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RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD hit a magical nine-dart finish during his 4-0 victory over Brendan Dolan in the second round of the 2010 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship on Monday night.

The Dutchman fired the first ever nine-darter in the tournament’s history last year when he achieved the feat against fellow countryman Jelle Klaasen in the quarter-final, and he replicated it in the same fashion against Dolan – following two maximums with treble 20, treble 19 and double 12 to send the Alexandra Palace crowd into raptures.

Van Barneveld had won the first set 3-0 but then struggled in the second, finding himself 2-0 down before battling back to pinch the set and move 2-0 up. The spectacular nine-darter kicked off the third set for the Dutchman, which he went on to win 3-1 before closing the game out to nil in the fourth set to set up a third-round meeting with 2004 runner-up Kevin Painter.

“To hit a nine darter was wonderful and the crowd really showed their appreciation,” said van Barneveld. “I know I have a tough match against Kevin in the next round. He beat me at this stage of the competition two years ago and I know I have to improve my game.”

Kevin Painter saw off two spirited comebacks from Vincent van der Voort to book his place in the last 16, with the Dutchman battling back from 2-0 and 3-2 down to force a deciding set which Painter won 3-1.

Mark Webster produced an inspired comeback against Peter Manley, finding himself two sets down but kick-starting his night with eight consecutive legs to set up an impressive 4-2 win.

The Welshman won the third and fourth sets to nil in little over ten minutes and the 2008 Lakeside Champion restricted Manley to just three further legs in the two remaining sets to set up a third round meeting with Kirk Shepherd.

Shepherd gained revenge for his 2008 final defeat to John Part by knocking the world number four out with a 4-1 victory on Monday afternoon. The pair were level at one-set each in a scrappy affair before Shepherd strung three straight sets together to exact a damaging defeat on the Canadian, who drops out of the top 16 as a result.

Ronnie Baxter produced a clinical display to beat Gary Anderson 4-0 in Monday’s final match to advance to the third round, where he will face Colin Lloyd, after the Essex man had earlier beaten Denis Ovens in a gripping seven-set clash.

The second round concludes on Tuesday when Andy Hamilton takes on Steve Beaton, Terry Jenkins faces Darin Young and Simon Whitlock and Wayne Jones clash in the afternoon session, before James Wade and Michael van Gerwen complete the second round in the opening match of the evening session. Following that, Phil Taylor continues the defence of his World title in the first third round tie before Adrian Lewis and Kevin McDine end the night with their last 16 match.

Ladbrokes.com World Championship
Second Round
Monday December 28
Evening Session
Mark Webster 4-2 Peter Manley
Raymond van Barneveld 4-0 Brendan Dolan
Ronnie Baxter 4-0 Gary Anderson

Tuesday December 29 Order of Play
Afternoon Session – Second Round
1.10pm Andy Hamilton v Steve Beaton
2.25pm Terry Jenkins v Darin Young
3.45pm Simon Whitlock v Wayne Jones

Evening Session – Second Round
7.10pm James Wade v Michael van Gerwen
Third Round
8.25pm Phil Taylor v Robert Thornton
9.45pm Adrian Lewis v Kevin McDine

MARK WEBSTER 4-2 PETER MANLEY
(0-3, 2-3, 3-0, 3-0, 3-1, 3-2)
MARK WEBSTER continued his debut appearance at Alexandra Palace with a 4-2 comeback triumph over Peter Manley in the second round of the 2010 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.

Webster fell 2-0 behind after a nervous opening but he recovered superbly by winning four sets on the trot to seal a last 16 clash with Kirk Shepherd.

The Welshman missed darts at doubles to win the opening leg and Manley took it for an early break of throw. Manley hit an 80 finish to win the second leg and an accurate dart at double 10 in the third gave him an early advantage.

The Cumbria based man hit an excellent 124 checkout to make a winning start to the second set before Webster got off the mark, by winning the second leg. Webster converted a two-dart 60 finish for a 2-1 lead but Manley won the fourth leg, and the decider for a two sets lead after Webster missed a dart at double nine to level.

In the third set Webster started to show some good finishing, hitting 80 and 77 for a 2-0 lead. Webster then recorded an 83 finish to seal the third set before breaking his opponent’s throw at the start of the fourth set.

The next two legs also went the way of the Welshman which won him the set and squared the game at two apiece.

Webster continued the winning the run of legs by taking a 2-0 lead in the fifth set before Manley stopped the rot with a 96 finish to win the third. Manley had opportunities to win the fourth leg, but his four attempts were off-target and Webster hit double six to win the set and lead the match for the first time.

