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Just like their clash in Blackpool 12 months ago, the pair produced an epic but Taylor just had the edge – winning 16-13.

“That was one of the toughest games of my career,” admitted Taylor. “What a player, what a battler Dennis is. He is a one-off and I can’t praise him enough. When I was 10-8 down, I thought if I don’t get my act together, I am going out – so I am just relieved to have come through.”

What a match! Priestley started with a 12-darter and a 141 check out and that set the tone. Taylor led 3-2, then 6-4 and 8-6….back came Dennis with four consecutive legs…Taylor responded with four legs on the spin. At 14-13, it was anyone’s game until Taylor drew on his reserves to win the last two.

He averaged 99 to Priestley’s 95….but I think Taylor’s 62 per cent check out rate won the day. It was another terrific contest in what is turning out to be the best World Matchplay Championships ever!

Taylor will now face a ‘Battle of Stoke’ in the semi-finals. Andrew Hamilton upset fans favourite Wayne Mardle to become the first qualifier ever to reach the semi-finals at the Matchplay. He has beaten the Unicorn duo of Peter Manley and Adrian Lewis – now Mardle – and of course he beat Raymond Van Barneveld in the qualifying tournament.

It was nip and tuck so for long. At 5-5, eight of the first ten legs went against the throw, before the surge came from Hamilton. From 9 apiece, he stunned Mardle – winning the nest seven legs to wrap up victory.

James Wade came up with the performance of his life to reach the semi-finals in Blackpool. The Unicorn wonder kid demolished Chris Mason 16-4 with a quite sensational display of tungsten sharp-shooting to set up a last four showdown with Dutch star Roland Scholten.

And Wade revealed it has been his decision to quit his job and become a full-time professional that has made all the difference….his failure to qualify for the Las Vegas Desert Classic was the catalyst.

He reached the final qualifying match twice in Vegas but lost to both John Magowan and Wes Newton…..and it made his mind up for him.

He said: “I was really angry after that and decided that if I was going to make an impression at the highest level I had to pack in my job as a mechanic and concentrate 100 per cent on the darts. That decision is paying off.”

There was nothing that Chris Mason could do to stop what turned into a ‘Darting Demolition Derby’. Wade was averaging 118 after three legs, 106 after five, 103 after 10 legs and finished with an average of 97.5.

The 23-year-old hit eight 180s and banged in three ton plus finishes. There is no doubt that James Wade is the real deal….and don’t forget this is his debut in Blackpool. At the start of the week he was 100/1 with the bookies but he looks a good bet now. Even Phil Taylor would have struggled to cope with Wade in this mood.

Wade started with a 12-dart leg and he hit three 180s in the first three legs of the match. Remember, it is only two weeks ago that he packed his job in to become a full-time professional! Well, Wade is now guaranteed at least £10,000, which will be the biggest pay day of his career….and also at least 20 ranking points, which will take him to the verge of the world’s top 16.

Mason didn’t play that badly but he had no answers. He hit four maximum’s and was forced to check out 138 and 146 to win two of his four legs.

Wade was not surprisingly very emotional after his win. “I think I am lost for words! I always knew I was capable of producing performances like that when it really matters. This is my best day in darts but I hope I am saying that again on Friday after the semi-finals and on Saturday, after the final!”

Scholten fired out a warning, as he continued his impressive run at The Winter Gardens. It was a brilliant quarter-final and could have gone either way but from 12 apiece, the Dutchman hit top gear to eventually win 16-13.

‘The Tripod’ was again prolific on the 180s – hitting another nine to take his tournament tally to 23 in three matches. Baxter matched him blow for blow, as the pair produced big finish after big finish. Scholten hit 109, 106, 131 and 138 to take the pivotal 25th leg, while Baxter nailed 130 and 126 with bull finishes.

Quarter-final results:

Chris Mason 4-16 James Wade
Roland Scholten 16-13 Ronnie Baxter
Andy Hamilton 16- 9 Wayne Mardle
Phil Taylor 16- 13 Dennis Priestley

Semi-finals (best of 33 legs) 7pm Saturday:

James Wade v Roland Scholten
Andy Hamilton v Phil Taylor

BY STUART PYKE