WHITLOCK UPSETS CROWD FAVOURITE
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Simon Whitlock silenced a sell-out crowd at Glasgow's SECC with an 8-6 victory over Scotland's Gary Anderson on Week Six of the McCoy's Premier League.
The win moves Australian Whitlock up to second-place in the table, but he is once again playing second fiddle to Phil Taylor who romped to a sixth successive victory.
Taylor averaged 106 en route to a comfortable 8-3 win over Andy Hamilton, however another Stoke thrower props up the table after Adrian Lewis crashed to an 8-6 defeat at the hands of the resurgent James Wade.
The remaining match in Glasgow saw fan-favourite Raymond van Barneveld pick up his second win of the season courtesy of an impressive 8-5 triumph over Kevin Painter.
But it was local player Anderson who the majority of the 8,000-strong crowd wanted to see prevail, however the Scot failed to follow the script as he succumbed to the unflappable Whitlock.
Both players missed chances as the opening two legs went against the darts and Whitlock's profligacy then handed Anderson the third leg and a 2-1 lead.
The next three legs went with the darts - Whitlock nailing a 164 finish in the fourth leg - before the Australian gained the upper hand with what proved to be the match-winning break in the first leg after the interval.
He followed that up with a 105 finish to extend his lead to 5-3 and then comfortably held on as the remaining legs saw no further breaks.
League leader Taylor maintained his unbeaten record in the competition and opened up a four-point lead at the top with a comfortable 8-3 victory over Hamilton.
The world No 1 was not at his record-breaking best although he still averaged 106 and hit 50 per cent of his doubles in the battle of the Stoke throwers.
Taylor captured the opening leg in 13 darts but World Championship runner-up Hamilton levelled with a superb 150 finish before breaking for a surprise 2-1 lead.
Finishes of 60 and 72 put Taylor back in the ascendancy and he nailed his second 13-darter to move 4-2 ahead at the interval.
The first two legs after the restart were shared and Taylor then landed his only 180 of the night on his way to securing the ninth leg.
A break in the 10th leg ended any hopes of a Hamilton comeback and Taylor wrapped up the victory with his highest finish of the night - 104 in the 11th leg.
In-form Wade earlier avenged his World Championship semi-final defeat to Adrian Lewis in the opening match of the night.
The Aldershot-based left-hander let a 5-1 lead slip against the world champion at Alexandra Palace but he was always in command as he secured an 8-5 victory at Glasgow's SECC.
The defeat left bottom-of-the-table Lewis still seeking his first win of the tournament, while 2009 champion Wade has now notched three straight victories after losing his first three games.
Wade began in style and hit a 180 with his opening three darts on his way to taking the first leg.
He claimed the first break of the match in the fourth leg and it looked all over for Lewis when a finish of 114 in the seventh leg made it 5-2.
The Stoke ace replied immediately thanks to a 106 finish only for Wade to break straight back again and there was no way back for a rattled Lewis after that.
Dutchman Van Barneveld then capped off an entertaining evening with a 8-5 win over Painter.
PDC World Championships 2013 Winner. Click here to bet.
Simon Whitlock silenced a sell-out crowd at Glasgow's SECC with an 8-6 victory over Scotland's Gary Anderson on Week Six of the McCoy's Premier League.
The win moves Australian Whitlock up to second-place in the table, but he is once again playing second fiddle to Phil Taylor who romped to a sixth successive victory.
Taylor averaged 106 en route to a comfortable 8-3 win over Andy Hamilton, however another Stoke thrower props up the table after Adrian Lewis crashed to an 8-6 defeat at the hands of the resurgent James Wade.
The remaining match in Glasgow saw fan-favourite Raymond van Barneveld pick up his second win of the season courtesy of an impressive 8-5 triumph over Kevin Painter.
But it was local player Anderson who the majority of the 8,000-strong crowd wanted to see prevail, however the Scot failed to follow the script as he succumbed to the unflappable Whitlock.
Both players missed chances as the opening two legs went against the darts and Whitlock's profligacy then handed Anderson the third leg and a 2-1 lead.
The next three legs went with the darts - Whitlock nailing a 164 finish in the fourth leg - before the Australian gained the upper hand with what proved to be the match-winning break in the first leg after the interval.
He followed that up with a 105 finish to extend his lead to 5-3 and then comfortably held on as the remaining legs saw no further breaks.
League leader Taylor maintained his unbeaten record in the competition and opened up a four-point lead at the top with a comfortable 8-3 victory over Hamilton.
The world No 1 was not at his record-breaking best although he still averaged 106 and hit 50 per cent of his doubles in the battle of the Stoke throwers.
Taylor captured the opening leg in 13 darts but World Championship runner-up Hamilton levelled with a superb 150 finish before breaking for a surprise 2-1 lead.
Finishes of 60 and 72 put Taylor back in the ascendancy and he nailed his second 13-darter to move 4-2 ahead at the interval.
The first two legs after the restart were shared and Taylor then landed his only 180 of the night on his way to securing the ninth leg.
A break in the 10th leg ended any hopes of a Hamilton comeback and Taylor wrapped up the victory with his highest finish of the night - 104 in the 11th leg.
In-form Wade earlier avenged his World Championship semi-final defeat to Adrian Lewis in the opening match of the night.
The Aldershot-based left-hander let a 5-1 lead slip against the world champion at Alexandra Palace but he was always in command as he secured an 8-5 victory at Glasgow's SECC.
The defeat left bottom-of-the-table Lewis still seeking his first win of the tournament, while 2009 champion Wade has now notched three straight victories after losing his first three games.
Wade began in style and hit a 180 with his opening three darts on his way to taking the first leg.
He claimed the first break of the match in the fourth leg and it looked all over for Lewis when a finish of 114 in the seventh leg made it 5-2.
The Stoke ace replied immediately thanks to a 106 finish only for Wade to break straight back again and there was no way back for a rattled Lewis after that.
Dutchman Van Barneveld then capped off an entertaining evening with a 8-5 win over Painter.