Power surges past Barney

Taylor: eighth Grand Prix title

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• Order of Merit
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Phil Taylor produced a dominant display to beat Raymond van Barneveld 6-2 in the Sky Poker Grand Prix final.

It had seemed the two players were ready to serve up another epic encounter after an exciting start to the match that saw the first four sets shared.

However, the Power then hit his stride as van Barneveld faltered and some clinical finishing saw him reel off four straight sets to close out victory and an eighth world Grand Prix title.

Van Barneveld set the tone for a high quality opening as he took out 133 to claim the very first leg and he pocketed the first set when Taylor failed to check out on 86 leaving the Dutchman to land double 18.

Barney then raced two legs up in the second set before Taylor started to turn the screw. Having got back on terms the Potteries marksman took the set with a fine 145 check-out.

Taylor breezed through the third set, punishing van Barneveld for missing three darts at a double in the third leg as he closed out the set on his next visit.

But the Dutchman refused to lie down and stole the third leg of the fourth set against the darts as Taylor surprisingly failed to land double 16.

He made the break count as he located double eight in the fourth leg to level the match at two sets apiece.

That was to prove as good as things would get for van Barneveld who then struggled for rhythm in comparison to an opponent who continued to pepper the treble 20 - Taylor eventually finishing with 13 maximums to his rival's five.

But van Barneveld continued to have his chances and was two legs up in the fifth set only to throw it away as Taylor came roaring back to get his nose in front again with a 67 check-out.

The Power opened the sixth set with a stunning 12-darter and edged ahead again in the third leg by taking out 141.

Van Barneveld responded in style with a 160 check-out of his own to give himself renewed hope, but again failed to assert himself when it mattered as Taylor found double 12 to wrap up the set and give himself breathing space at 4-2.

The seventh set also went the distance but van Barneveld missed another good opportunity to get himself back into the match in the deciding leg with Taylor finishing off 76 to put himself on the brink at five sets to two.

Having fallen well behind the Dutchman seemed to loosen up and scored heavily to keep himself in contention in the next set.

But the end came in familiar style as Taylor found the big scores and finishes when he needed them most.

Van Barneveld had two darts at double 16 to take the set but, having failed to do so, watched on as Taylor checked out 97.

In the deciding leg Barney had the chance to extend the match by taking out 113 but there was an air of inevitably as he could not do so allowing the relentless Taylor to bring the curtain down on another splendid week's work by hitting double five.