Phil Taylor won the final two sets to beat Mark Walsh 4-3 in the second round of the PDC World Darts Championship.
Top seed prevails in deciding set
Phil Taylor was taken to a deciding set before overcoming Mark Walsh to reach the last 16 of the PDC World Darts Championship.
A shock result looked on the cards when an out-of-sorts Taylor trailed 3-2 in the best of seven sets match.
But the 13-time world champion came through when it mattered, reeling off six consecutive legs to win the sixth and seventh sets and take the victory by a 4-3 margin.
That outcome had looked unlikely when Walsh won eight of the first 11 legs to lead 2-1.
Top seed Taylor finally began to look comfortable on the vast expanse of the stage at the Alexandra Palace while winning the fourth set with three consecutive legs.
However, Walsh went 3-2 ahead by claiming the deciding leg of the fifth set - hitting double 20 after Taylor had failed with a single dart for the set at double 16.
But again the momentum switched during a one-sided sixth set that Taylor won in three straight legs to take the match into a decider, which he also dominated to book a last 16 meeting with Alan Tabern.
"It wasn't easy for me," Taylor told
Sky Sports.
"Something is wrong somewhere. It was a strange game.
"It's not easy winning world championships and sometimes you have to battle it out."
Walsh commented: "When I went 3-2 up I thought I had him.
"Unfortunately I didn't play too well in the last two sets and Phil did what Phil does."
King dethroned
Roland Scholten also progressed to the last 16 with a 4-2 success over Mervyn King.
The Dutchman prevailed from a high-quality contest in which his superior accuracy on the doubles proved the difference.
Scholten, seeded eighth at the Alexandra Palace, took the opening set on a deciding leg but King immediately levelled by racing through the second set in three straight legs.
King produced a 170 checkout to claim the opening leg of the third set and also took the next before the momentum turned back to his opponent, who won three straight legs to open a 2-1 lead.
But the Englishman, seeded 25th, dug deep to take the deciding leg of the fourth set and once again level the match.
From that point Scholten took command, winning the fifth set 3-1 on legs and then closing out victory with his first match dart at double top in the deciding leg of the sixth set.
"Merv is such a good player, you can never underestimate him," said Scholten.
"He's a good friend and is one of the top darts players, you don't want to meet him in the first, second or whatever round.
"I'm pleased for myself that I've beaten him."
Mardle masterclass
In Saturday evening's final match, Wayne Mardle defeated qualifier Jamie Caven 4-1.
Ninth seed Mardle lost the first set before finding his range to produce a clinical display, dropping just three legs during the remainder of the match.
"I started slowly for the second game running but was fine after that," said Mardle, who faces Scholten in the last 16.
"Maybe I'm worried when I get up there but when I get my flow I'm fine."
