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RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD came close to one of darts’ greatest ever upsets before defeating Germany’s Bernd Roith 10-7 in the PartyPoker.net European Championship second round on Saturday, while Phil Taylor remains in the hunt for a third successive title in Dinslaken.

Roith, a caterer from Tuebingen in Germany who overcame Denis Ovens in the first round on his televised debut, set up the prospect of an incredible victory over the world number two when finishes of 101 and 141 helped him into a 7-5 lead.

However, van Barneveld regained his composure to punished three misses from Roith to level in the 14th leg, before completing a run of five successive legs to set up a quarter-final with Wayne Jones on Sunday.

“This is one of the hardest battles I’ve had in my career,” said van Barneveld. “I didn’t underestimate him but he played superbly and I am very relieved to come through it.”

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Reigning champion Taylor, meanwhile, progressed to the quarter-finals in more comfortable fashion with a 10-5 defeat of Andy Smith, who held the world number one for eight legs before succumbing to a typical charge from the Stoke great.

Taylor will now meet Mark Walsh in the quarters, after the number eight seed overcame Jelle Klaasen 10-6 earlier on Saturday.

Colin Lloyd produced a superb display to defeat Michael van Gerwen 10-6, hitting a 101 average in seeing off the Dutch youngster in a thriller.

Lloyd will take on Ronnie Baxter on Sunday afternoon, with the Blackpool man defeating local rival Wes Newton 10-9 earlier in the day.

Jamie Caven won through to his second televised quarter-final with a 10-6 defeat of Wales’ Barrie Bates, and he now faces world number five Terry Jenkins on Sunday.

Jenkins had earned his last eight place with a 10-8 defeat of Simon Whitlock, while Jones set up his clash with van Barneveld by seeing off Robert Thornton 10-4.

PartyPoker.net European Championship
Saturday July 31
Second Round
Mark Walsh 10-6 Jelle Klaasen
Terry Jenkins 10-8 Simon Whitlock
Ronnie Baxter 10-9 Wes Newton
Wayne Jones 10-4 Robert Thornton
Barrie Bates 6-10 Jamie Caven
Raymond van Barneveld 10-7 Bernd Roith
Phil Taylor 10-5 Andy Smith
Colin Lloyd 10-6 Michael van Gerwen

Sunday August 1
Afternoon Session
Quarter-Finals
Play commences 2pm German time (1pm UK time)
2.00pm Terry Jenkins v Jamie Caven
3.00pm Colin Lloyd v Ronnie Baxter
4.00pm Phil Taylor v Mark Walsh
5.00pm Raymond van Barneveld v Wayne Jones
Best of 19 legs

Evening Session
Play commences 8pm German time (7pm UK time)
Semi-Finals
8.00pm
9.15pm
Best of 21 legs

Final
11.00pm
Best of 21 legs

JAMIE CAVEN 10-6 BARRIE BATES
JAMIE CAVEN won through to his second major quarter-final, producing a high-quality display to defeat Barrie Bates 10-6 in the PartyPoker.net European Championship.

Caven’s previous best televised display came when he reached the last eight at the UK Open just over a year ago, and he could better that when he faces Terry Jenkins in Sunday’s quarter-finals.

While Bates made a brilliant start to lead 2-0 and 4-2, Caven landed six maximums and averaged almost 100 in powering through to secure victory.

Bates broke throw in the opening leg on double top, and a superb 136 checkout doubled his lead before Caven, fired up by a 180, got his first leg on the board in the third.

Double eight gave Bates a 3-1 lead, and while Caven matched that to win a second leg the Welshman posted double top in the sixth for a 4-2 cushion.

A 60 finish saw Caven cut the gap to one leg, before he opened the eighth with a maximum and took out a superb ten-darter to leg.

He also hit a maximum and double five in taking the ninth to lead for the first time in the match, and finished double eight to move 6-4 up.

Bates defied another 180 from Caven to win the next, but the Derby ace took out double 16 and then double two in taking an 8-5 advantage.

He then landed a sixth maximum of the game, only to be punished for a missed double top when Bates landed the same bed for a 66 finish.

However, a 127 finish from Caven pushed him to the brink of victory, and a stylish 96 finish of single 20, double 18 and double top put him through to the quarter-finals.

“Barrie made a brilliant start and I took a few legs to get going,” said Caven. “When I did I felt I played well and I’m really pleased with my scoring.

“It was nice to put in a decent performance and I’m over the moon.”

Caven takes on Terry Jenkins in Sunday’s quarter-finals, and he added: “Last year I beat Terry in the first round and we meet this time in the last eight, and hopefully I can win again.

“I was the underdog against Gary Anderson in the first round and probably will be again when I play Terry, but I’m looking forward to it.”

RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD 10-7 BERND ROITH
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD came close to one of darts’ greatest ever upsets before defeating Germany’s Bernd Roith 10-7 in a thrilling PartyPoker.net European Championship second round clash.

Roith, a caterer from Tuebingen in Germany who overcame Denis Ovens in the first round on his televised debut, set up the prospect of an incredible victory over the world number two when finishes of 101 and 141 helped him into a 7-5 lead.

