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REPORTS, results and reaction from Boxing Day play at the 2008 Ladbrokes.com PDC World Darts Championship.

Photo Album from Boxing Day KIRK SHEPHERD 4-3 MICK McGOWAN
(2-3, 3-1, 3-1, 2-3, 3-2, 1-3, 5-3)

KIRK SHEPHERD won his second final-set encounter in succession to reach the last 16 of the Ladbrokes.com PDC World Darts Championship.

The 22-year old qualifier, who beat number four seed Terry Jenkins in the first round, was once again on the brink of defeat when McGowan had four darts for the match.

But the Irishman failed to take his chances, and Shepherd stepped in to set up a third round date with Barrie Bates on Friday.

"It was similar to the first round," he said. "He had darts to beat me and there must be someone looking down on me because I've ridden my luck again.

"Mick came back brilliantly, he took two sets where I was on a double to win it and that showed his class.

"When I got my chance towards the end I took it, and thankfully I won. Maybe both games I should have gone out, but you need a bit of luck in anything you do."

The beginning of the match was a story of Shepherd's missed doubles, as he hit only two out of 18 attempts in the first set as McGowan made him pay, landing double top to take the lead.

The youngster from Ramsgate came back to take the second set, breaking throw in the third leg and then completed the next leg with a 66 checkout.

Shepherd then went on to take a 2-1 lead in the match, taking advantage of McGowan's mistakes on missed doubles in the third leg, and then taking the set in the next leg in 13 darts.

The Irishman came back to level the match in the fourth set, which went to a fifth leg, when he landed double top with his last dart with Shepherd waiting on 32.

Both players shared the opening two legs of the fifth set, McGowan then broke throw hitting double eight, Shepherd having missed one dart at double for a 77 checkout.

McGowan then had opportunities to take set but he could not capitalise and Shepherd landed double eight to level up.

Shepherd then managed to hold throw in the deciding leg, hitting double top at the fifth time of asking to take a 3-2 lead.

Shepherd had opportunities to break throw at the start of the sixth set, but missed three attempts at doubles and McGowan made took the leg with a 60 finish.

Shepherd immediately broke back to level with a 76 checkout but McGowan regained the lead and then took the set in the next leg, hitting double top to take the game to a decider.

The opening two legs of the final set where shared before Shepherd took the third leg with a 59 finish to go one away from victory.

McGowan levelled the set, landing double seven with his last dart, and then took a 3-2 lead to break throw.

He then had four chances to win the match, but wasted chances at double top and double ten, with Shepherd managing to grasp the lifeline and keep the match alive.

It proved to be a setback that the Irishman could not recover from, and Shepherd took the seventh leg to go ahead and then hit his seventh maximum of the match followed by a 43 finish to take victory.

Shepherd - a black belt in Karate - now meets Barrie Bates for a place in the quarter-finals, and he admits he is loving his first taste of the big stage.

"It's brilliant," he added. "I've had a lot of support and I love it.

"It doesn't affect me - I thrive off seeing more people out there.

"It's very new to me and I still can't believe what's happening - it's like a dream.

"I used to fight in front of a lot of people doing Karate and it helps me on stage. It's coming naturally and has been a big help in settling down up there.

"I've played Barrie once, it was 3-2 to him and I had two darts to beat him, but he's a very good player and it will be another tough test for me."

McGowan admitted: "I had loads of chances and I didn't take them. I got punished and it was just what I deserved at the end.

"I got here a bit late and didn't like that. I booked a taxi to pick me up from Gatwick after going back to Ireland for Christmas. That was an hour late and then got stuck in traffic and I didn't prepare properly in that sense.

"I didn't play well throughout but I got presented with a chance to win. I wanted to put it away and get off the stage to prepare for my next match.

"But you have to put the double away and I didn't do that."

Match Stats

Kirk Shepherd	4-3	Mick McGowan
41	100+	44
23	140+	26
7	180	4
29.06	Ave1	28.36
76.19	Ave3	85.09
113	High Finish	96

ADRIAN LEWIS 4-2 VINCENT VAN DER VOORT
(3-1, 3-2, 1-3, 3-1, 0-3, 3-2)

ADRIAN LEWIS booked his place in the last 16 of the Ladbrokes.com PDC World Darts Championship with a 4-2 defeat of Vincent van der Voort.

The Stoke youngster produced an impressive display to see off a fine challenge frmo the Dutchman.

Van der Voort averaged over 96 and matched Lewis blow for blow during the contest, only for a mature display of finishing to see the 22-year-old home.

Lewis included a ten-darter in coming from a leg down to win the game's first set 3-1.

Van der Voort also led in set two before legs of 13, 15 and 13 darts saw Lewis storm to the set to double his advantage.

The Dutchman landed two maximums and a 12-darter in winning set three 3-1 before again seeing Lewis come from behind in set four.

A 14-darter put van der Voort in front, but a missed double 18 for a 156 finish in the second leg allowed Lewis back in.

He took out double eight to level and then hit double eight and double ten for the set and a 3-1 lead.

Van der Voort raised his game superbly to stay in the match, taking set five in style with legs of 12, 12 and 13 darters without his opponent reaching a double.

The duo traded legs in the next, with a 12-darter putting Lewis 2-1 up only for van der Voort to keep himself in the game when the Englishman missed double 12 for the game.

But Lewis made no mistake in the decider, defying a seventh 180 of the match from his oppponent to land double eight for the win.

"I played his game rather than my own," said Lewis, who was not totally happy with his performance.

"I followed him too much and it didn't happen for me today, but I got through.

