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It may be a simple equation for some…..but for others, the mathematics may not add up after week ten of the Holsten Premier League in Reading.

Unicorn’s world champion Phil Taylor, along with his great adversary Raymond Van Barneveld, are safely through to Finals Day in Plymouth at the end of the month. Whatever happens, they will avoid each other in the semi-finals.

The big question remains…..just who will join them in the last four? Roland Scholten looked a shoe-in a month ago. He then hit the wall, losing three on the spin against Lloyd, Manley and Barney. The Dutchman, currently 3rd in the table with ten points, needs just one more point to make it…..but his last match is against you know who! And you can be sure that Taylor will be in no mood to lose his unbeaten record in the Premier League against ‘The Tripod’.

Team Unicorn’s Colin Lloyd and Peter Manley can still qualify. ‘Jaws’ himself admits he has endured a nightmare time in 2006. Remember, he reached the final of the Premier League 12 months ago in Manchester…..but just three wins from ten games tells its own story for Lloyd…..a story of struggle.

Basically, it could all be settled after the first two matches of the night…..if Lloyd loses to Barney and Manley beats Ronnie Baxter, that’s it! It will mean Manley and Scholten qualify, while Lloyd, Baxter and Mardle will be out of the picture.

If that does happen, it will cap another terrific comeback for ‘One Dart’. Last year, he had to win his last three games to get through and history could repeat itself at Reading’s Rivermead Centre. Manley knows only too well though, that defeat would spell the end of the road!

If Lloyd topples Barney and Manley loses, it’s all on again……confused?! You will be!

Lloyd knows it is in his own hands….literally. He still controls his own destiny, because if he wins his two matches against Barney and Mardle, he reaches Plymouth, no matter what anyone else does.

Amazingly, Wayne Mardle who won his first match of the tournament last week, can still reach the semi-finals. He needs to win his last two against Barney and Lloyd and he needs all the other results to go his way!

There are so many ifs and buts…..with pride and prize money at stake, it is guaranteed to be terrific night.

Remember, it’s an early start. All the action gets under way at 6.30pm on Sky Sports 2.

Will it be Scholten, Manley, Lloyd, Baxter or Mardle in those semi-finals? All the news will be right here on the Unicorn website on Thursday night.

Order of play:

Colin Lloyd v Raymond Van Barneveld
Peter Manley v Ronnie Baxter
Raymond Van Barneveld v Wayne Mardle
Phil Taylor v Roland Scholten
Ronnie Baxter v Raymond Van Barneveld
Wayne Mardle v Colin Lloyd

BY STUART PYKE