Last year’s finalist Jeff Smith will face three-time world champion Martin Adams in the second-round of the BDO World Championship after coming from behind to defeat Brian Dawson, as Geert de Vos, Paul Hogan and Lorraine Winstanley all tasted victory at the Lakeside Country Club on Monday evening.
Smith reeled off five consecutive legs to come from behind to dump out twelfth seed Brian Dawson in a topsy-turvy affair. Smith won four of the opening five legs, before Dawson stormed into a 2-1 lead after recording six straight legs. However, ‘The Silencer’ recovered to prevail with a 91.71 average and a 59% checkout success rate.
The 41-year-old defeated Dawson 4-1 in round-two twelve months ago, but he was made to sweat as he defeated the Yorkshireman at Lakeside for the second year in succession. In round-two, the Canadian will face three-time world champion Martin Adams in a repeat of their first-round clash in 2016, where Smith recorded a shock straight sets triumph.
Dawson started the contest sluggishly as Smith hit tops to win the opening two legs in 17 and 16 darts respectively. ‘Doggy’ opened his account on D16, but ‘The Silencer’ was unfazed and converted a regulation 53 checkout on D18 to wrap up the opening set.
The Canadian had the darts in set two and continued his clinical start by cleaning up a two-dart 52 kill. However, he then spurned two darts at double for a 68 finish and Dawson exploited this reprieve; converting a vital 84 finish on the bull to level.
This finish appeared to galvanise the Yorkshire ace, who registered another clinical outshot to break Smith; pegging D5 to complete a 90 checkout. Dawson then continued his revival by restoring parity at one apiece after producing the best leg of the contest; pinning D16 to round-off an emphatic 14-dart hold.
The twelfth seed maintained his momentum after the break. He posted back-to-back maximums and hit D16 at the seventh attempt to hold, before following up three 140’s with a 14-darter to secure his fifth successive leg. Smith had no answer, and ‘Doggy’ completed a two-dart 60 kill with consummate ease to wrap up set three.
Last year’s Lakeside finalist was at the point of no return, but he demonstrated great tenacity to respond. He stopped the rot with a 16-dart hold, but Dawson was relentless and crashed in his third maximum before levelling the set inside 14 darts.
Nevertheless, Smith managed to temper Dawson’s barrage of scoring and regained the lead with a clinical 76 outshot, before landing his first maximum and taking out 80 for a majestic 12-dart leg to force a fifth and final set.
The final set was a very one-sided affair. Dawson squandered three darts at double to hold in the opening leg and Smith took advantage via D8. The Canadian then extended his cushion on D16 after Dawson failed to register a shot at the bullseye from 85, before ‘The Silencer’ completed his comeback with a classy 118 finish to progress to round-two.
Geert de Vos produced one of the performances of the tournament thus far as he defeated impressive debutant Raymond Smith in straight sets, to set up a last 16 clash with second seed Scott Mitchell. The Belgian averaged 96.96 en route to victory, but the scoreline doesn’t do justice to Smith’s valiant performance.
The Australian qualifier performed significantly better than he did in Sunday’s preliminary tie; averaging 92.19 and landing four maximums. All three sets went to fifth and deciding legs, but the fifteenth seed ultimately produced the goods when necessary to round-off a very convincing display.
The opening set was a real high-quality affair. Smith kicked off with a maximum and sealed a 14-dart break via D8, but De Vos levelled with a 72 outshot. Smith secured the third successive break with another 14-darter after De Vos missed three at tops, but the Belgian broke once more in 13 darts, before sealing the set with a majestic 136 finish.
The Australian responded by hitting his second maximum and completing a 13-darter on D16 to kick off set two, but De Vos’ riposte saw him square the set inside 14 darts with a clinical two-dart 80 kill.
The 2015 BDO World Trophy winner wired the bull for a 161 checkout, which would have been a 12-dart break of throw, but ‘The Guru’ sank a nerveless 72 finish on tops to regain the initiative. De Vos then pinned D18 to force another set decider, before firing in an excellent leg against the darts; again nailing D8 to round-off a 15-darter.
