Phil Taylor powers to second win at Grand Slam
Sunday 8 November 2015 18:17, UK
Phil Taylor continued his bid to retain the 2015 Grand Slam of Darts with a 5-2 win over Robbie Green in Wolverhampton on Sunday.
'The Power' got better as the match against Green progressed and averaged 108.32 on his way to his second win in as many Grand Slam matches.
The match went with the throw until the sixth leg, when Taylor completed a 126 checkout to make a break and put himself in control of the tie.
He then scored 180 and 177 before finishing with a double eight to seal the win.
Live Grand Slam of Darts
"I don't think I've ever been this dedicated in my whole career," Taylor told Sky Sports. "My plan is to push on from here to the Worlds and I'm very happy at the moment.
"Nobody is ever going to motivate me as much as I can motivate myself, of course little comments help you along but it has to come from yourself.
"I'm practising more than I ever have at the moment."
The final match in the Sunday afternoon session was a superb contest between world champion Gary Anderson and Raymond van Barneveld, in which both players hit three-figure averages.
Van Barneveld was left to rue a costly miss in the seventh game but his performance will have ignited memories of the player's golden form of previous years.
Anderson took out 20, treble 17 and the bullseye to secure a thrilling 5-3 victory which had the Wolverhampton crowd on their feet.
Mark Webster scored well in his match against James Wade but was unable to find his finishing touch and Wade prevailed 5-2, taking the final leg in emphatic fashion with an 11-darter.
Youngster Keegan Brown won a nine-legger against Michael van der Horst, finishing a superb 115 on double 19 to snatch the win.
Welshman Martin Phillips was unable to prevent Rowby-John Rodriguez from collecting a win, a superb 114 checkout in the eighth leg securing that outcome.
Andy Boulton and Larry Butler went toe-to-toe in their game, with some big scores being put up by both players.
The contest went all the way to a ninth leg, in which Boulton hit his first 180 of the game only to miss double top for an 80 checkout and the win as Butler stepped in to hit double 16 for the points.
Robert Thornton beat Jonny Clayton 5-2, and Terry Jenkins showed youngster Geert De Vos no mercy in a 5-0 whitewash.
Afternoon session results: Keegan Brown 5 Michel van der Horst 4, Rowby-John Rodriguez 5 Martin Phillips 2, Andy Boulton 5 Larry Butler 4, Terry Jenkins 5 Geert De Vos 0, Robert Thornton 5 Jonny Clayton 2, Phil Taylor 5 Robbie Green 2, James Wade 5 Mark Webster 1, Gary Anderson 5 Raymond van Barneveld 3.
Watch the Sunday evening session at the Grand Slam of Darts live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 7.30pm.
