Gary Anderson falls to Joe Cullen in World Series of Darts Finals
Monday 7 November 2016 12:07, UK
Gary Anderson crashed out of the Ladbrokes World Series of Darts Finals to Joe Cullen at Glasgow's Braehead Arena on Saturday night, as Michael van Gerwen and Phil Taylor avoided potential upsets.
World champion Anderson was knocked out in a deciding leg by Terry Jenkins in his opener in Glasgow a year ago, and suffered the same fate as Cullen continued his impressive 2016 by holding his nerve against the Scottish favourite.
Anderson had won the World Series events in Dubai, Auckland and Tokyo earlier this year, but was unable to mark his first appearance on stage wearing glasses - and using a new design of dart - with victory.
The Scot started brightly enough in front of the passionate Scottish crowd as he opened up a 2-0 lead with legs of 15 and 13 darts, but Cullen levelled before finishing 124 on the bull to move himself ahead.
The next five legs were won with throw to send the contest into a decider, which Cullen took with a 13-dart finish of his own.
"It's brilliant," said Cullen, who had edged out Joe Murnan 6-5 in the first round earlier in the day. "It's great to beat the world champion in Scotland - it was a great atmosphere, up there with the best I've played in front of."
Cullen will now play Peter Wright, after last year's runner-up in this event impressed in his 6-3 win over Daryl Gurney in their second-round clash.
Northern Ireland's Gurney had defeated youngster Josh Payne by the same scoreline in the afternoon session, taking out a key 141 finish, but found Wright too strong as the world No 5 backed up his firework-themed outfit with a strong display.
World No 1 Van Gerwen, the champion in both Shanghai and Perth, held off Gerwyn Price's fightback to claim a narrow 6-5 win over the Welshman, who had defeated Steve Beaton 6-3 in round one.
Van Gerwen - last week's European Championship winner - led 3-0 and 5-2 before Price battled back to level, but the Dutchman was first to a finish in the decider as a 13-darter secured his triumph.
"I did enough to win the game," said Van Gerwen. "Gerwyn tried everything he could to make it as close as possible but I out-scored him.
"The win was the most important thing and I'm through to the quarter-finals. I'm feeling confident and playing well and I'll get myself ready because it's a big day."
Van Gerwen now takes on Simon Whitlock in the last eight, after the Australian defeated Brendan Dolan 6-5 and Raymond van Barneveld 6-2.
Phil Taylor came from three legs down to avenge last week's defeat to Mensur Suljovic in the European Championship quarter-finals with a 6-3 win over the Austrian.
Suljovic - who went on to reach the European Championship final - had been in brilliant form as he whitewashed Robert Thornton in the first round, taking out finishes of 120 and 116 as he punished ten missed doubles from the Scot, and started superbly on his return to the stage against Taylor by taking the first three legs.
Taylor, though, sparked his revival with a 12-darter and also landed an 11-dart finish as he took five successive legs before finishing 120 to complete a fine comeback.
Taylor now meets Dutch youngster Benito van de Pas, who followed up his first round win over former World Youth champion Michael Smith with a defeat of James Wade on Saturday night.
First round results:
Max Hopp 5-6 Cristo Reyes
Benito van de Pas 6-3 Michael Smith
Jelle Klaasen 5-6 Kim Huybrechts
Brendan Dolan 5-6 Simon Whitlock
Mensur Suljovic 6-0 Robert Thornton
Joe Murnan 5-6 Joe Cullen
Gerwyn Price 6-3 Steve Beaton
Daryl Gurney 6-3 Josh Payne
Second round results:
Adrian Lewis 6-3 Cristo Reyes
James Wade 5-6 Benito van de Pas
Dave Chisnall 6-4 Kim Huybrechts
Raymond van Barneveld 2-6 Simon Whitlock
Phil Taylor 6-3 Mensur Suljovic
Gary Anderson 5-6 Joe Cullen
Michael van Gerwen 6-5 Gerwyn Price
Peter Wright 6-3 Daryl Gurney
Sunday's quarter-finals:
Adrian Lewis v Dave Chisnall
Michael van Gerwen v Simon Whitlock
Benito van de Pas v Phil Taylor
Joe Cullen v Peter Wright
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