Phil Taylor, Paul Nicholson and Colin Osborne are to battle it out in the last four at the Players Championship Finals.
They’ll be joined in the semi-finals by Mervyn King, who will face Osborne, while Taylor and Nicholson will come face-to-face after ‘The Power’ held off a great challenge from Colin Lloyd.
Taylor was pushed all the way for the second consecutive day but had just enough in the tank and he had to average 106.44 to keep Lloyd at bay.
Lloyd, who finished with an average of 101, gave it a real go and certainly shocked Taylor, who had beaten him 9-0 at the same stage 12 months ago in Purfleet.
Taylor won the opening two legs but Lloyd stormed back to break the Taylor throw three times. He hit six perfect darts in one leg and took out 80 and 84 to stun ‘The Power’
The Unicorn star had to dig deep and he broke back to level at 5-5 and won back-to-back legs to take control once again, but Lloyd wasn’t finished yet!
Lloyd nailed 130 and 121 finishes and trailed only 8-7…..Taylor though started the next leg with a 177 and D8 took him over the finishing line….but what a match!
And we witnessed two cracking all Unicorn quarter-finals!
Lewis flattered to deceive again as Nicholson clinched one of the biggest wins of his life, while Osborne held his nerve to see off Newton.
Since reaching the final of the UK Open last June, Osborne had suffered five consecutive 1st Round exits in TV ‘Majors’ until this tournament and he showed tremendous spirit to reach the last four and a guarantee of at least £15,000.
Newton has never beaten Osborne and this heartbreaking setback means he has now lost all seven matches against ‘The Wizard’
He started really well, racing into a 6-3 lead, despite a 141 finish from Osborne…..in the 10th leg, Osborne hit six perfect darts and those back-to-back 180s were crucial because having got back to 6-4, he took charge after Newton was clearly affected by the second commercial break.
Osborne reeled off five consecutive legs to go 8-6 in front and he should have wrapped it up but missed three darts at D16 and D8 for a 9-6 victory.
Newton found some terrific finishing from somewhere – hitting 96 to win that 15th leg and then taking out 124 on the bull to force the decider!
Newton threw first in that final leg but Osborne always had the edge and after just missing the bull for a 122 to win it, he clinched victory with D4.
“It was a real battle,” said Osborne. “But I was very pleased with the way I kept going. Hopefully, there is more to come!”
“Gutted!” was the Newton verdict. “From 6-3 in front, I should have closed the match out ,” he said.
Nicholson/Lewis was another thriller.
Lewis started the match with a 180 but missed five darts at a double and Nicholson broke the throw. ‘The Asset’ kept his nose in front with finishes of 101 and 106 but Lewis was still in touch and a 124 on the bull and a fifth maximum saw him break back to level at 5-5.
Lewis’s seventh 180 helped him take the lead for the first time in the match at 7-6 but he lost focus and Nicholson won three straight legs to clinch an astonishing win.
He averaged 93 to Lewis’ 97.5 but ‘Jackpot’ couldn’t cash in and he only has himself to blame for another quarter-final defeat, while Nicholson celebrated reaching the semi-finals of a ‘TV Major’ for the first time in his career.
“It’s been a great few days for me,” said Nicholson. “I feel that I am reaping the rewards for all the hard work I have put in since the World Championship.”
Quarter-Final results:
Paul Nicholson 9-7 Adrian Lewis
Wes Newton 8-9 Colin Osborne
Phil Taylor 9-7 Colin Lloyd
Wayne Jones 2-9 Mervyn King
Losers - £10,000
Semi-Finals (best of 19 legs):
Colin Osborne v Mervyn King
Paul Nicholson v Phil Taylor
By STUART PYKE at the Circus Tavern
Photo courtsey Lawrence Lustig / PDC