The three-time world finalist hit double 10 to open up an early lead in the sixth set, but Webster won the next two legs to go within touching distance of victory. Manley kept his hopes alive by hitting a 78 checkout to win the fourth leg after Webster missed a dart at double top to win the match.

The deciding leg saw Manley miss six darts to take the contest to a deciding set and Webster cashed in by hitting double 12 to end Manley’s hopes.

“I was very nervous coming into this match and when I fell two nil behind, I felt really down,” said Webster. “But I got myself together and tried to stay positive and it paid off.”

“I won’t look past my next match. Kirk reached the final here two years and he has taken out John Part today. So he is there on merit.”

Manley was gracious in defeat after the match: “I took advantage of Mark’s nervous start. But full credit to him he came back and hit me hard in the middle of the game. I wish him all the best.”

RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD 4-0 BRENDAN DOLAN
(3-0, 3-2, 3-1, 3-0)
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD hit his second nine-dart finish at the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship in his 4-0 victory against Brendan Dolan.

The five-time world champion, who achieved the magical feat against Jelle Klaasen in the quarter-finals of last year’s competition, picks up £25,000 for tonight’s effort.

Van Barneveld started the match confidently, hitting a maximum in the opening leg and then going on to win it in 13 darts. The next two legs were won by the Dutchman with relative ease to seal the set and gain an early advantage.

But the form of the first set appeared to desert van Barneveld in the early stages of the second set, as Dolan opened up a 2-0 lead. Van Barneveld hit double nine to win the third leg and then won the fourth against the darts, with a 71 finish.

And Van Barneveld kept the run going to snatch the second set in the deciding leg by hitting double 10. The five-time world champion then hit consecutive 180s at the start of the third set to leave a chance of the nine-dart finish. And van Barneveld did not disappoint as he hit treble 20, treble 19 and double 12 for a 141 finish and record a second magical nine darter at the World Championships.

Ironically, van Barneveld missed seven darts at doubles to win the second leg, which Dolan took with an accurate attempt at double 16. Van Barneveld lead for a second time when he won the third leg, and then established a 3-0 lead in the match as he won the fourth with a 14-dart finish.

The Dutchman was now in complete command and took out finishes of 120 and 96 in the opening two legs of the fourth set. In the third leg both players struggled to find the winning double but it was van Barneveld who won it by hitting double eight to record a straight sets victory.

“To hit a nine darter was wonderful and the crowd really showed their appreciation,” said van Barneveld, who takes on Kevin Painter in the last 16.

“I know I have a tough match against Kevin in the next round. He beat me at this stage of the competition two years ago and I know I have to improve my game.”

RONNIE BAXTER 4-0 GARY ANDERSON
(3-2, 3-2, 3-2, 3-2)
RONNIE BAXTER put together a solid performance to end the challenge of Gary Anderson with a 4-0 victory in the second round of the 2010 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship.

The Lancastrian, who has made two semi-finals in televised tournaments this year, will now take on Colin Lloyd for a place in the quarter-finals on Wednesday night.

Both players held their throws at the start of the game before Baxter went into a 2-1 lead by hitting double 16. Anderson hit the first 180 of the game in the process of winning the fourth leg but Baxter won the set in the deciding leg with a fantastic 142 checkout.

The world number seven then broke throw at the start of the second set but lost the advantage by allowing Anderson to level after missing three darts at double 17. Baxter won the third leg after his opponent missed four darts at doubles but failed to take his chances to win the set in the fourth leg and Anderson hit double 10 to win the leg. But Baxter won the deciding leg of the set to establish a two sets lead before recording a 96 finish to make a winning start to the third set.

Anderson, who defeated Jamie Caven in the first round, won the second leg by hitting double top before Baxter hit the same double to win the third. The Scotsman won the fourth leg with an 85 finish, but a decisive maximum from Baxter in the deciding leg saw him to the double first, and he hit double 20 for a three sets lead.

The first two legs of the fourth set where held with throw and Anderson continued that trend in the third, despite his opponent having four chances at doubles to take it. But Baxter won the fourth leg, and then won deciding leg of a set for the fourth time succession, by hitting double six to seal a spot in the third round.

“Despite the scoreline it certainly wasn’t easy out there,” said Baxter. “Gary kept plugging away but I kept hitting my doubles and that’s what gave me the match.

“I’ve had a good year on the circuit reaching two semi-finals in TV tournaments and I’m now pushing for a Premier League spot.”

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