Anderson's Nuland Joy Continues

GARY ANDERSON'S run of sensational form in Players Championships continued as he picked up his third Nuland victory of 2011, and eighth of the year in all competitions, by defeating Colin Lloyd 6-2 in Saturday's final.

The Premier League Darts champion had also won six other PDC ProTour events this year before returning to Holland - where he claimed a notable double in June with back-to-back wins - and extended his unbeaten run at the Van Der Valk Hotel to three successive events.

The Scot was in imperious form throughout, hitting eight 180s in a first round whitewash of Dutch youngster Dirk van Duijvenbode before seeing off Joe Cullen, Nigel Heydon, Colin Osborne and Mark Webster to reach the semis.

There, he picked up another whitewash against Tony Ayres before going on to defeat Lloyd in the decider.

Lloyd, in his first final of 2011, led 2-1 early on after opening with a ten-dart leg and also hitting a 12-darter.

But the Essex ace could not match Anderson's relentless scoring, as the Scot hit two 180s in the next three legs, which were won in 12, 13 and 14 darts.

Anderson was also ahead in the seventh before miscounting when needing 129 - he finished 139 by mistake to let Lloyd in, but his miss at double 16 gave the Scot a reprieve on double 18.

Lloyd hit back with a 180 in the next, but Anderson was first to a finish and landed double top to complete victory.

Lloyd picked up the £3,000 runner-up prize following his best display of the year, as he saw off Niels-Jan Stuiver, Terry Temple, Kim Huybrechts, Wes Newton, Dave Chisnall and Scott Rand.

Rand's run to the semi-finals lifts him above Co Stompe and Colin Osborne into the provisional qualifying places for the World Grand Prix - with only Sunday's Players Championship remaining before the 32-player field is confirmed.

Ayres' semi-final appearance was his best since reaching the last eight of a Players Championship in Holland 12 months ago, and matched his run to the last four in the 2010 UK Open.

Chisnall's impressive first year on the PDC circuit continued as he made the last eight, only to miss three darts to defeat Lloyd in a tight battle, while he was joined in the quarter-finals by Mark Walsh, Mark Webster and Brendan Dolan.

Dolan's £1,000 prize money improved his chances of securing a World Grand Prix place as one of the top two players from Ireland & Northern Ireland in the Players Championship Order of Merit - while Michael Mansell's run to the last 16 saw him close the gap on William O'Connor.

Players Championship 19
(Nuland, Holland - Saturday September 24)
Preliminary Round

Jean-Marie Rubais 6-3 Jerry Hendriks
Steffen Siepmann 6-3 Dennis Kaulen
Gilbert van der Meijden 6-5 Johnny Okken
Christian van Overdijk 6-2 Gino Vos
Kurt van de Rijk 6-0 Martino Tagliapietra

First Round
Gary Anderson (1) 6-0 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Joe Cullen 6-5 William O'Connor
Nigel Heydon (32) 6-5 Matt Clark
Veijo Viinikka 6-1 Jean-Marie Rubais
Mervyn King (16) 6-2 Karsten Koch
Michael Smith 6-4 John O'Shea
Colin Osborne (17) 6-2 Matthias Ziolkowski
Dyson Parody 6-5 Henry Zapata
Mark Webster (8) 6-3 Maik Langendorf
Jann Hoffmann 6-5 Nick Fullwell
Andy Hamilton (25) 6-0 Andrea Guidi
Kirk Shepherd 6-2 Steffen Siepmann
Justin Pipe (9) 6-1 Rico Dera
Shaun Griffiths 6-2 Steve Evans
Wayne Jones (24) 6-3 Michael Oostermann
Roland Scholten 6-2 Dylan Duo
Mark Walsh (5) 6-1 Thomas May
Mareno Michels 6-4 Boris Krcmar
Tony Eccles (28) 6-0 Rudy Minnenbach
Michael Rosenauer 6-4 Adam Smith-Neale
Remco van Eijden 6-3 Peter Wright (12)
Alex Roy 6-3 Andree Welge
Bobby Biemans 6-4 Co Stompe (21)
Darren Johnson 6-4 Reece Robinson
Ronnie Baxter (4) 6-4 Rene Lander
Magnus Caris 6-4 Kevin McDine
Tony Ayres 6-4 Jelle Klaasen (29)
Gilbert van der Meijden 6-4 Ryan Harrington
Denis Ovens (13) 6-1 Lucio Rave
Michael Mansell 6-4 Adrian Gray
Erwin Renkema 6-5 Dennis Smith (20)
Matthew Edgar 6-2 Andy Hutchings
Wes Newton (2) 6-0 Dirk Schenk
Ian White 6-4 Arron Monk
Steve Farmer (31) 6-3 John Michael
Bernd Roith 6-4 Christian van Overdijk
Alan Tabern (15) 6-2 Wilfried Hoberg
Kim Huybrechts 6-1 Barrie Bates
Colin Lloyd (18) 6-0 Niels-Jan Stuiver
Terry Temple 6-3 Mick Todd
Vincent van der Voort (7) 6-4 Eduardo Lopes Sales
Brian Woods 6-1 Rocco Maes
Dave Chisnall (26) 6-1 Wilhelm Schwingenschlogel
Andy Jenkins 6-4 Dave Ladley
Andy Smith (10) 6-2 Jose Antonio Justicia
James Richardson 6-5 Steve Maish
Steve Brown (23) 6-1 Karsten Kornath
Dave Smith 6-4 Mensur Suljovic
Jamie Caven (6) 6-2 Danny Schellekens
Brendan Dolan 6-2 Chris Thompson
John Henderson (27) 6-4 Wichard Knoops
Antonio Alcinas 6-2 Carlos Rodriguez
Kevin Painter (11) 6-1 Andries Sterk
Per Laursen 6-4 Marko Kantele
Mark Hylton (22) 6-1 Ruzdya Hopic
Mark Dudbridge 6-3 Jyhan Artut
Paul Nicholson (3) 6-0 Romano Ruggeri
Steve Hine 6-3 Michael van Gerwen
Scott Rand (30) 6-4 Chris Aubrey
Kurt van de Rijk 6-1 Steve Grubb
Steve Beaton (14) 6-2 Mark Lieftink
Mark Frost 6-2 Adam Hunt
Richie Burnett (19) 6-1 Mauro Stronati
Wayne Atwood 6-3 Aodhagan O'Neill

