Day Two at the Elten Safety Shoes European Darts Open saw an evening session packed with drama. Peter Wright’s last leg victory stood out and the other big names mainly came through unscathed, Michael Smith excepted, an there was a little local difficulty!
CHRIS DOBEY 6-5 NIKO SPRINGER
The popular Geordie celebrated his birthday with a rollercoaster win, staging a dramatic comeback from 4-1 down to snatch victory in a last-leg decider – despite doing his best impression of a party host handing out freebies early on. The Newcastle man missed his first dozen doubles, practically gift-wrapping legs for his opponent before finally finding the mark.
Nico Springer, fresh off a sensational run to the final in Rosmalen last weekend, looked poised to book another Euro Tour Sunday slot. He had his chances – a couple of match darts, in fact – but couldn’t quite land the knockout blow. Dobey’s scoring was, at times, absolutely blistering, but his early finishing was so horrific it made The Exorcist look like a Bugs Bunny rerun.
Eventually, though, Hollywood found a way to punish the Meenzer Bub with some semblance of consistency. After one particularly wayward effort at double four – which landed somewhere in a different Leverkusen postcode – Dobey had the composure to head downstairs and finally pin the winning dart. Goldfinger awaits.
JAMES WADE 6-0 LUKAS WENIG
The Aldershot Ace, James Wade, once again proved he’s the embodiment of longevity, cruising through his opener with the kind of clinical composure that’s become his trademark. He didn’t break a sweat – not that The Machine ever looks remotely flustered, even when he probably should. Wenig, a power-lifter in his spare time yet on home soil, couldn’t quite raise his game to challenge on this occasion.
There was one minor blip: Wade’s normally razor-sharp accuracy on tops and double ten was a little off. It didn’t matter this time, but as his own harshest – and often undeserved – critic, he’ll no doubt be having stern words with himself before taking on Matt Campbell in round three.
So, a perfect start for the two English players, then – but not for the home crowd, who’ve now seen two of their own crash out. Still, a German is guaranteed to win later when their World Cup pairing meet head-to-head.
PETER WRIGHT 6-5 DARRYL PILGRIM
Two-time winner of this event, Peter Wright, survived two match darts to dramatically pinch it at the death, denying the Croydon chucker a maiden Sunday Euro Tour appearance. For the Scot – and seemingly adapoted German – it was just another chapter in a career packed with edge-of-the-seat epics and ultimate glory. With reigning champ Chizzy already out, Snakebite is now the only man left standing in the draw who’s lifted this title before.
True to form, Wright strutted on stage in his usual dazzling gear, looking like he’d been caught in a Jackson Pollock paint explosion. But once the drips settled, he found himself 3-0 down in a flash. His opponent – a die-hard Crystal Palace fan – clawed back to lead 5-3 and looked set to shock the Euro Tour veteran.
But nerves crept in, and when you’re up against a player with Wright’s pedigree, second chances rarely come. The Scot steadied himself, pounced on the slips, and nicked it with trademark grit. Next up for Snakebite: a last-16 clash with Wessel Nijman.
JONNY CLAYTON 6-4 JERMAINE WATTIMENA
Fresh off his triumph in Rosmalen, newly crowned Dutch Darts Champion Jonny Clayton looks hungry for more – and in this kind of ferretting form, who’d dare bet against him? Standing in his way was Jermaine Wattimena, who’s arguably playing the best darts of his career over the past year. One of the top talents yet to pick up a PDC title, The Machine Gun came close – but ultimately ran out of ammo against the relentless Welshman.
If maximums are your thing, this was a treat. The pair rattled in a remarkable fourteen between them, in a match that fizzed with scoring fireworks. Clayton raced to a 3-1 lead, Wattimena levelled it at 4-4, but then… cue the soundtrack: Go, Jonny, Go – and he did. Straight to the finish line. The Ferret now faces Belgian captain Mike De Decker in a mouthwatering last-16 tie.
MICHAEL SMITH 1-6 ANDREAS HARRYSSON
Bullyboy’s road to Blackpool just got bumpier, after a bruising loss to the lethal Scandanavian, Dirty Harrysson – who, ironically, was anything but. Clean, clinical, and utterly composed.
Despite only registering two maximums, Harrysson was relentless – regularly posting two-treble visits and finishing with strong precision. His 106 average told the story: the Swede was the winner who, quite literally, took it all. As for Smith, there are still darts to throw and chances to grab before the Matchplay cut-off, and nobody questions his pedigree. But this defeat makes the climb to Blackpool’s famous tower just that little bit steeper.
NATHAN ASPINALL 6-4 BRADLEY BROOKS
Nathan Aspinall shook off his Premier League frustrations to book yet another spot in the final day of Euro Tour action. It wasn’t vintage Asp – the Stockport slinger dipped just below a 90 average – but it was solid enough to get the job done.
Blackburn’s Brad Brooks has been performing admirably of late and came into this one fresh from a confidence-boosting win over former Masters champ Joe Cullen. But he’ll be disappointed not to have laid more of a glove on his compatriot. It wasn’t a horror show by any stretch – his scoring held up well – but a few too many missed doubles meant Bam Bam never really looked like causing an upset. He’ll know a quick tightening of the outer ring could turn good performances into big wins. As for The Asp, he marches on eyeing a second Euro crown.
MARTIN SCHINDLER 4-6 RICARDO PIETRECZKO
The good news for the Leverkusen crowd? They were finally guaranteed to see one of their homegrown players advance. The bad news? It meant a third German of the session was heading for the exit. This all-Deutchsland clash had the feel of a coin toss – and for the first four legs, it was just that, with neither player managing to hold throw. Then, almost by agreement, they both decided to steady up, taking us to 3-3 with little to separate them. But in what proved to be the turning point, Pikachu snatched the initiative – and just enough daylight – to stay in front and see it out.
Statistically, it was tidy from both. Mid-90s averages, slightly below-par doubling, and solid scoring throughout. Respectable, but well short of what either man is truly capable of. Ricardo lives to fight another day and will now look to spark a run – to do so, he must stop The Asp getting his fangs into him.
STEPHEN BUNTING 6-3 LUKE WOODHOUSE
Round two wrapped up with a typically classy victory for The Bullet, as Stephen Bunting fired his way into the final spot of what’s shaping up to be a fascinating looking Sunday line-up.
It took a little nudge to get him going – Woodhouse raced into a 2-0 lead before the Liverpudlian snapped into gear, muscling his way back into the match like his Kop hero Mo Salah weaving into the opposition box. Once Bunting levelled at 3-3, he grabbed control of the cockpit and never looked like missing the landing. The Bullet brought it home with confidence and a touch of flair.
Next up for Bunting: a Sunday shoot-out with the high-flying Daryl Gurney. Fasten your seatbelts.
—–ENDS—–
Images: Dejan Romic/PDC Europe
