WEBSTER’S YORKSHIRE BITTERWORLD MATCHPLAY
PETER EVISON, ‘The Fen Tiger’, picked up the biggest prize of his career after beating Dennis Priestley in a memorable Websters World Matchplay Final in Blackpool, pipping his Yorkshire opponent 16-14 in front of a jam-packed Winter Gardens crowd.
The man whose two previous big ‘scalps’ were the 1989 World Masters and the 1994 UK Classic, turned in the best darts of his life in defeating not only the number two seed in the ultimate shootout but also the top seed, Phil Taylor, by a resounding 8-1 in the Second Round.
He had first to contend with 1994 Champion, America’s Larry Butler, in a tricky opener, a hurdle he successfully negotiated 8-3 with the help of two 180s and an 88.70 average.
At this stage, Dennis Priestley, less than convincingly, took care of Canadian Gary Mawson, 8-4, the match of the round undoubtedly being that between fifth seeded John Lowe and Shayne Burgess.
A ding-dong affair saw six maximums struck in the first seven legs, Lowe supplying a 126 finish on the bull to go 3-1 up – Burgess was waiting on 40 – a moment repeated at 4-3 when, with Burgess again on a double, the “old master” hit treble 19, single 19 and bull! He eventually won 8-6 with his beaten opponent averaging around 97 per throw.
“I always catch them at their best but one day I’ll come out on top”, the Hastings hotshot told Sky TV cameras with a smile.
Other impressive first round performances came from Bob Anderson, 8-3 winner over Steve Brown, from Paul Lim, who came from behind to pip Kevin Spiolek 10-8, and from Peter Manley, a qualifier through the nationwide Websters 150 competition, an 8-6 winner against America’s Dave Kelly.
Manley, finalist in the BDO European Masters in 1995, and Phil Gilman, a former British Open Champion, had both come through the 180 competition ranks along with sixty-two others to play in the qualifying rounds and make it on to the Sky television screens.
Seed Jamie Harvey put paid to their chances of stardom this time around, beating Gilman 8-5 in the First Round and Manley 8-3 in the last sixteen.He also took care of Dennis Smith in the quarter-final before going down 13-9 to Evison in the last four.
Another ambitious young man, Chris Mason, an Embassy World quarter-finalist in January, had his wings clipped in a thriller by Alan Warriner, who looked an even better bet to have the trophy stay in Lancashire after an 8-3 Second Round win over Graeme Stoddart, a qualifier through the nationwide Websters 150 competition, an 8-6 winner against America’s Dave Kelly. He was to fall, however, to a tenacious Bob Anderson at the next fence.
Peter Evison’s destruction of Phil Taylor was all the more remarkable in that Taylor scored superbly. His first three darts of the match produced a cry of “180” from Freddy Williams. Yet Evison took the leg. He took the next with the help of a 180 and a 99 checkout, the third – a 12-darter – with another 180 and a 130 kill, and the fourth, another dozen-dart scorcher, with a 110 out-shot.
The man from West Drayton came back from the first break just as “wound up” to provide a 90 in two, bull, double top, finish to go 5-nil in front. He would surely have made it six on the trot but for bursting a 140 finish, the only leg the reigning champion was to win.
Each hit another maximum but it was Evison’s fans who cheered as three more doubles were struck.
Magnanimous in defeat, Taylor praised his opponent for “a superb display of consistency”, wishing Evison well in future rounds but vowing, typically, that he would come back all the more determined next time around.
Evison had little trouble in beating Sean Downs 11-3 in the last eight, the stage at which Dennis Priestley was involved in what many considered the match of the tournament.
It was certainly the best in terms of value, twenty-eight legs being fought out between himself and Rod Harrington in over two and a quarter hours on the Empress Ballroom stage. Priestley was coasting it at 10-6, one leg away from the penultimate round, but Harrington fought back brilliantly and even, at 13-12, had darts for the match.
The drama abruptly ended when Priestley took the next three by a whisker. The menace from Mexborough had, himself, been menaced by Essex man.
Whenever Priestley and Anderson meet there is a “tug-of-war”.The semi-final between the two was no different. No quarter was given, none asked for as the Yorkshireman went two up – his opening leg an 11-darter – only for the Limestone Cowboy to take the next four legs.
He knew it was Evison he was to meet, he hit two treble twenties in an attempt to look back!
Anderson and Harvey provided a competitive and entertaining 3rd/4th place play-off match.
Anderson picking up the couple of extra – and maybe vital – ranking points by squeezing home 11-10.It was a fitting taster for the final, won by Evison after thirty legs of high quality darts.
From Darts World magazine (Issue 286) September 1996
Words: John Gwynne
Inages: Darts World Ltd
