Phil Taylor produced an unbelievable comeback to leave Raymond Van Barneveld shell-shocked in Sheffield! It was an incredible Taylor performance…..it will certainly silence the critics, who have been writing him off as a force in the world of darts….utter nonsense!
Taylor was 1-5 down and then reeled off seven of the next eight legs to maintain his amazing unbeaten record in the history of the Premier League. Barney was left shaking his head in total disbelief and no wonder. The pressure got to the Dutch World Champion, as Taylor turned up the power with some awesome darts.
Barneveld actually missed four darts at a double to at least get a draw in the 13th leg and Taylor punished him.
What a turnaround…..Taylor took a scrappy opening leg against the throw but then could only stand and watch as Barney found a golden patch – winning five legs on the spin. It looked all over for ‘The Power’ but the break galvanised him into action, as he threw some quite brilliant tungsten in the steel city.
In the next 8 legs, Taylor averaged 115! It was sensational stuff and some revenge for losing his World Championship crown to Barney in January. The 13 times World Champ got it back to five legs apiece. Barney then took out 116 to edge ahead but Taylor wasn’t to be denied one of the best comebacks of his darting career.
An 11-darter levelled it at 6-6……Barney then missed those crucial four darts to take at least a share of the spoils. Taylor stepped in with double eight to go in front. He started the final leg with a maximum and double 16 won the day and put a huge smile on Taylor’s face.
What a match! What a fightback!
Taylor said: “It is normally Raymond who does that to me! It was great to come back like that. I always said it would take time with all the changes I have made in my life and my darts…..well, here all the hard work has paid off!”
Barney was magnanimous in defeat: “Obviously, I am disappointed to lose after being 5-1 up but Phil deserved it after all the effort he has put in.”
Barneveld will wonder how he threw it away…..Taylor knows the feeling only too well….roll on the next showdown in Birmingham.
Dennis Priestley kept his remarkable run going to stay top of the league – beating Colin Lloyd 8-5 in front of over 5,000 partisan Yorkshire fans. Lloyd was swept aside but the crowd didn’t help and at one stage they were booing as the Unicorn man was actually throwing…..out of order.
The defeat leaves Lloyd bottom of the table once more.
Despite losing the opening two legs, Lloyd kept pace with ‘The Menace’ but from the 8th leg, we saw four consecutive breaks of throw. Priestley led 6-5 and the 12th leg proved absolutely vital.
Lloyd hit two 180s but missed two darts to make it 6-all and up stepped Priestley with a 120 finish. It took all the bite out of ‘Jaws’ and the Yorkshireman won it in style with a 113 check-out to secure the points.
Lloyd actually had a better average….93 to Priestley’s 91 and hit more 180s….6 to 4 but missed doubles proved to be his downfall, while Priestley was lethal when it mattered.
Peter Manley slipped to another defeat, as Terry Jenkins moved into 4th place in the Premier League after an 8-5 victory.
Jenkins heavier scoring won the day, despite some slick finishing from Manley. It was a great game. We saw a 118 Manley special, a 10-darter from Jenkins and the Carlisle man put in six perfect darts in the 8th leg, after hitting his first maximum of the tournament in the opening leg of the match!
But from 5 apiece – every leg going with throw – it was Jenkins who found the extra gear. The first break came in the 12th leg and Jenkins closed the match out with a brilliant 11-darter, including two 180s.
Adrian Lewis slipped to defeat against Roland Scholten, as the Dutch ace finally recorded his first victory of the 2007 Premier League.
It will be a bitter pill to swallow for the young Unicorn star, who missed far too many doubles. He came from 1-4 down to lead 5-4 but couldn’t stay in the hunt for at least a point.
It was a great four leg spell for Lewis, which started with a 12-darter, included five 180s and a brilliant 142 finish – treble 20, bull, double 16.
Scholten hit back to deny Lewis at least a draw and in the 11th leg, he hit seven perfect darts. It went all the way to the final leg. Lewis still had a chance but a perfectly timed maximum from ‘The Tripod’ set up his win.
Results from Sheffield:
Adrian Lewis 6-8 Roland Scholten
Week six – Aberdeen:
Dennis Priestley v Peter Manley
BY STUART PYKE
