Phil Taylor’s bid for another of darts ‘Major’ tournaments goes on!
And he is the last Team Unicorn man standing, after Terry Jenkins was beaten by Mervyn King at the Doncaster Dome on Sunday afternoon.
But Taylor was a convincing winner in the all Unicorn affair against Wes Newton, averaging 103 in a 9-3 win and ‘The Power’ will now take on King in the last four of the Players Championship Finals in Yorkshire.
Newton was on the end of a ‘Power’ surge in their quarter-final….Taylor raced into a 5-0 lead and there was no coming back from there.
But ‘The Warrior’ did battle hard and the next six legs were shared…..in fact, Newton hit five 180s in the match and two 12 darters.
But Taylor was never troubled…..he took out 121 and 104 and his finishing was spot on. If it remains that good, he will take some beating.
He hit his only 180 of the match in the 13th leg and wrapped up victory with another break of the Newton throw on d12 with another 13 darter!
Jenkins tournament ended in disappointment, as he fought back superbly in his quarter-final against King but just couldn’t finish the job off.
The Unicorn man fell 0-4 down, as his opponent banged in finishes of 83, 110 and 88 and King just missed the bull for a 170 check-out and a 5-0 advantage…..that was the signal for the Jenkins comeback.
He won six of the next eight legs to level the match at six apiece! He hit five 180s, and finishes of 100, 86, 81 and 76 and the pendulum looked to be swinging his way.
In fact, Jenkins then hit a 6th 180 and broke King again to move ahead for the first time in the match at 7-6…..sadly though, he couldn’t keep going and King won three consecutive legs, as Jenkins missed doubles, to clinch a 9-7 victory.
It was definitely a missed opportunity for ‘The Bull’ – who now switches his attention to the opening night of the Premier League on Thursday at the O2 Arena in London, when he takes on Raymond van Barneveld.
In the other quarter-finals, Gary Anderson won five straights legs to beat ‘The Pie Man’ Andy Smith 9-5….and he will play the surprise package of the tournament – Steve Farmer.
The Shropshire man shocked Colin Lloyd….winning four consecutive legs from 5-5 to seal the biggest win of his career!
And we will be back with more from Doncaster on the semi-finals and final, later on Sunday night on the Unicorn website.
Quarter-Final results:
Mervyn King 9-7 Terry Jenkins
Wes Newton 3-9 Phil Taylor
Gary Anderson 9-5 Andy Smith
Steve Farmer 9-5 Colin Lloyd
Semi-Final schedule:
Gary Anderson v Steve Farmer
Mervyn King v Phil Taylor
• Meanwhile, Team Unicorn’s former Women’s World Champion Anastasia Dobromyslova suffered disappointment on her return to the BDO…..in her first competitive event, she lost in the last 16 to Karen Lawmen at the Dutch Open.
By STUART PYKE at the Players Championship Finals
Photos courtesy Lawrence Lustig / PDC