THERE were mixed fortunes for Somerset's representatives at the PDC World Darts Championship on Wednesday, as Gary Anderson stormed into the quarter-finals but Ryan Searle just missed out.
Anderson, seeking a third world title, has struggled with a knee injury in recent months, and only just came through a bad-tempered match with Mensur Suljovic to reach the last 16.
But the Burnham-on-Sea man put in a performance against Devon Petersen that gives his fans hope of him going all the way again at Alexandra Palace.
Anderson won the first set without dropping a leg, only to find himself 2-0 down in the second set.
He stunned Petersen with a 160 checkout, though, and won the following two legs to move two sets ahead.
His South African opponent again went 2-0 up in the third set, but once more Anderson fought back and a 12-darter decided the set in his favour.
There was no way back from there for Petersen, as Anderson competed a 4-0 whitewash victory to book his place in Friday's quarter-finals, where he will face unseeded Dutchman Dirk van Duijvenbode.
9⃣ Gary Anderson has secured his place in a ninth quarter-final at Ally Pally with a head-turning performance.
— Sky Sports Darts (@SkySportsDarts) December 30, 2020
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Wellington-born Searle was unable to join him in the last eight, however, as he went down 4-3 against Stephen Bunting.
Bunting took the first set against the throw, only for the Holcombe Rogus resident to come storming back.
A missed shot at the bull enabled Bunting to edge the second set, but six missed set darts allowed Searle to bring it back to 2-1, and soon it was 2-2.
Bunting replied with four legs on the spin, but his opponent was not going to give up, and four straight legs of his own levelled it up again at 3-3 and gave him the lead in the deciding set.
A brilliant 11-darter put Seale within one of the match, but Bunting responded in kind and then checked out to force a last-leg decider.
There it was Bunting who held his nerve best, pinning D20 after Searle had hit 170 to leave 16.
⬆️ Tops he needs and tops he gets.
— Sky Sports Darts (@SkySportsDarts) December 30, 2020
🎯 Stephen Bunting edges out Ryan Searle 4-3 to book his place in the quarter-finals.
📺 Sky Sports Main Event & Darts
✍️ Live blog: https://t.co/XxwwNv3skw
#⃣ #WHDarts #LoveTheDarts pic.twitter.com/ske1yuUeeD
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