Brilliant Beaton Claims German Title

STEVE BEATON won his first ranking title for almost four years with a thrilling 6-5 defeat of Mervyn King in the final of the German Darts Masters on Sunday night.

The 49-year-old completed a brilliant weekend of darts in the European Tour event at the Glaspalast in Sindelfingen by taking the £20,000 first prize in dramatic fashion.

Beaton had dropped only four legs in his run to the semi-finals, whitewashing Mick Todd in the first round, defeating Paul Amos and Jamie Caven 6-2 and then seeing off Brendan Dolan 6-2 in the quarter-finals.

The former World Champion then averaged 100 in a superb performance to defeat world number four Simon Whitlock 6-3 in the semi-finals as he set up a decider against King.

King actually broke throw with a 13-darter in the final's opening leg, before Beaton levelled by punishing five misseed doubles from his opponent and then taking out 70 to lead 2-1.

King finished 116 to take the fourth, with Beaton edging back ahead with an 11-darter before being punished for a miss at tops in the sixth as the Norfolk ace levelled at three-all.

Beaton moved back ahead at 4-3 and then broke in a dramatic eighth leg, as King burst his score on 134 before seeing his opponent take out a huge 160 finish.

King responded superbly by hitting 180s in the next two legs as he sent the game into a decider, but Beaton scored 140, 95 and 100 in being first to a finish before finishing 76 on tops for the title.

"It's very special," said Beaton, who had reached at least the quarter-finals in the last three European Tour events. "I've been knocking on the door all year but it's great to finally win one.

"The format of these events suits me and I had to pace myself throughout today, but the crowd spurred me on by creating a great atmosphere.

"I knew I was playing well this weekend and I just wanted to keep it going. Sometimes I fall at the last hurdle but this time I didn't - although I thought I was going to blow it at the end!

"I'd seen Mervyn laughing when he burst the 134 but I thought to myself that I could really rub it in by finishing the 160, which I did to go 5-3 up.

"I've had so many great battles with Merv down the years and I knew he would come back at me so it was important I didn't give him a chance in that final leg."

Beaton has recently moved from Warwickshire to the Norfolk coast, and admitted: "It's absolutely brilliant to have got over the winning line, and things couldn't get much better for me at the moment. I love the challenge and it's great to be the champion this weekend."

King picked up £10,000 as the runner-up as he tasted defeat for a second time this year in a European Tour final.

He had also been in superb form throughout the weekend, kicking off Sunday's final stages with a narrow win over Peter Wright before whitewashing James Wade in the quarter-finals and seeing off Wayne Jones 6-4 in the semis.

"I got off to a good start in the final but I let Steve back in and I paid the price," said King. "Steve's in great form at the moment and he did well to win this.

"I've played some great darts this weekend and I'm very proud to have reached the final."

Jones' run to the last four continued a welcome return to form for the Wolverhampton ace, whose wins over Gary Anderson - where he hit four ton-plus finishes - and Mareno Michels, with a 6-0 whitewash, helped him to snatch qualification for the partypoker.com World Grand Prix.

Whitlock also continued his superb recent form by reaching the semi-finals, defeating Stuart Kellett and Kevin Painter on Sunday before losing out to Beaton.

Whitlock's result also means that he retains fourth place in the PDC Order of Merit ahead of James Wade, who reached the quarter-finals on his return from suspension before losing out to King.

Dutch youngster Mareno Michels had won through to the quarter-finals of a PDC event for the first time before he was defeated by Jones, while Painter and Dolan also progressed to the last eight.

The year's final European Tour event will be the Dutch Darts Masters, to be held at the NH Hotel Koningshof in Holland from October 25-27. For tickets, visit www.pdc-europe.net.

Selected match highlights will be available in www.LIVEPDC.TV in due course.

