TAYLOR & VAN GERWEN KNOCKED OUT OF GIBRALTAR DARTS TROPHY
PHIL TAYLOR'S hopes of retaining the Gibraltar Darts Trophy title were ended in the second round of the £100,000 European Tour event on Saturday, as Michael van Gerwen also crashed out at the Victoria Stadium.
Taylor, who defeated Jamie Lewis to take last year's title in Gibraltar, went down 6-4 to Michael Smith as the youngster repeated his win over the Stoke great from the 2014 World Championship with another assured display.
Taylor had opened up a 3-1 lead early on, but Smith finished 91, 101 and 124 as he squared the game at four-all, before breaking throw on double top to move ahead and then punishing missed doubles from his opponent to secure the win.
Smith now meets Jamie Caven - who saw off John Henderson 6-3 - in Sunday afternoon's third round, and said: "I'm so happy to win.
"I know that I've got the game to beat Phil and I showed it today. He missed a few doubles but I felt good and was comfortable, and I hit the right shots at the right time.
"I've just knocked out the defending champion s there's no reason I can't go all the way on Sunday."
World Champion Michael van Gerwen joined Taylor in being knocked out in the second round, as he went down 6-5 in a high-quality clash with fellow Dutch youngster Benito van de Pas, with the emerging star averaging 106.72 to the world number one's 103.91.
Van de Pas opened the game in stunning fashion with a ten-dart leg and took out 135 on his way to leads of 3-0 and 4-1.
Van Gerwen hit back to level, taking out 132 and 140 in the process, but van de Pas made him pay for missed doubles in a key ninth and though the pair traded 180s as the game went to a deciding leg, the PDC newcomer produced a brilliant 12-darter to snatch victory.
Van de Pas will now take on James Wade, who was a 6-3 winner against Andy Hamilton, while another former World Championship finalist, Peter Wright, was eliminated 6-4 by Swindon's Johnny Haines.
World number three Adrian Lewis was a narrow 6-5 winner over Dean Winstanley, hitting an 11-darter in the deciding leg as he moved through to face Robert Thornton, who was a 6-4 winner against Daryl Gurney.
Gary Anderson ended home hopes in the Gibraltar Darts Trophy with a fine 6-2 win over Dyson Parody, who took out a 160 finish but never recovered from the Scot's superb start as he took a 4-1 lead before closing out the win.
Anderson now faces Justin Pipe, who was a 6-4 winner over European Tour debutant Pete Dyos, while Ian White and Kim Huybrechts also meet following their victories over Wes Newton and Jyhan Artut respectively.
World number four Simon Whitlock impressed with a superb 6-2 win over Kevin Painter, who hit a 122 finish but had no answer to checkouts of 140 and 107 from the Australian as he averaged 101.
Number three seed Brendan Dolan overcame Belgian youngster Dimitri Van den Bergh, hitting bullseye finishes of 85, 121 and 161 in a fine 6-4 triumph to move through to face Whitlock.
Steve Beaton overcame Bristol's Andy Parsons 6-3 as he moves through to take on Haines, while Dave Chisnall's 6-3 win over James Hubbard means that he faces another PDC Unicorn Youth Tour winner, Adam Hunt, after the Chester-le-Street ace knocked out Mervyn King by the same scoreline.
The £100,000 tournament concludes on Sunday, with the third round being held in the afternoon session features the decisive quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.
Coverage of the tournament will be streamed live through the Bet365, Coral, Ladbrokes, Unibet and William Hill websites, and outside of the UK & Ireland through www.LIVEPDC.TV.
A highlights package will be broadcast on Sky Sports on July 15 & 16.
Live Coverage
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Live Scores will be available through the PDC Live Scores Website, http://live.dartsdata.com.
