Daryl Gurney is heading through to the second round of the Betfred World Matchplay after a thrilling 12-10 win over Rob Cross on the famed Winter Gardens stage in Backpool.
The Northern Irishman was not messing about in the opening session, racing to a 4-0 lead before Cross salvaged leg 5 before the break.A break followed in the first leg of the second session, which saw five consecutive breaks of throw.
Gurney ended the session 6-4 in front, having hit 6 of his first 9 darts at double.On return from the advert break, Cross took the two following legs to bring affairs level for the first time.
Superchin’s lead returned in the following leg to take the match to 7-6.The atmosphere in and amongst the Blackpool crowd upped to an even higher level, as Cross nailed a big fish 170 to level again.
The nerves displayed in the previous leg from Gurney were soon vanquished as he took the next two legs to go within one of the finish line.Cross may have been facing down the barrel of a gun, but it didn’t show.
He took the next leg before knocking in a steady leg against throw followed to take the match to a tiebreak situation, the first of the tournament.
Voltage continued his run of play into the first tiebreak leg to take the lead for the very first time. But Gurney avenged a rued attempt at 161 in the following leg to level once again at 10-10.
Both were typically inseparable by this point, but a cool 96 out from the Northern Irishman and former semi-finalist established distance once again.
Ultimately Daryl had the measure of Cross, taking the match 12-10.
He told the press afterwards:
“You know he’s one of the best players ever? I could have closed it out earlier, but I still had the belief even when I went 10-9 down.”
“I never beat these players easily, but I was prepared for this, and I had enough.”
—-Ends—–
