PHIL TAYLOR 8-5 RONNIE BAXTER
PHIL TAYLOR survived a scare before coming from
behind to defeat Ronnie Baxter 8-5 and keep alive
his unbeaten Holsten Premier League Darts campaign.
The defending champion made a poor start to the
contest, and found himself trailing the world number
three 3-0 before kicking into gear.
Baxter missed the bullseye for a 121 finish to move
four legs up, with Taylor stepping in to take out
118 and get his challenge on the move.
He took the fifth leg with his opponent sat on four,
although Baxter took the next to lead 4-2 at the
break.
The pair returned in explosive form, trading
maximums at will during the next phase of the match.
Taylor hit two in the seventh leg, but only landed
double nine after Baxter himself spurned an 80
finish.
He then levelled matters by hitting double ten in
the next, and moved ahead when Baxter was again
off-target with his doubles.
The tenth leg saw both players open with maximums
before Taylor landed a second 180 to set up a
possible nine-darter.
He hit the seventh treble 20, but missed the treble
19 and only extended his lead to 6-4 after Baxter
was off target with double 11.
Taylor's momentum helped him to take the next leg
and secure at least a point, and though Baxter took
out 80 with two darts to cut back to 7-5, the
defending champion wasted little more time before
wrapping up the win with double 16.
"I thought I was going to get whitewashed at the
beginning," said Taylor.
"I had to really dig in, I was nervous and at one
point I thought I'd be happy with a draw.
"He put me under a lot of pressure from the
beginning and I was worried. But things started to
flow, the 180s came and I had a few nice finishes.
"Ronnie's a great player, he's always smiling and
he's a very talented player. He'll learn a lot from
being involved in the Premier League this year."
COLIN LLOYD 8-6 ROLAND SCHOLTEN
COLIN LLOYD got his play-off campaign in the Holsten
Premier League Darts back on track with a dramatic
8-6 win over Roland Scholten.
Lloyd suffered a double body-blow in Newport a
fortnight ago, losing to both Scholten and Raymond
van Barneveld as he slipped out of the top four.
However, he showed his fighting spirit to come from
behind and snatch two points against the Dutchman.
Lloyd the first leg before Scholten found his range
on the treble 20 bed and landed 180s in the next
three as he moved 3-1 up, including a brilliant 136
finish.
Lloyd responded with a 96 checkout before Scholten
landed another maximum and a 121 finish to go into
the break 4-2 up.
He extended that to 5-3 with a 118 checkout before
Lloyd mounted a fine comeback, taking the next three
legs without reply.
The tenth leg proved crucial, with Scholten missing
seven darts at the double to take it before Lloyd
took out double 16.
Scholten hit a 106 finish to square the game at
6-all, but a 111 out-shot ensured a point for Lloyd.
The world number one then clawed his way in front in
the decider, and a brilliant 177 left him 24, and he
landed double 12 with his last dart to seal victory.
"It's always tough against Roland but he let me
off," said Lloyd. "I would have taken a point when I
was behind, but I'm definitely going to accept both
points!
"Roland took out some great finishes and it was
demoralising, but he gave me a shot in the tenth
leg, I stuck in there and took the chance.
"I've battled this far and have got to keep
fighting, but people haven't seen the best of me so
far in this tournament.
"I'm in fourth place and I'm trying my heart out to
keep hold of that. There's a little battle going on
for that spot and I'm up for it."
WAYNE MARDLE 3-8 PETER MANLEY
PETER MANLEY kept alive his play-off hopes in the
Holsten Premier League Darts with an 8-3 win over
Wayne Mardle in Doncaster.
Manley grabbed just his third win of the campaign at
The Dome, completing the double over winless Mardle
in style.
The World Championship finalist led throughout after
stepping in to take the first leg against the darts.
He moved 2-0 up before Mardle took out double eight
to get off the mark, but Manley won the fourth with
his trademark double top.
Mardle hit his first maximum of the game on the way
to taking the fifth leg, but Manley sneaked the
sixth on the bull to go into the break at 4-2.
Despite missing doubles in the next, Mardle managed
to pull back to 4-3, but Manley pulled clear in
style by winning the next two legs.
He then took out double top after Mardle was
off-target with his second dart at an audacious
finish including two double 18s.
Manley hit his second maximum of the match in the
next, giving him the chance to wrap up victory with
his last dart at tops after Mardle missed the bull
with his only dart at a 124 finish.
"I'm pleased with that," said Manley. "Wayne is
pushing hard for his first win but I'm very happy
with how I played.
"It was important to get ahead early and I managed
to do that. My scoring was good and I've still got a
chance of making the top four now."
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD 6-8 PHIL TAYLOR
PHIL TAYLOR inflicted Raymond van Barneveld's first
defeat of the Holsten Premier League with an amazing
8-6 win over the Dutchman in Doncaster.
Taylor moved four points clear at the top of the
table with the victory, also condemning van
Barneveld to his first defeat in the tournament.
The pair enjoyed a superb battle, with only a
mid-game spurt from Taylor seeing him pull clear of
his rival.
After seeing van Barneveld come from 7-4 down to
grab a draw in Bournemouth last month, history
looked set to repeat itself when the Dutchman
mounted another fightback.
But, despite scores of 180 and 140 in the decider,
he had just one dart at a double 18, with Taylor
taking out double seven for victory.
"I honestly thought it would be another draw when
Ray left himself double 18," admitted Taylor, who
averaged almost 105 in the match.
"He's superb, absolutely brilliant and he's the
reason I get up earlier every day to practice
because we're feeding of each other's challenge at
the moment.
"I'm delighted to have won and remain unbeaten. Even
though I'm in the semi-finals, I want to keep that
going and I won't ease up."
Taylor certainly showed no signs of easing up,
returning to the stage at The Dome following his
earlier win over Ronnie Baxter in top form.
He took the opening leg against the throw before van
Barneveld hit back to move 2-1 up.
Taylor, though, found an extra gear to win four of
the next five legs and establish a 5-3 cushion,
including a punishing 121 checkout.
Van Barneveld hit his third maximum of the match on
his way to taking the ninth leg, but Taylor hit back
with two 180s of his own in the next.
Whilst a potential nine-darter went begging, he
still took the leg in 13 darts before securing at
least a point by moving 7-3 up when van Barneveld
missed his doubles in the next.
Taylor missed double top for the match in the next,
with the Dutchman taking out a 92 finish before then
landing double 16 to take the game into the final
leg.
"Phil played superbly," said van Barneveld. "In that
last leg against the darts I hit 180, 140 and 105
and only got one dart at the double.
"You have to hit the doubles, especially against
Phil, and he made me pay. I also missed doubles in
the 11th leg and that was crucial
