Fitton magic sees off Wizard

Fitton: polished performance

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Darryl Fitton produced a superb display to book his place in the quarter-finals of the BDO Championship with a 4-2 victory over 2008 finalist Simon Whitlock.

Number five seed Fitton found himself 1-0 and 2-1 down, but kept his composure to emerge a worthy winner.

Elsewhere, top seed Gary Anderson was also forced to come from behind before seeing off Robert Hughes of Wales 4-2, while Tony O'Shea coasted to an emphatic 4-0 triumph over Dutch eighth seed Edwin Max with England's Scott Waites winning by the same scoreline against Swede Alan Norris.

Unlike O'Shea and Waites, Fitton was made to work before coming out on top following a high-quality contest.

Whitlock raced into a two-leg lead in the first set and wrapped it up by taking out 85 for a 12-darter.

Fitton matched Whitlock by winning the second set without dropping a leg, but it was the 'Wizard of Oz' who pulled ahead again after edging a much more closely-contested third set.

Whitlock had moved two legs ahead only for Fitton to level at 2-2 following a 124 check-out, but the Australian claimed the decider after hitting double-top.

The fourth set also went to a deciding leg, but this time it was Fitton who came out on top, taking out 81 for a 12-darter just when he needed it to level the match at two sets all.

The Englishman then stepped up a gear with Whitlock unable to live with his relentlessly heavy scoring.

Fitton quickly went two legs up in the fifth set and although Whitlock responded with an 11-darter to stay alive he fell behind in sets for the first time as his opponent checked out 59 to move 3-2 up.

With the darts in the sixth set Fitton led 1-0 and 2-1 in legs, but Whitlock showed courage to land double-four to extend the match.

However, it was a temporary reprieve as Fitton produced a maximum and a 140 to put himself within sight of the finishing line after just six darts.

With Whitlock still some way back he could afford to miss a couple of darts at double-top, but found it with something to spare to close out a fine victory.

Easy for O'Shea

O'Shea enjoyed a comfortable night's work as he whitewashed an out-of-sorts Max.

The Englishman started in explosive style with consecutive 180s and, while he was unable to complete a nine-darter, it was a sign of things to come as he overpowered his opponent, registering eight maximums on his march to victory.

Waites also found little trouble in booking his quarter-final place as he thrashed Norris 4-0, throwing nine maximums in the process.

Anderson suffers

But Anderson found life much more difficult as he recovered to scrape through against Hughes.

The top seed appeared to have matters in hand as he won the first set, but his Wales international opponent hit back to by claiming the next two to open a surprise lead.

Anderson responded to claim a nervy fourth set with double-one and from there went on to close out victory, but the top seed will know he has much improving to do if he is to win the tournament and admitted he feels far from comfortable under the bright lights at Lakeside.

"Seriously I am a good tournament floor or pub player," he said afterwards. "I prefer to be in the shadows and really do not being like on stage in the limelight with the cameras but I know I have to do it because it is my job.

"But trust me I do not enjoy it."