The 35-year-old Belgian won a scrappy opening leg after the interval on D8, but Smith fought back and secured a precious hold after producing a nerveless 72 finish. De Vos then moved to the cusp of victory after sinking a superb 116 checkout with Smith poised on D16 after 12 darts, but the Australian refused to relent.
The Lakeside debutant registered his fourth maximum and converted a 14-darter to save the match and heap the pressure on De Vos, but the fifteenth seed appeared completely unperturbed.
The Belgian opened the leg with his first maximum and clinched victory with a classy 13-darter on tops, to equal Glen Durrant’s 96.96 average posted in his first-round victory against talented Welshman Nick Kenny.
Former World Championship quarter-finalist Paul Hogan survived a valiant fightback from former World Master Martin Phillips to prevail in a deciding set. The preliminary qualifier won seven of the opening eight legs as he stormed into a two-set lead, but Phillips fought back bravely, winning six of the following nine legs to level.
Nevertheless, the Welshman’s fightback ultimately ended in vain, as Hogan secured his progression with a solid 91.62 average and two maximums to set up a second-round clash with top seed and red-hot favourite Glen Durrant. Phillips displayed impressive resolve, but became the second seed to depart this year’s World Championship.
Hogan made a strong start to clinch the opening set without reply. ‘Crocodile Dundee’ kicked off proceedings with a 78 finish, before extending his lead on D18 having wired the same target for a 114 finish in the preceding visit. The Englishman then posted successive 140’s to leave 100 after 9 darts, before wrapping up the set with a 16-dart leg via D5.
The former BDO Gold Cup winner missed two darts for a fourth straight leg as Phillips opened his account by taking out 35. However, Hogan then landed his first maximum and converted a two-dart 70 kill to level, before breaking on D4 having earlier missed the bull for a 161 outshot. Phillips was floundering and Hogan pounced; doubling his lead on D16.
Hogan held early in set three, but the Welshman responded with three consecutive 140’s and a clinical 81 finish on D16 for a 12-dart leg. The Englishman then pegged D18 to move to the cusp of victory, but the 16th seed produced a nerveless 66 kill to stay alive, before stealing the set by hitting D10 with his last dart to round-off a 56 checkout.
‘Crocodile Dundee’ was shell-shocked as he appeared in cruise control, and Phillips recorded his third successive leg via D8. Hogan stopped the rot by rounding-off a 16-dart hold on D10, but the 53-year-old was punished for missed doubles in each of the next two legs, as the Welshman pinned D10 and D5 respectively to force a fifth and final set.
Hogan held throw in the opening leg of set five after Phillips wired D7 for a 122 outshot. The 56-year-old responded by hitting tops to level the set, but Hogan fired back by pinning D10 to wrestle back the initiative. Phillips was throwing to save the match, but the Basingstoke ace followed up his 14th 140 with a clinical 78 kill on D6 to seal the win.
Lorraine Winstanley cruised through to the quarter-finals in the women’s section after whitewashing Anca Zijlstra. The fifth seed progressed without dropping a leg; averaging 74.52 and converting 46% of her attempts at double, as Zijlstra couldn’t replicate the form that saw her stun Anastasia Dobromyslova on this stage twelve months ago.
Winstanley cruised to the opening set without reply. The fifth seed kicked off her campaign with a two-dart 81 checkout, before pinning tops with her last dart to take out 58 and extend her lead. Winstanley was dominating in the scoring department and clinched the set with a 19-darter on tops to continue her exemplary finishing.
The 41-year-old won her fourth consecutive leg on D2, before moving to the cusp of victory via D10 after Zijlstra missed the bull to level; which was her first dart at double. The Dutch star had a dart at bullseye for the second leg in succession, but she was unable to open her account, as Winstanley clinched a comprehensive triumph by pegging D8.
Photo Credit: Matthew Childs/Reuters
Evening session (1900-2100)
TV Coverage: BT Sport
Martin Phillips (16) 2-3 Paul Hogan
Lorraine Winstanley (5) 2-0 Anca Zijlstra
Geert De Vos (15) 3-0 Raymond Smith
Brian Dawson (12) 2-3 Jeff Smith
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