For James Wade – an easy passage to the World Championship last 16….for Kevin Painter – more difficult than it should have been.
But the Unicorn duo can really celebrate Christmas after booking their tickets through to the 3rd Round at the Alexandra Palace.
Wade swept aside the challenge of Dutchman Jelle Klaasen 4-0, while Painter was eventually taken to a final set before beating Mark Walsh.
But Painter was on the big stage at the Ally Pally for at least 40 minutes longer than he should have been, after missing two darts at ‘tops’ to win the match by 4 sets to 1.
Of course, ‘The Artist’ is in the form of his life after winning the Players Championship Finals and he will be pleased that, in the end, he held it all together to beat Walsh 4-3.
“I was still too nervy up there,” he said. “I know that I should have wrapped it all up at 4-1 and I was pretty annoyed with myself. It shouldn’t have gone to seven sets, but it has been a fantastic month and I am just enjoying winning at the moment.”
Painter will now take on either John Part or Richie Burnett in the last 16.
He took out 120 and 112 to take the opening set and although Walsh levelled the match, Painter took control, winning five consecutive legs to lead by three sets to one.
In that little run, two 180, a 96 check-out followed by an 81 finish and an 11 darter! In fact during the fourth set, Painter averaged nearly 113!
But he suffered a wobble after failing to wrap up a 4-1 win….needing 57, he hit single 17 but missed the two darts at D20…..and back came a battling Walsh.
Painter started to miss doubles, Walsh started to hit them and all of a sudden, it was three sets apiece.
However, there was absolutely no way that Painter was going to throw it away! He held his own throw and then nailed a quite brilliant 134 finish to break Walsh, before an 83 finish sealed the win.
Great stuff again from ‘The Artist’ who has done his hopes of getting a Premier League wildcard spot no harm at all, that’s for sure!
Wade was at his ruthless best….a clinical destruction of Klaasen.
Unicorn’s World No.3 was just too good, averaging 96 and dropping only four legs, but you had the feeling that he had plenty left in the tank.
“It is a step closer to what I want to achieve and it was a lot more enjoyable,” he said. “I have never really done enough at the World Championship have I? Maybe this time!”
Incredibly, Wade won the first five legs of the match, winning every single one of them on D10! The Dutchman did finally stop the rot, but Wade hit ‘tops’ to go two sets clear.
Klaasen had his big chance in the third set, as he went two legs clear....he missed ‘tops’ for a 160 finish to win the set and then blew two more chances in the next leg at D18 and D9. Wade stepped in with each miss and surprise, surprise, he made it 3-0 with yet another hit on D10.
And Wade completed the demolition, winning the fourth set by 3 legs to 1……it was much easier than Wade could have imagined, but job done and as he said, he is another step closer to achieving his dream!
But this was ‘The Machine’ at his professional best.
• And it just remains for everyone at Unicorn to wish all darts fans around the world a very Happy Christmas.
We will be back reporting from the Alexandra Palace on December 27.
Four Team Unicorn stars will be in action.
Terry Jenkins plays Co Stompe, Andy Hamilton faces Vincent van der Voort, Phil Taylor meets Dave Chisnall and Paul Nicholson goes head-to-head with Alan Tabern.
By STUART PYKE
Photos courtesy Lawrence Lustig / PDC