James Wade knows he faces a huge task trying to stop the Phil Taylor juggernaut in Thursday's Premier League stop in Brighton.
Wade knows he faces big task taking on Taylor in Brighton
James Wade knows he faces a huge task trying to stop the Phil Taylor juggernaut in Thursday's Premier League stop in Brighton.
'The Power' has won five matches on the spin since losing his Premier League opener to Adrian Lewis to fire his way back to the top of the table.
Taylor also picked up the inaugural RTL7 International Masters title in Holland with an average of 133 beating Raymond van Barneveld in the final.
Wade, by contrast, has had mixed fortunes in the league so far with just two wins in six, although he did come out on top last week against Terry Jenkins.
The left-hander defeated Taylor in both the 2008 and 2009 Premier League seasons as well as in the final of the 2010 Championship League Darts.
Challenge
"Just because I've had success against Phil before doesn't mean it's going to automatically happen again and I know the size of the challenge on Thursday," said Wade.
"I've been playing well in patches but it's up to me now to put it together for a full match."
Taylor's win over Simon Whitlock when the Premier League Darts visited Glasgow last Thursday, coupled with defeat for Gary Anderson, means that Taylor now sits two points clear at the top of the table ahead of his clash with Wade.
"I was delighted with how I played in Holland and it was a great tournament for me, but Thursday is a new day and I'll have to perform well again," said Taylor, who hit two nine-dart finishes in winning last year's final against the left-hander.
"James has been getting slowly back to his best and he always lifts his game when we play, so I'm excited by it.
"It's great to be top of the table because it means I'm playing well and winning, but the objective is to win enough points to make sure I'm in the play-offs in May so I can't ease up against James."
Jackpot
World champion Lewis plays Jenkins, while both Mark Webster and Whitlock are aiming to end two-game losing runs when they clash in the night's opening game at The Brighton Centre.
The other contest as the league reaches its half-way point sees five-time world champion van Barneveld meet Gary Anderson in a meeting of the two players sat locked on eight points behind Taylor in the league tables.
"Barney's playing well and reached the final in Holland at the weekend, so I know it's going to be very tough," said Anderson.
"Although I've lost my last two matches, I played quite well in Holland at the weekend I'll give it my best shot on Thursday."