Gibraltar Darts Trophy
Saturday June 28
Second Round
Afternoon Session
Ian White 6-4 Wes Newton
Kim Huybrechts 6-1 Jyhan Artut
Jamie Caven 6-3 John Henderson
Justin Pipe 6-4 Pete Dyos
Steve Beaton 6-3 Andy Parsons
Peter Wright 4-6 Johnny Haines
Mervyn King 3-6 Adam Hunt
Dave Chisnall 6-3 James Hubbard
Evening Session
Brendan Dolan 6-4 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Robert Thornton 6-4 Daryl Gurney
Andy Hamilton 3-6 James Wade
Adrian Lewis 6-5 Dean Winstanley
Phil Taylor 4-6 Michael Smith
Michael van Gerwen 5-6 Benito van de Pas
Gary Anderson 6-2 Dyson Parody
Simon Whitlock 6-2 Kevin Painter
Sunday June 29
Afternoon Session (12pm-4pm local time, 11am-3pm BST)
Third Round
Brendan Dolan v Simon Whitlock
Dave Chisnall v Adam Hunt
Johnny Haines v Steve Beaton
Gary Anderson v Justin Pipe
Robert Thornton v Adrian Lewis
Michael Smith v Jamie Caven
Kim Huybrechts v Ian White
Benito van de Pas v James Wade
Evening Session (5.30pm-9.30pm, 4.30pm-8.30pm BST)
Quarter-Finals
Dolan/Whitlock v Chisnall/Hunt
Haines/Beaton v Anderson/Pipe
Thornton/Lewis v M Smith/Caven
Huybrechts/White v van de Pas/Wade
Semi-Finals
Final
All games are the best of 11 legs
Second Round Match Information
Kim Huybrechts made a super start to his bid for the title with a 6-1 defeat of Jyhan Artut, racing into a 5-0 lead before the German hit back, with a ten-dart finish proving crucial as he sealed the win.
Jamie Caven, the runner-up in last weekend's Austrian Darts Open, enjoyed a 6-3 win over John Henderson as he moved into the third round, taking a 2-0 lead and replying to a 130 finish from the Scot with a 111 checkout as he progressed.
Justin Pipe began his bid for a second European Tour win with a 6-4 win over Pete Dyos, who led 4-3 after the opening seven legs went with the throw only for the 2012 Austrian Darts Open winner to string together legs of 14, 12 and 13 darts to sweep to victory.
Steve Beaton ended Andy Parsons' hopes with a 6-3 victory over the qualifier, winning four of the game's final five legs as he moved through to the last 16.
Swindon's Johnny Haines followed up Friday's win over Denis Ovens with a fine 6-4 win over Peter Wright, who hit back from 3-0 down to level the game before being punished for missed doubles as he fell to defeat.
Youngster Adam Hunt moved into the last 16 of a European Tour event for the first time with a fine 6-3 win over Mervyn King, who led 2-0 after hitting a 140 finish in a bright start only to see the PDC Unicorn Youth Tour ace hit back to level before winning the final three legs without reply.
Dave Chisnall secured his third round spot with a 6-3 win over James Hubbard, taking a 4-0 lead before maintaining his cushion to progress to face Adam Hunt in Sunday's last 16.
Brendan Dolan kicked off the evening session with a 6-4 win over Belgian youngster Dimitri Van den Bergh, sharing the first six legs before winning three of the game''s last four in a victory which included three bullseye finishes, of 85, 121 and 161.
Robert Thornton moved through to the last 16 with a 6-4 win over Northern Ireland's Daryl Gurney, who had held the edge as the pair shared the opening eight legs before the Scot broke in leg nine, with a 14-darter, before securing the win in the next.
James Wade hit back from 2-0 down for the second successive game as he claimed a 6-3 win over Andy Hamilton, taking out a 141 finish in a clinical display.
Adrian Lewis squeezed past Dean Winstanley in a high-quality contest, with the Yorkshireman hitting back from 3-1 down to lead 4-3 only to see the UK Open champion show his quality by levelling and then winning the deciding leg with a brilliant 11-dart finish.
Michael Smith knocked defending Gibraltar Darts Trophy champion Phil Taylor out of this year's event with a fine 6-4 triumph over the Stoke legend.
Taylor started the better as he took a 3-1 advantage, but Smith finiehd 91, 101 and 124 as he squared the game at four-all, before breaking throw on double top and punising three missed doubles from Taylor to take victory in the tenth leg.
World Champion Michael van Gerwen was also knocked out as he went down 6-5 to fellow Dutch youngster Benito van de Pas in a thrilling contest, with the emerging star averaging 106.72 to the world number one's 103.91.
Van de Pas opened the game in stunning fashion with a ten-dart leg and took out 135 on his way to leads of 3-0 and 4-1.
Van Gerwen hit back to level, taking out 132 and 140 in the process, but van de Pas made him pay for missed doubles in a key ninth and though the pair traded 180s as the game went to a deciding leg, the PDC newcomer produced a brilliant 12-darter to snatch victory.
Gary Anderson ended home hopes in the Gibraltar Darts Trophy with a fine 6-2 win over Dyson Parody, who took out a 160 finish but never recovered from the Scot's superb start as he took a 4-1 lead before closing out the win.
Simon Whitlock impressed with a 101 average as he overcame Kevin Painter 6-2, taking out 98 and 140 to win the opening two legs and replying to a 122 bull finish from his opponent by taking out 107 in a run of three straight legs to seal the win.