UK Open Match Reports Fourth
Quarterfinals - Afternoon
Denis Ovens 10-6 Mark Hylton
Denis Ovens reached the UK Open Semi-Finals for a second straight year at the Reebok by defeating Mark Hylton 10-6 in the first Quarter-Final at
the 2011 Speedy Hire UK Open.
The 53-year-old started the match superbly by taking the first five legs of the match to establish control of the contest averaging over 108 at that stage of the contest.
Ovens looks set for a comfortable victory when leading 7-3 but Hylton won the next three legs to give the Hertfordshire man a fright. But Ovens stopped his opponent's momentum to win the next three to cross the winning line.
Ovens started well by breaking throw in the opening leg of the contest and then produced a fantastic 10-darter to win the second. Hylton missed a dart at double 11 to win his first leg of the match in the next which allowed Ovens to step in and hit double six and increase his lead.
The man from Stevenage, who defeated Andy Smith in the previous round, hit a 13-dart-finish to win the fourth leg and an accurate attempt at double 18 increased his lead to 5-0. Hylton, playing his first televised Quarter-Final managed to get on the board by winning the sixth leg with an 87 finish and he then won the seventh in just 10-darts to reduce the deficit to 5-2. Ovens held throw to win the eighth leg by hitting double top but Hylton won the next with a 12-dart-finish to keep himself in the game. Ovens won the tenth leg by hitting double 16 to move 7-3 ahead but Hylton won the next two legs in excellent style with finishes of 104 and 107 to reduce the gap to two legs.
The 45-year-old from Rugeley then won a third leg on the spin courtesy of the 13-dart finish and had a chance to level the game at seven apiece but that chance went begging and his opponent made him pay with an excellent 106 checkout to go 8-6 up. The fifteenth leg saw Hylton miss six darts at doubles to close the gap to just a single leg and that allowed Ovens in and he hit double one to within touching distance of victory. Ovens had the advantage of throw in the next leg and he made that count by converting a 74 finish to end Hylton's excellent run at this tournament.
"I'm quite pleased but I know I've still got two games to win yet," said Ovens. "I started off well but then Mark started coming back, and thankfully I'd punished him for his slow start when I had the chance.
Mark Webster 10-7 Robert Thornton
Mark Webster reached the Semi-Finals of the 2011 Speedy Hire UK Open with a 10-7 triumph over Robert Thornton.
Webster had led the match 4-0 and 9-4 and had chances to progress with more comfort. But Thornton staged a brief revival before the 27-year-old confirmed his place in the last four.
Webster hit a maximum in the opening leg of the match to settle any pre-match nerves and hit double top to establish an early advantage. The Welshman then hit the same double to move two ahead and repeated the trick in the third leg, cashing on five missed darts at doubles from Thornton.
Webster, who came from 6-0 down to beat Co Stompe on route to this stage, hit double 10 to move 4-0 ahead before Thornton managed to win his first leg of the match with the aid of a 13-dart-finish. Webster hit a maximum in the sixth leg but it was the Scotsman who won it with a superb 140 checkout to reduce the gap to two legs. Thornton should have closed the deficit to 4-3 in the next leg but he missed nine darts at doubles allowing Webster to nick it on double 12.
Webster then rubbed salt into the wound of his opponent as he won the eighth leg with a fabulous 142 checkout with Thornton waiting on tops. Thornton won the next leg with an accurate attempt at double eight but Webster won the tenth which included his fourth 180 of the game to move 7-3 clear. Webster was unusually off-target on double top in the 11. leg as three attempts went begging and Thornton recorded an 81 finish on the bullseye to pinch it.
Thornton had a chance to reduce the gap to 7-5 but he could not convert his attempt at double 16 and Webster hit double six with his last dart to move two legs away from the win. Webster landed double 12 win the 13. leg against the darts and move 9-4 up but he missed two darts for the match in the next leg and Thornton managed to keep his hopes alive by hitting double top. Webster hit his fifth maximum of the match at the start of the next leg but Thornton hit an incredible 170 checkout to reduce the deficit to 9-6.
The Welshman's nerves were starting to show and he missed five more darts for the match in the 15. leg and Thornton landed double two to reduce to gap to two legs. But Webster made no mistake in the next as powerful scoring left him with just 24 after 12-darts thrown and he hit double 12 to complete the win.