German Darts Masters
Quarter-Finals
Wayne Jones 6-0 Mareno Michels
James Wade 0-6 Mervyn King
Simon Whitlock 6-3 Kevin Painter
Steve Beaton 6-2 Brendan Dolan

Semi-Finals
Wayne Jones 4-6 Mervyn King
Simon Whitlock 3-6 Steve Beaton

Final
Mervyn King 5-6 Steve Beaton

All games the Best of 11 Legs

Match Information
Quarter-Finals
Wayne Jones v Mareno Michels
1-0 - Jones misses double 16 to finish 98, but two misses at double 19 from Michels, for a 95 finish, allow the Wolverhampton man back in to take the lead.
2-0 - Jones takes out 90 on the bull to break throw immediately.
3-0 - Michels hits a 180 but is punished for four missed doubles as Jones receives a let-off to return and land double seven.
4-0 - Jones finishes 62 on double 16 to break throw again, with Michels left waiting on 32.
5-0 - Jones lands a 180, and is given another let-off as Michels misses four darts at double top and ten to take the leg, with the former European Championship finalist returning to hit double five to move a leg away from victory.
6-0 - Jones takes out 78 on double six to complete a superb whitewash - which sees him also qualify for the partypoker.com World Grand Prix in October.
Wayne Jones: "It was playing on my mind and that did affect my performance, but I can relax now and enjoy the semi-final, and hopefully I'll play better. I felt the pressure because I really wanted to get into the World Grand Prix."

James Wade v Mervyn King
0-1 - King initially misses double top, ten and five, but returns to land double two in taking the opener.
0-2 - Wade misses the bull to finish 135 and further darts at double top and ten to allow King back in to land double four to break.
0-3 - King misses double 11 for an 84 finish, but Wade is unable to hit the bull to complete a 126 combination, allowing his opponent back in again on double four.
0-4 - King breaks once again, hitting a 180 and taking out, once more, a third-dart double four as he moves closer to victory.
0-5 - King misses the bullseye for a 126 finish but returns to win the leg - a fourth in a row - on double four.
0-6 - Wade responds with a maximum, but misses tops to finish 72 and King steps in to land tops and seal a place in the semi-finals with a whitewash.
Mervyn King: "I took my chances well and I'm really pleased with that. James wasn't too well but he gave it his all, and it just wasn't his night."

Simon Whitlock v Kevin Painter
1-0 - Whitlock lands double ten to hold throw in the opening leg.
1-1 - Painter levels by finishing 71 on double 16 for a 14-darter.
2-1 - Whitlock finishes double 18 for a 13-dart leg to regain the advantage.
3-1 - Painter misses double six to finish 126, and Whitlock takes out 112 on double 16 to break throw.
3-2 - Whitlock lands a 180, but misses four darts at doubles to win the leg, and Painter steps in to finish double 12 and break back.
4-2 - Painter scores 180 and 140, but misses a dart at double 16 to level as Whitlock follows up a 170 score with tops for a 13-darter.
5-2 - Whitlock opens with a 180 and has enough cushion to initially miss four doubles before returning to finish double five.
5-3 - Painter keeps his hopes alive by finishing 64 on double eight.
6-3 - Whitlock misses tops for a 117 finish to take victory, but Painter misses the same bed for a 106 checkout and the Australian returns to seal the win on double ten.
Simon Whitlock: "I had to pick up my game because Kevin was fantastic in the third round against Dave Chisnall, so I'm very happy with my win."

Steve Beaton v Brendan Dolan
0-1 - Dolan holds throw in the opening leg, missing tops but returning to land double ten.
1-1 - Beaton levels by landing double 16.
1-2 - Dolan misses double 16 for a showpiece 132 finish, hitting two bullseyes to set up the shot, but returns to land double eight.
2-2 - Beaton hits a 180 and finishes 62 on double eight to square the game once more.
3-2 - Beaton breaks with a 14-darter, hitting three 140s before taking the leg on double eight.
4-2 - Beaton hits a 180 and lands double ten to move two legs clear.
5-2 - Beaton lands another maximum and takes out 96 on double nine to edge towards victory.
6-2 - Beaton opens with another 180, his fourth of the game, and lands double 16 for a 13-darter to seal his semi-final spot.
Steve Beaton: "I've been playing well all weekend so hopefully I can carry it on into the semis now. It would be great to get to a final after the form I've shown recently."

