Power starts Dutch defence

Taylor: Easy winner

Thursday Results:
Terry Jenkins 4-6 Jamie Caven
Mensur Suljovic 6-3 Roland Scholten
Wes Newton 4-6 Robert Thornton
Ronnie Baxter 6-2 Andy Smith
Co Stompe 5-6 Gary Anderson

Phil Taylor 6-2 Toon Greebe
John Part 5-6 Colin Lloyd
Wayne Jones 2-6 Jelle Klaasen

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Defending champion Phil Taylor enjoyed a comfortable passage into the second round of the European Championship with a 6-2 win over Dutchman Toon Greebe.

'The Power' was a commanding first round winner as the event got underway at the Claus Event Centre in Holland.

Greebe had chances to make the contest closer, but the youngster missed at crucial times and Taylor never looked like giving away his advantage.

Taylor hit three ton-plus scores in the opening leg, but Greebe levelled immediately with a 70 checkout. Taylor landed two maximums in the second leg leaving him with tops and followed with 180s in the next two legs to move 4-1 ahead.

The world number one moved to within one leg of victory in the sixth leg, but his 21 year-old opponent had chances to win it and then broke Taylor to reduce the deficit to three legs.

Greebe then missed three darts at double 14 to close matters further still allowing Taylor to take out 81 on the bull to progress.

Thornton clash

Taylor now moves on to a second round clash with Robert Thornton in a dress-rehearsal for December's Jocky Wilson Cup after the Scotsman knocked out in-form West Newton.

"It's always good to get through the first round as the short format can be a bit tricky," said Taylor. "Now I can concentrate on the match with Robert on Saturday which I'll be more relaxed as it is best of 17 legs."

"The Jocky Wilson cup is going to be a great event and hopefully I can send a message out to Robert with a good performance."

Co Ctompe almost caused a big shock when he came from three legs behind to lead Gary Anderson 5-4, but the Scotsman held his nerve to win in a final-leg decider.

Another Ducthman to go out was Roland Scholten, who lost 6-3 to Austrian Mensur Suljovic, but Jelle Klaasen gave the home crowd something to shout about as he saw off Wolverhampton's Wayne Jones 6-2 in the final match of the first night.

Klaasen goes up against Jamie Caven in the next round after the Derby thrower beat Terry Jenkins 6-4 in the night's opening match, while Colin Lloyd dumped John Part out in a deciding leg and Ronnie Baxter will face Anderson after beating Andy Smith 6-2.