With Christmas fast approaching and just five days remaining until Christmas Day, the Tendring Masters Rab Scott Trophy train rolled into Thorpe Le Soken. Festive preparations were briefly put on hold as there was still important business to be done at Thorpe Sports and Social Club.
Vital Grand Prix points were up for grabs for players chasing qualification for Finals Night, while the day’s winner would secure an automatic place on the big stage at the Princes Theatre.
A strong field of 34 players lined up for the qualifier, featuring a blend of established Tendring Masters regulars and several very capable newcomers making their first appearances of the season.
With six players leading the Grand Prix points table at the start of the day, all six were present, eager to strengthen their positions, while many others saw the event as an opportunity to close the gap and mount a late charge.
Lynn’s pedigree shines through the top half
The top section of the draw was immediately brought into focus by the late entry of Barry “Live Wire” Lynn, a player with genuine pedigree at the highest level of the game. Lynn famously burst onto the national darting scene in 2016, qualifying for the UK Open as an amateur and producing a stunning 9–3 victory over reigning World Champion Gary Anderson, having already defeated Brendan Dolan 9–6. He went on to face Michael van Gerwen on the ITV main stage at Minehead, walking on to Beethoven’s 5th Symphony and again making waves despite a 10–6 defeat. That same year, Lynn qualified for the BDO World Darts Trophy at the iconic Lakeside, Frimley Green, and reached the last 48 of the World Masters.
After stepping away from the game while battling dartitis, Lynn returned still managing release issues, but his class, experience, and competitive edge were clear to see throughout the day.
In the opening round, Lynn found himself 2–0 down against joint Grand Prix points leader Paul Kempen. Refusing to fold, he produced a determined comeback to claim a 3–2 victory. The story repeated itself in round two as Lynn again trailed 2–0, this time against reigning Tendring Masters Rab Scott Trophy Champion and points leader Paul Williams, before battling back to secure another 3–2 win.
The quarter-final saw Lynn face yet another joint points leader and one of last season’s Finals Night qualifiers and former Essex County teammate, Darren O’Neill. Drawing on his big-match experience, Lynn produced a composed 3–1 victory aided by a 15-dart leg and 104 finish to book his place in the semi-finals and underline that he was a serious contender for the title.
Semi-final battle with Good
Awaiting Lynn in the semi-finals was Essex County ‘A’ player and 2022 UK Open Amateur Qualifier Matthew Good of Harwich, a player with notable UK Open history of his own. Good qualified for the 2022 UK Open by winning the Riley’s Norwich qualifier, during which he hit a perfect nine-dart leg on his way to securing a place at Minehead.
Good’s route to the last four at Thorpe Le Soken was impressive. He opened with a tight 3–2 victory over fellow Essex County player Kayleigh Brown, despite Brown producing a superb 160 checkout. Good then recorded back-to-back 3–0 wins, first against fellow Harwich player Josh Eldridge and then against Brightlingsea’s Todd Ayling, to book his semi-final place.
The semi-final between Lynn and Good was a high-quality affair. A pivotal moment in the game was when Good kicked off with 177,140, 94 only for Lynn to hold throw in a great leg of darts which ultimately helped Lynn kick on to secure a 3–2 victory and his place in the final.
Collins dominates the bottom half
In the bottom section of the draw, Clacton’s Dave Collins continued to demonstrate why he is becoming such a formidable force on the local darts scene since moving to the area from Middlesex. The former Uxbridge Marlen Dart League Singles Champion showed consistency and composure throughout his run to the final.
Collins began with an emphatic 3–0 victory over Ipswich’s Kevin Harvey, a regional finalist in the 2025 Tendring Open Darts Championships. He then saw off youth prospect Nathan Ward-Wilkinson 3–1, a result that despite defeat saw Nathan move ahead of his father Dell on the Grand Prix points table for some family bragging rights.
The quarter-final proved a stern test as Collins faced one of the Grand Prix points leaders, Nick Comber. Collins held his nerve in a tight contest to secure a 3–2 win, ending Comber’s run after he had earlier defeated Qualifier One semi-finalist and previous qualifier, Essex County ‘A’ man Shaun Fox 3–1. Collins then produced a commanding semi-final performance, sweeping aside Tendring Masters Youth finalist Joshua Gregory 3–0 to book his place in the final.
Lynn seals Finals Night place
The final brought together two players who had fully earned their places in the showdown, both having displayed fight, quality, and experience throughout the day. Each player had opportunities in the opening leg, but it was Lynn who took the early initiative and never looked back.
Despite continuing to manage difficulties with his dart release, Barry “Live Wire” Lynn delivered a composed and professional display, closing out a 3–0 victory over Collins to lift the qualifier title. In doing so, Lynn secured automatic qualification for Grand Finals Night at the Princes Theatre, where the famous walk-on may yet make a welcome return. While Lynn claimed the title, Dave Collins earnt a valuable haul of maximum Grand Prix points and proving himself a genuine contender as the Tournament progresses.
For Barry Lynn, the victory carried special significance. A player who has competed on some of the biggest stages in world darts and mixed it with the elite, to return and win under challenging circumstances is a true testament to his character and resilience.
Points update and what’s next
Following the conclusion of the qualifier, Darren O’Neill and Nick Comber now lead the Grand Prix points table on 24 points. Attention now turns to the next Tendring Masters Rab Scott Trophy qualifier, which takes place on 3rd January 2026 at Brightlingsea Community Centre, as the race for Finals Night qualification resumes after the Christmas break.
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Words and in text images: Alan Currivan
Main Image: Kelly Deckers / PDC Europe
