I fancy Beaton to bt Webster tonight. Had a single and a small treble with Barney & Lewis too.

Anyone give Dennis Ovens a chance tomorrow against Whitlock. I didnt see Whitlocks game but Ovens performed very well against Baxter last night and at first glance, 3/1 with Hills for Ovens looked value.

Fair play to Webby many have failed to recover after week to week thrashings in the Premier League but he has come out of it a better player and tactically he did it right tonight when he could easily have let Beaton get away and when he had his chances to kick on he did in style. Probably still a bit to find with the very top players but certainly moving in the right direction mentally.

The 158 checkout from Webster changed the game. All the way it was nip and tuck until that break took the stuffing out of Beaton.

Oh well back to the drawing board.... Mr Ovens !!

Has a chance...Wright should have beaten him but will Whitlock be so poor again???

Nope. It was the first round, just a case of getting through for Whitlock. I'm not too fussed that he didn't play that well. Lewis was on verge of defeat, should've lost and Taylor was pegged back so it's not unusual. I don't agree Wright should've beaten him.

I don't know who I dislike more Lewis or Keith fooking Deller - together a horrid partnership, he won one very very lucky world title, that's it and Sky cream off him for it. It's pathetic. Now he's got his own sports management company

Im still stuck on Crackpot. One minute I like the way he plays, the next when hes getting beat he looks dissinterested and throws wherever just to get out of the game.

Still, you cant blame him for making his money from the World Title.

Wright made it easier by falling to bits at the end but I guess that is why he is bottom end of the top 50 and Whitlock is top 6 but you are right qualifying is what counts and to be fair I do not fancy Ovens at those odds but would not totally right him off.

He does a good job Nicholson playing the villain because I'd like to slap him

Asif you couldn't like Nicholson even more, he's pulling CM Punk imitations off on stage!

No I wouldn't write him off either, I agree with you on that. He's found some great form over the last 12/18 months and is playing the best for years so he has a chance especially if Whitlock turns up like he did last night. Wright did fall to pieces but as you say that's not a total surprise and was confident Whitlock would come through, maybe I'm biased because I've back him at 14/1







Paul Nicholson, you were taught a lesson tonight lad, just play your darts. You beat Taylor once and start shouting your mouth off saying you'll put him to bed next time you play him and then you go straight out with a whimper against Barney

What was with those x on his hands too

I think Sky nailed what is going on with Nicholson when they asked Barney if he was ready for the Premier League. As it stands the top 6 are no brainers to get in, Jenkins will be out I suspect so with a long way to go it looks a short list of Newton, Webster and Nicholson for the other 2 and I think the "bad boy" knows exactly what he is doing and elevating himself to a publicity status his darts probably do not deserve yet.

I think we can expect more outspoken antics at each tournament from here on in and if he feels he was taught a leason by Barney will he learn from it...I have my doubts.

I'm getting fed up with Nicholson being constantly referred to as "The Geordie Aussie" - no rational reason why it just seems to grind my gears. Or maybe it's just Sid Waddell that's annoying me.

Am hoping they put the Quarters from the bottom half on the draw on tomorrow evening - i.e. Webster v Lewis and Barney v Wade
These should be the prime time Quarters with due respect to (potentially) Taylor v Newton and Hamilton v Whitlock
Don't think they will though as the bottom half have had their matches first all week

And it's the evening quarters we're going to tomorrow so rather selfishly want to see what should be the better ones.
Barney v Wade on last tomorrow night would have a cracking atmosphere - better than any of the other ties would do

Would love to get a winner on the darts but no luck so far. I'll try again. Left Ovens alone at 3/1, just wasnt sure about him.

Hamilton @ 4/6 to beat Henderson. You cant knock Hamiltons performance in knocking out Anderson. Hopefully he will stick to his bullseyes.
Doubled with Newton to bt Piper @ 2/7. No major value, I just hate the way Piper throws, in fact when he steps up, I'll stroll to the kitchen, put the kettle on, add a bit of coffee to a cup and a little milk. Once the water has boiled, he will still be on dart 3.

Brilliant. He does take an age to throw though, to be fair he played well tonight but came up against a brilliant Wes Newton, really is in fine form at the minute, will give Taylor a game and has every chance of winning that match.

Taylor v Newton & Barney v Wade tonight

Really looking forward to Barney v Wade. Hope their both on form and it ends up being a 70-68 like Isner & Mahut at Wimbledon last year!!

Setting off for Blackpool shortly ...

I can't believe what I've just witnessed, how the fook did Whitlock lose that. Unbelievable.

Only started watching when Hamilton pulled within 2 legs

Been out last night so never saw the semi finals. I see that it was too much for Hamilton. Hopefully Wade does the business tonight, and stops lard from winning another title.

Wade averaging 100+ for most if not all of the contest and getting mullered, think talk of Taylor's demise has been greatly exagerated though if he can back it up with the lower key European Championship this weekend remains to be seen.

Taylor's been at his imperious best this week, probably the best I've seen him play in a long time. The determination was there from day 1, Sky have been bleating on all week about it being the only TV major that he currently holds so he was determined to retain. I, like Wire Fanatic, was hoping Wade would keep his good form up and would at least push Taylor but there was no living with the way he threw in the second session of the match. Game was over then. Taylor's week was summed up against Wes Newton 4-1 down and in leg 6 Newton was sitting on 32 Taylor takes out 150, leg 7 Newton sitting on 65 Taylor takes out 128, leg 8 Taylor again takes out 128 - from nowhere it's 4-4. Against anyone else Newton would've been looking at 6-2 or 5-3 by leg 8 and all of a sudden he's level, Newton's can't believe what's going on - Taylor walks away with it. It'll be interesting to see if he can keep it up at the European Championship this week or if it was the Blackpool determination that got him home this week.

I think this week could be a massive chance for Newton, a good showing in Germany where he is in the opposite side of the draw to Taylor gives him a chance to become one of the players you expect to see at the business end of tournaments and hopefully he will have no mental scars from the Taylor onslaught where as you say he had to be at his very very best and if he performs like that against anyone else they will not peg him back so easily.

Hard luck.
Much as I wanted Wade to win,you can`t take anything away from Taylor.
The number of times "he is finished" then goes on to blast quality players away is quite amusing.

Euro Championships on soon.

Co Stompe to bt M King
A Tabern to bt C Lloyd
M Webster to bt T Jenkins

Well played Merv King, brilliant.