However, van Barneveld regained his composure to punished three misses from Roith to level in the 14th leg, before completing a run of five successive legs to set up a quarter-final with Wayne Jones on Sunday.

The Dutchman made a confident start, hitting double six for the first leg and double 18 for a 2-0 lead, before the German hit double six to get off the mark.

The pair traded 180s in the next leg, but two missed doubles from van Barneveld allowed Roith in to level double nine.

Van Barneveld kicked off a second successive leg with a maximum, and was grateful of the breathing space after missing four more doubles before landing double one for a 3-2 lead.

He hit another 180 in leg six, only for Roith to post double nine to square the match, and the next two legs were also shared before van Barneveld took out 96 in the ninth leg and the home favourite posted a 101 finish to level at five-all.

He then punished misses at double 18 and double nine from van Barneveld with a sensational 141 checkout to move ahead for the first time, and then took out 80 on double top for an incredible 7-5 lead.

Van Barneveld won the next on double eight, and crucially levelled in the 14th leg as the tension reached boiling point in the Stadthalle, as Roith missed three darts for an eighth leg and the Dutchman squared the game.

Van Barneveld posted a 170 score in setting up a double ten finish to regain the lead, before hitting back-to-back 14-dart legs on double top to take victory.

“This is one of the hardest battles I’ve had in my career,” said van Barneveld. “Bernd was relaxed all the way through and he finished well to go 7-5 up.

“I didn’t underestimate him but he played superbly and I am very relieved to come through it.”

Roith admitted: This was my first time on television and I like playing on stage. It’s very calm up there and I can play my game because I was relaxed.”

PHIL TAYLOR 10-5 ANDY SMITH
PHIL TAYLOR secured his place in the quarter-finals of the PartyPoker.net European Championship with a 10-5 defeat of Andy Smith at Dinslaken’s Stadthalle on Saturday night.

Taylor’s bid for a third successive European Championship win seemed on rocky ground when Smith shared the opening eight legs, but a superb mid-game surge from the world number one saw him sweep to victory.

Taylor now faces Mark Walsh in Sunday’s quarter-finals, and he admitted: “I’m feeling great and hopefully I’ll be holding the trophy again on Sunday night.

“Andy’s a great bloke and it’s hard playing against him because I like him so much, but now I’ve got through that match I can get ready for a hard Sunday.”

Taylor hit a 177 score in the first leg, but two missed doubles allowed Smith in on double eight to sneak the opener.

Taylor broke back immediately and then landed a 180 and a 103 checkout to lead for the first time, while another maximum and double 12 for an 81 finish put him 3-1 up.

Smith hit a 180 in the fifth before punishing four missed doubles from Taylor on double top, and took out 52 to square the match at three-all.

Taylor posted another maximum in a 13-darter to edge back ahead, and though Smith levelled he continued his charge with legs of 14, 11, 13 and 14 darts to suddenly move from four-all to 8-4 up.

Double top from Smith saw him pull back a leg, but Taylor reasserted his dominance with an 11-darter and then sealed the win on double ten.

COLIN LLOYD 10-6 MICHAEL VAN GERWEN
COLIN LLOYD produced a fine display to see off Michael van Gerwen 10-6 and reach the quarter-finals of the PartyPoker.net European Championship in Germany.

The Essex star had bounced back from his first round World Matchplay exit by knocking out world number three James Wade on Friday night, and progressed to the last eight with a high-quality defeat of van Gerwen.

The Dutch youngster played his part in an epic, matching Lloyd for much of the game but unable to live with some spells of magic from the former world number one.

Van Gerwen had kicked off the match with a 113 finish in taking the opening leg, and also hit a 171 score in the second leg, but a miss at double 16 allowed Lloyd in with a 70 finish to level before posting double 16 to break throw.

The Dutchman broke back with a fine 13-dart leg, which he kicked off with five perfect darts, and then landed double 16 to lead 3-2 at the first break.

Lloyd, though, returned with a brilliant spell to win four of the next five legs, hitting three 14-dart legs and an 11-dart finish – with only a 13-darter from van Gerwen, which featured his second maximum of the game, keeping him in the hunt at 6-4.

A 180 from Lloyd left him 68 in the 11th leg, but van Gerwen held his nerve to take out double top for another 13-darter, although Lloyd finished a fine 130 checkout on the bull for a 7-5 lead.

Another 180 from Lloyd left him on a finish in the next, with van Gerwen again showing his quality by taking out 70 in two darts to win the 13th leg and reduce the gap to one.

Double top from Lloyd saw him edge back in front, and when van Gerwen missed three darts to punish his first lapses at a double in the next the Englishman hit double one to move a leg away from the win.

Lloyd then completed a fine win by posting a bullseye-double top 90 checkout to ensure his quarter-final spot, where he will face Ronnie Baxter on Sunday afternoon.

“I’m delighted to be into the quarter-finals and to have won such a high-quality game,” said Lloyd. “I got stuck in tonight and I’ve proved to myself in the last two days that I’m good enough to compete at the top level, after the disappointment of Blackpool.

“It was always going to be tough playing Michael because he’s a quality player who is back in form, but I played my own game and it’s lovely to get through.

“It will be a hard day on Sunday with three games to play if I’m going to win the title, but I’ll be giving it my best shot.”

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