Jaws bares teeth in Dublin

Lloyd: Demons

Wednesday's results:
C Lloyd 3-2 K Painter
M King 3-2 T Eccles
R van Barneveld 3-2 A Lewis
D Priestley 3-2 W Mardle

Also see

• Order of Merit
• On Sky TV
• Darts Schedule/Results

Former world number one Colin Lloyd booked his place in the quarter-finals of the Sky Bet Grand Prix with a dramatic come-from-behind victory over Kevin Painter.

'Jaws' looked to be heading out of the competition in Dublin as Painter nailed five maximums on the way to taking the first two sets.

But Lloyd clawed his way back into the match and levelled it when his opponent missed the chance to clinch the win, missing a 70 checkout, Lloyd producing a two-fingered gesture to the crowd in the process of taking the fourth set.

Once more it was Painter who looked on the way to victory as he took the first two legs in the decider, but the 'Artist' again let himself down by missing three darts at double 16 with Lloyd a mile back.

But Jaws managed to checkout with his next three darts and he went on to clinch a most thrilling win with his first shot at double top in the deciding leg.

"It's been a long hard road for Colin Lloyd, I've had a lot of demons in my own head," he told Sky Sports.

"I don't think I deserved to win that game - I dont think I played consistenly well enough.

"Kevin started going for double top and I couldnt believe it - he was nailing double 16 like a triphammer.

"Colin Lloyd just hasn't been performing over the last 18 months and it has hurt me, it really has.

"I've done it all before and it's been difficult, it really has. It's been very hurtful.

"I dont care who I've got next, bring it on. If you want some fun on the stage, let's have some."

Barnstormer

Lloyd will take on Raymond van Barneveld for a place in the semi-finals after the Dutchman won a barnstormer against Adrian Lewis.

Like Lloyd, 'Jackpot' Lewis came from two sets down after Barneveld appeared to be in control but it was the former world champion who came through with a 63 checkout in the decisive leg.

"Double start is not like playing a normal game - there's so much pressure," he said. "I was 2-0 up and then you walk off stage and maybe you relax a bit because of that.

"I had to slow him down - if you speed up against these players like Adrian or Colin Lloyd you'll be shaking hands with them.

"The first two sets I was concentrating hard but he came back well and I let him back in. I'm happy, very happy."

Mervyn King also booked his place in the quarter-finals with a scrappy 3-2 victory over Tony Eccles.

After losing the first leg, Eccles bounced back emphatically to win the next three legs and clinch the opening set.

Menacing display

King responded superbly by taking the next two sets, however the 'Viper' dug deep to grind out the fourth to take the game into a decider.

However, King found another level in the final set, scores of 180 and 134 set up a double four finish and he moved further ahead on double 16.

After clinching the match-winning leg on double top, King will now turn his attention to a tough quarter-final match-up against Dennis Priestley.

'The Menace' used all of his experience to claw his way back from the brink of defeat to beat Wayne Mardle 3-2 in a thrilling final match of the evening.

'Hawaii 501' was in blistering form in the early stages, checkouts of 107 and 144 powering him into a 2-0 lead before Priestley reduced the arrears.

Then, after Mardle missed double top for a place in the quarter-finals in the third set, Priestley stepped up his game by taking out double 18 to force a decider before a 101 checkout saw him clinch the set.

The players couldn't be separated in a pulsating final set as the match headed towards a sudden-death leg.

Mardle failed to recover from a slow start to the leg and Priestley capitalised emphatically by taking out double top to book his place in the last eight.