Paul Nicholson and Phil Taylor will go head-to-head again in another mouth-watering TV showdown – this time in the quarter-finals of the Grand Slam.
The all Unicorn match-up will be billed as another grudge game on Saturday night in Wolverhampton….
Since the war of words in the summer after Nicholson knocked Taylor out of the UK Open, ‘The Power’ has won their last seven meetings and after hammering in a record-busting 112.37 average to beat Wes Newton 10-3, he remains a massive favourite to win the GSOD for a fourth time!
Newton had no answers, as Taylor recorded the highest ever three-dart average in the history of the Grand Slam, while Nicholson showed some character and courage to come back and take out Steve Beaton 10-8 in another thriller.
But Taylor is still THE man to beat.
“I didn’t think about the average…all I knew is that Wes is a very dangerous opponent and even when I went 4-0 up, I got nervous for some reason, but perhaps that is a good sign.”
“I can’t wait to play Paul now. It will be one helluva game! He is a great character and good for the sport. I am sure what he has said in the past is just bravado and I do like him….honest!”
Taylor added: “The two players I love to sit at home and watch are Paul and Ted Hankey….they do irritate me, but they are great to watch!”
But you had to feel for Wesley Newton, because there was nothing he could do up against Taylor’s latest ‘Power Packed’ performance.
In those first four legs, there were two 12 darters, an 11 dart leg, two 180s and a 116 finish!
Newton actually held his own for a while, as the next six legs were shared, but he was never going to challenge Taylor from 3-7 down.
And Taylor won four consecutive legs to close out the win…..they hit four 180s each but what about Taylor’s finishing? He hit 10 doubles from 14 attempts - a 71% check-out success rate.
But Nicholson showed just why he is now classed as one of the best in the business!
He came from 3-6 down to clinch a terrific win over Beaton at the Wolves Civic and he couldn’t hide his delight at what he had achieved.
“Under pressure, I came up with some big shots when it mattered. Steve brought the best out of me, but I know there is more to come!”
Nicholson went on: “I was brought up the hard way and I do darts the hard way too! I will only get better and I am ready for whatever Saturday throws at me.”
The big turning point came in the 10th leg…..Beaton had left himself on ‘tops’ to go 7-3 up, only for Nicholson to take out a brilliant 82 finish….it changed the game.
Instead of trailing 7-3, it was 6-4 and Nicholson then went on a golden run of tungsten!
He won SIX consecutive legs to go from 3-6 down to 9-6 in front…..this run included two 11 darters, two 180s, a 121 check-out and a two dart 88 finish as well.
Beaton managed to get two legs back and Nicholson just missed ‘tops’ for a 145 to win it 10-7, but he made no mistake in the next leg.
‘The Asset’ started with a fabulous 180 and nailed D8 to take his place in the quarter-finals.
Elsewhere on Friday night, Mark Webster came from 8-5 down to win five straight legs and beat his mentor Martin Phillips.
And he will take on Adrian Lewis in the quarter-finals after the World Champion just edged out John Part 10-8
Lewis was 8-2 and 9-3 in front and nearly blew it!
Friday night 2nd Round results:
Paul Nicholson 10-8 Steve Beaton
Mark Webster 10-8 Martin Phillips
Phil Taylor 10-3 Wes Newton
Adrian Lewis 10-8 John Part
Saturday quarter-finals (best of 31 legs):
2pm:
Mark Walsh v Ted Hankey
Gary Anderson v Terry Jenkins
7pm:
Mark Webster v Adrian Lewis
Paul Nicholson v Phil Taylor
By STUART PYKE at the Grand Slam
Photos courtesy Lawrence Lustig / PDC