"It's a big relief to perform so well in a televised tournament so soon after my disappointing Premier League experience", admitted Webster. "I did feel the nerves a bit towards the end as Robert was coming back well and finishing a lot better - but I got the job done. I probably shouldn't be after I was 6-0 down to Co Stompe yesterday afternoon, but you have to concentrate until that final double has gone in and maybe my name is on the trophy. I made a dream start and I thought that once I got out to 4-0 up I wouldn't surrender that. He put me under pressure but I closed the game out well. I've fallen in the semi-finals of PDC majors before, including at the World Championship, and I don't want to do that again tonight, I want to go all the way and I'm focused on that
Wes Newton 10-8 Dave Chisnall
Wes Newton reached the Speedy Hire UK Open Semi-Finals with a hard-fought 10-8 victory over Dave Chisnall at the Reebok on Sunday afternoon.
Missed opportunities at doubles from Chisnall allowed Newton to establish leads of 7-4 and 9-6. But the former Lakeside Championship made his opponent sweat by taking the next two legs before Newton crossed the winning line to reach his first televised Semi-Final for five years.
"It feels brilliant to be through, said Newton. I never played how I could out there. It was a battle in the end but I'm happy to cross the winning line and keep myself in with a chance to win the tournament." It feels brilliant to be through," said Newton. "I didn't play as well in this game as I could, or as I did against Raymond, and it was a battle for both me and Dave.
"But I've got the win and still have a chance in this tournament, and I can look forward to the semi-finals now. I'm feeling good and will give it my all."
Both players shared the opening two legs which were won against the darts and that trend continued when Chisnall hit double top to win the third leg.
The St.Helens man making his PDC televised debut had chances to move 3-1 ahead but he missed two darts at doubles which allowed Newton to step in and nick it by hitting tops with his last dart. Newton hit double eight in the fifth leg to lead the match for the first time and then moved two legs clear after Chisnall missed five attempts at doubles. Newton hit his second 180 of the game in the seventh leg which was won in 13-darts before Chisnall stopped the rot by winning the next with an 11-dart-finish.
More missed doubles were costly for Chisnall in the ninth leg which Newton won on double top before Chisnall managed to take the tenth courtesy of an accurate attempt at double eight. The man from Fleetwood hit an excellent 118 finish to restore his three leg advantage before Chisnall won the 12. by hitting double top to keep in touch. Newton hit a 180 in the next leg but Chisnall was the first to double but missed two chances to take the leg and Newton hit double 12 to move closer to the winning line.
Chisnall held throw with a successful attempt at double nine before Newton took out a 104 finish to move 9-6 ahead and require just one leg for the win. Chisnall continued to fight and won the 16. leg in 13-darts and then won the next against the darts on double top after Newton had missed a dart at the same bed to win the match. Chisnall hit his sixth 180 of the game early in the 18. leg but Newton hit one of his own which saw him to a finish first and he hit double top at the first time of asking to close out the game.
James Wade 10-7 Paul Nicholson
James Wade kept his hopes alive of a second UK Open title by ending the challenge of Paul Nicholson with a 10-7 triumph.
Nicholson was unable to produce the magic that saw him prevail in final-leg thrillers against Gary Anderson and Phil Taylor in the previous two rounds.
Nicholson managed to hold throw in the opening leg by hitting double four after Wade was off-target with a dart at tops. Wade squared the game by winning the second leg before Nicholson took out a 62 finish with just two-darts.
Wade hit a 72 finish to level and then secured the first break of the match by hitting double 12 at the first time of asking after Nicholson was off-target with his attempt at double 18. The 2008 Champion hit a maximum in the sixth leg and went on to win it with a 61 finish before breaking Nicholson's throw once again by hitting double 10. Nicholson, the 2010 Players Champion, managed to stop a run of four losing legs by breaking his opponent's throw with a 14-dart-finish to reduce the gap to 5-3.
Wade restored his three leg advantage by taking the ninth leg in just 13-darts but Nicholson won the next leg with a 13-dart-finish of his own to keep matters finely balanced. Nicholson reduced the gap to just one leg by winning the 11. with an 86 finish before Wade went 7-5 ahead with a 110 checkout, with his opponent waiting on a two-darter. Wade hit his third maximum on the way to a 12-dart-finish to take the 13. leg against the darts and move three clear of Nicholson again.
The next leg was a tense affair but it was Wade who won it by hitting double top with his last dart to go 9-5 up won the 15. leg in 14-darts to keep his hopes alive. The 16. leg saw Wade miss two chances to end the contest and Nicholson landed double top to reduce the gap to just two legs. Nicholson had the advantage of throw in the next leg but Wade was first to a finish and managed to take out 78 to confirm a place in the last four.
"It was a really tough game," said Wade, the 2008 UK Open champion. "Paul's had a great tournament and he pushed me all the way there too but I showed I've got the game to challenge this weekend. I've done it the hard way by starting in the first round on Thursday but I'm still in there and I think my odds are pretty good now!" "Mark's a great player and it promises to be a fantastic semi-final," added Wade. "We both know each other pretty well and I'm looking forward to it."