Second Round
Gary Anderson 6-2 Joe Cullen
Nigel Heydon 6-3 Veijo Viinikka
Mervyn King 6-4 Michael Smith
Colin Osborne 6-5 Dyson Parody
Mark Webster 6-3 Jann Hoffmann
Andy Hamilton 6-1 Kirk Shepherd
Justin Pipe 6-3 Shaun Griffiths
Wayne Jones 6-1 Roland Scholten
Mark Walsh 6-2 Mareno Michels
Michael Rosenauer 6-5 Tony Eccles
Remco van Eijden 6-2 Alex Roy
Darren Johnson 6-4 Bobby Biemans
Magnus Caris 6-5 Ronnie Baxter
Tony Ayres 6-2 Gilbert van der Meijden
Michael Mansell 6-4 Denis Ovens
Erwin Renkema 6-4 Matthew Edgar
Wes Newton 6-5 Ian White
Steve Farmer 6-1 Bernd Roith
Kim Huybrechts 6-5 Alan Tabern
Colin Lloyd 6-3 Terry Temple
Vincent van der Voort 6-2 Brian Woods
Dave Chisnall 6-2 Andy Jenkins
James Richardson 6-4 Andy Smith
Steve Brown 6-4 Dave Smith
Brendan Dolan 6-3 Jamie Caven
John Henderson 6-5 Antonio Alcinas
Kevin Painter 6-2 Per Laursen
Mark Dudbridge 6-2 Mark Hylton
Paul Nicholson 6-2 Steve Hine
Scott Rand 6-3 Kurt van de Rijk
Steve Beaton 6-5 Mark Frost
Richie Burnett 6-0 Wayne Atwood
Losers £200

Third Round
Gary Anderson 6-1 Nigel Heydon
Colin Osborne 6-5 Mervyn King
Mark Webster 6-2 Andy Hamilton
Justin Pipe 6-5 Wayne Jones
Mark Walsh 6-4 Michael Rosenauer
Darren Johnson 6-3 Remco van Eijden
Tony Ayres 6-2 Magnus Caris
Michael Mansell 6-2 Erwin Renkema 
Wes Newton 6-2 Steve Farmer
Colin Lloyd 6-2 Kim Huybrechts
Dave Chisnall 6-4 Vincent van der Voort
James Richardson 6-5 Steve Brown
Brendan Dolan 6-5 John Henderson
Mark Dudbridge 6-2 Kevin Painter
Scott Rand 6-4 Paul Nicholson
Richie Burnett 6-5 Steve Beaton
Losers £400

Fourth Round
Gary Anderson 6-4 Colin Osborne
Mark Webster 6-4 Justin Pipe
Mark Walsh 6-4 Darren Johnson
Tony Ayres 6-4 Michael Mansell
Colin Lloyd 6-4 Wes Newton 
Dave Chisnall 6-4 James Richardson
Brendan Dolan 6-4 Mark Dudbridge
Scott Rand 6-4 Richie Burnett
Losers £600

Quarter-Finals
Gary Anderson 6-1 Mark Webster
Tony Ayres 6-5 Mark Walsh
Colin Lloyd 6-5 Dave Chisnall
Scott Rand 6-3 Brendan Dolan
Losers £1000

Semi-Finals
Gary Anderson 6-0 Tony Ayres
Colin Lloyd 6-4 Scott Rand
Losers £2,000

Final
Gary Anderson 6-2 Colin Lloyd
Winner £6,000
Runner-Up £3,000


Final
Gary Anderson v Colin Lloyd
0-0 - Colin Lloyd wins the bull and will throw first
0-1 - Lloyd opens the final with scores of 140, 180 and 145, and wins the opening leg in ten darts on double 18
1-1 - Anderson replies with a 13-darter, also finished on double 18
1-2 - The high standard continues as Lloyd finishes 121 on the bull for a 12-darter
2-2 - Anderson opens with a 180 and levels with double top for another 13-darter, with Lloyd also leaving 40 after 12 darts
3-2 - Anderson breaks for the first time with another 13-dart leg which he finishes on tops
4-2 - Anderson posts another 180 and a 131 to be first to a finish, and takes out double ten for a 14-darter
5-2 - Anderson initially bursts 129 but when Lloyd fails to step in on double 16 he returns to post double 18
6-2 - Lloyd hits a 180 in his bid to battle back but Anderson seals victory on double top