Semi-Finals
Wayne Jones v Mervyn King
0-1 - King takes out 74 on tops to win the game's opening leg.
1-1 - Jones levels by taking out 64 on double 18.
1-2 - King holds throw again as he takes out 25 on double eight for a 14-darter.
2-2 - King is unable to break, missing six darts to take the leg as Jones returns from his earlier misses to post double four.
2-3 - King hits a 180 to leave 61 and finishes the combination to move back ahead.
2-4 - King breaks for the first time in the game by taking out 121 on the bull.
3-4 - King misses tops for a 120 finish, and Jones breaks back by completing a 13-darter on double 16.
4-4 - Jones levels by taking out double 16 for a 14-darter.
4-5 - King moves a leg away from the final by posting a 180 and double 16.
4-6 - Jones is first to a finish, but misses double 16 to finish 100 and three further darts to force a deciding leg as King returns to land tops with his third dart to book his place in a second European Tour final of the year.

Simon Whitlock v Steve Beaton
1-0 - Beaton hits a 180 as he seeks an immediate break, but Whitlock finishes 64 on double 12 to edge the opener.
1-1 - Beaton levels with a fine 13-darter, hitting a 177 to leave double 12 as he picks off the finish with his first dart.
1-2 - Beaton lands a 180 before Whitlock posts a 168 score to leave eight - only to see his opponent pick off 86 for a 14-darter to break throw.
1-3 - Beaton posts another 14-darter as he moves two legs up.
2-3 - Beaton misses double 16 for a 93 finish, and Whitlock takes out 52 on double eight to hit back.
2-4 - Beaton posts a 171 score to leave 32, and finishes double 16 to win his fourth leg.
3-4 - Whitlock opens with a 180 and finishes double ten for a 14-darter to reduce the gap to one leg again.
3-5 - Beaton kicks off the leg with a 180 and adds another maximum before finishing tops for a 14-darter to move a leg away from the final.
3-6 - Whitlock misses double 16 for a 102 finish, but Beaton is unable to land tops for victory - only for the Australian to miss three further darts to stay in the game as Beaton returns to seal his place in the final on souble top.

Final
Mervyn King v Steve Beaton
1-0 - King breaks throw in the opening leg by pinning double 12 for a 13-darter.
1-1 - King is first to a finish, but misses five darts to win the leg as Beaton hits double eight to get off the mark with a break in reply.
1-2 - Beaton finishes 70 in two darts on double eight to move ahead.
2-2 - Beaton hits four tons, but misses double 12 for a 101 finish and King steps in to take out 116 on tops.
2-3 - Beaton opens with a 180 and also scores 140 and 135 before finishing 46 on double 16 for an 11-darter to regain the lead.
3-3 - Beaton again kicks off the leg with a 180, but misses tops to take out 73 and King finishes 60 on double ten to level.
3-4 - Beaton scores three 140s to be first to a finish, and needs the breathing space as he initially misses four darts to win the leg before returning to post double one.
3-5 - King hits a 168 score to leave 134 - but then dramatically bursts his score, hitting treble 20, single 14 and then another treble 20 when aiming for a single to leave 40, and Beaton compounds the error with a sensational 160 checkout to move a leg away from the title.
4-5 - King breaks back to keep his hopes alive, hitting a 180 and double top to complete a 13-darter.
5-5 - King hits another 180 and posts double six with his third dart to send the game into a decider, with Beaton waiting on 50.
5-6 - Beaton is first to a finish and takes out 76 on tops to claim glory!

Match Stats
Quarter-Finals

Semi-Finals

Final