"I never felt under pressure and was pretty comfortable up there. I'd probably rather feel under pressure to be honest, but I'm just happy to be through.

"I'm just looking forward to my next game and I'll be a lot better than this in that. I've got a lot of improvement in me."

Match Stats

Adrian Lewis	4-2	Vincent van der Voort
25	100+	34
18	140+	18
7	180	7
30.60	Ave1	32.15
91.81	Ave3	96.46
99	High Finish	116

JOHN PART 4-1 MENSUR SULJOVIC
(3-2, 3-0, 0-3, 3-0, 3-0)

JOHN PART put in a classy performance to end the challenge of Mensur Suljovic in the second round of the Ladbrokes.com PDC World Darts Championship.

Suljovic, who defeated Andy Smith in round one, put in a spirited effort only the experience of the two-time World Champion to be a big factor in the outcome of the match.

The Canadian produced the highest average of the tournament so far, at 99.06, to book his place in the last 16, where he meets either Andy Hamilton or Alex Roy.

Part had opportunities to stamp his authority from the start, but missed double five for a 95 finish and Suljovic stepped in landing double top to take the opening leg.

The Canadian came back to take the next two legs and then had opportunities to take the set in the fourth leg, but he missed three darts at double top and Suljovic hit a 55 checkout to keep the opening set alive.

Suljovic had left himself 32 to take the opening set but Part showed true champion qualities by landing a 115 finish to take the set.

Part took the second set comfortably, breaking the throw in the second leg and then landing double four in the next for a 2-0 lead.

However, the German qualifier refused to be intimidated by his opponent and took the third set without reply, hitting three maximums in the opening two legs.

But the Canadian took charge of the match from then on, winning six consecutive legs to power to the win.

He hit a brilliant 121 checkout to open the fourth set, despite Suljovic hitting his sixth 180 of the game.

Part then landed a 54 finish to take the second leg and wrapped up the set on double ten to take a 3-1 lead.

Part broke throw at the start of the fifth set and then doubled his advantage with a 12-dart leg.

He landed his sixth maximum of the match in the third leg and then hit double 18 to complete victory.

"Mensur played very well," said Part. "I had a few slip-ups and he punished me at times, and I needed to save myself in that first set with a nice finish.

"I needed to respond at times. He had three 180s where I responded with a 180 and I don't know what effect it had on him, but I know inside my I felt good, strong and powerful that I answered him.

"I'm a two-time World Champion but when you've got a guy bullying you like that you have to respond."

Part overcame South African star Charles Losper in round one before seeing off the German Darts Corporation number one.

"He's a fantastic player and I have to tip my hat to the systems that brought Charles and Mensur through here," added Part.

"Something has worked, they got the right players and they were both a credit to themselves and their country."

Match Stats

John Part	4-1	Mensur Suljovic
25	100+	16
13	140+	7
6	180	6
33.02	Ave1	30.42
99.06	Ave3	91.26
121,115	High Finish	78

JAMES WADE 4-3 STEVE BEATON
(3-0, 3-2, 2-3, 3-2, 1-3, 2-3, 3-1)

JAMES WADE was forced to work hard before overcoming Steve Beaton to reach the third round of the 2008 Ladbrokes.com PDC World Darts Championship.

The number three seed appeared to be coasting to victory when he took 2-0 lead and a 2-0 cushion in the third set by winning eight of the first ten legs.

But he let that advantage slip and Beaton made his mark on the match to take it to the full distance.

Wade got out of blocks fast taking the first set comfortably, including legs of 14 and 13 darts in taking the lead.

Beaton won his first leg of the match at the start of the second set, landing double two after both players had missed previous opportunities.

Wade took the next leg but Beaton regained the lead despite Wade hitting a maximum.

The current World Matchplay and World Grand Prix champion levelled up the set with a two dart 74 finish and then took the set in the deciding leg with a superb 170 checkout.

He took the opening two legs of the third set and had darts in the third leg to take the set, but he could not convert and Beaton took advantage.

Beaton then landed a checkout of 70 to level the set and then hit a pressure 98 finish, landing double 12 with his last dart to pinch the set.

The former World Champion started to find some form on his finishing, landing two-dart checkouts of 70 and 89 to establish a 2-1 lead in the fourth set.

Wade hit a neat checkout of his own to take the fourth set to a deciding leg and then broke Beaton's throw for a 3-1 lead to establish his two-set margin.

Beaton started well at the start of the fifth set, breaking throw in the opening leg, and then doubled his lead with a 15-dart leg.

Wade took the third but Beaton continued his excellent finishing, hitting a 64 checkout to reduce the deficit to 3-2.

The opening two legs of the sixth set where shared, but Wade broke throw in the third leg with a 55 finish to go one leg away from victory.

However, Beaton fought hard to break back with a 78 finish and then held his throw, landing double 16 to take the game to a deciding set.

Wade hit his fourth maximum at the start of the final set, but unusually missed four darts at tops to take the leg and allowed Beaton to move in front for the first time in the match on double eight.

Wade put that disappointment behind him and hit back to take the next two legs, hitting a 93 checkout in the third, to take the lead.

He then hit two 140s in the fourth leg, and despite his opponent landing his third maximum of the match, he hit double top at the fourth attempt to record the win.

"I don't know what happened," admitted Wade. "I didn't play like I could throughout the game and I'm grateful that I won.

"I didn't deserve to win in patches, but I'll take it and learn from that."

Match Stats

James Wade	4-3	Steve Beaton
34	100+	42
26	140+	18
4	180	3
30.31	Ave1	29.27
90.92	Ave3	87.80
170,110	High Finish	98