Priestley Takes Bristol Honours

DENNIS PRIESTLEY has won the Blue Square UK Open South-West Regional Final in Bristol with a 2-0 win over James Wade.

For full reports from Sunday - see below.

There are three remaining Regional Finals, which will take place in London/Watford, Manchester and Nottingham/Derby.

Blue Square UK Open South West Regional Final
Quarter-Finals

Andy Hamilton 5-1 Brendan Dolan
Martyn Turner 1-5 Dennis Priestley
James Wade 5-3 Steve Smith
Tony Eccles 5-3 Colin Osborne
Best of Nine Legs
Losers £600


Semi-Finals
Andy Hamilton 0-2 Dennis Priestley (2-3, 1-3)
James Wade 2-0 Tony Eccles (3-2, 3-2)
Best of Three Sets, Five Legs per Set
Losers £1,250

Final
Dennis Priestley 2-0 James Wade (3-2, 3-0)
Winner £5,000
Losers £2,500


Click here for Day One Results

QUARTER-FINAL REPORTS
BRENDAN DOLAN 1-5 ANDY HAMILTON


Andy Hamilton swept past Brendan Dolan to reach the last four of the Blue Square UK Open South-West Regional Final with a 5-1 win.

Hamilton punished the Northern Irelander's missed doubles in legs one and three as he opened up a 4-0 cushion in little time, landing three maximums of his own and hitting a 14-darter.

Dolan took out double ten to win leg five, but Hamilton's power scoring gave him the cushion in the next and he sealed the win on double eight.

MARYTN TURNER 1-5 DENNIS PRIESTLEY

Dennis Priestley won the all-Yorkshire battle with Martyn Turner to book his place in the semi-finals of the Blue Square UK Open Regional Final.

Turner had battled through to win a place in his first PDC Pro Tour quarter-final with some quality displays on Saturday, including a win over Barrie Bates.

However, his run came to an end against in-form Priestley, who drew with defending champion Phil Taylor in the Holsten Premier League on Thursday and saw off Wes Newton and Gary Anderson in Saturday's earlier stages of this event.

Priestley took a nervy opening leg on double four, but Turner immediately hit back in the second leg, landing three successive tons and taking out a brilliant 144 finish with his opponent sat on 40.

Priestley, though, lifted with a maximum in the third leg and won the next two with finishes of 84 and 88 to go 3-1 up.

The two-time World Champion hit another 180 on his way to leg five, and wrapped up victory with a 76 checkout.

STEVE SMITH 3-5 JAMES WADE

James Wade came from behind to win 5-3 against Steve Smith in the third quarter-final of the Blue Square UK Open South-West Regional Final.

The world number 11 from Aldershot trailed 2-0 after Smith made the more confident start to the contest.

Wade got off the mark following a scrappy third leg, with Smith missing seven darts at a double before Wade took out double one with his 11th dart to take the leg.

Wade then levelled matters on double ten, but Smith edged back in front, a 165 leaving 16 for the Essex star, which he took out in two darts.

That was as good as it got, though, for Smith, who could only watch on as Wade took the next three legs without reply to take the win.

TONY ECCLES 5-3 COLIN OSBORNE

Tony Eccles won a high-quality contest with Colin Osborne to reach the semi-finals of the South-West Regional Final.

The first five legs of the match all went with throw - Osborne landing 180s in both legs he won - to give Eccles, the recent German Gold Cup winner, a 3-2 cushion.

He then broke Osborne in the sixth leg, narrowly missing a 161 finish before taking out double eight, before the World Championship quarter-finalist replied in kind with another maximum and a two-dart 86 finish in leg seven.

Eccles, though, punished sloppy finishing from Osborne in leg eight, with the Derby thrower twice bursting his score on double five before his opponent wrapped up the match with his first dart at double top.

SEMI-FINAL REPORTS
DENNIS PRIESTLEY 2-0 ANDY HAMILTON (3-2, 3-1)


Dennis Priestley booked his place in the final of the South-West Regional Final for the second successive year with a straight sets defeat of Andy Hamilton.

Priestley lost to Mark Dudbridge in the decider 12 months ago, but remains on course for his first title of 2007 after victory in the first semi-final.

He began the match with a 120 finish, and hit two maximums in winning the first set 3-2, with all five legs going with the throw.

The first two legs of the second set were shared before Priestley secured a crucial break of throw on double six to move 2-1.

He then took out a 68 finish to wrap up the win in leg four and seal his place in the final.

TONY ECCLES 0-2 JAMES WADE (2-3, 2-3)

James Wade produced a classy display to earn his place against Dennis Priestley in the final of the South West Regional Final in straight sets.

Wade, the PDC's Young Player of the Year, trailed Tony Eccles 2-0 during the first set of their contest, with Eccles taking out 76 and 110 to edge in front.

The 23-year-old took the next three without reply, including a 12-darter, to win the first set in a decider.

The first four legs of set two went with the throw to put Wade within touching distance of victory.

He then landed double ten to book his place in the final and end Eccles' fine weekend.

FINAL
JAMES WADE 0-2 DENNIS PRIESTLEY (2-3, 0-3)


DENNIS PRIESTLEY won his first ever Blue Square UK Open Regional Final with a 2-0 win over James Wade in the South-West decider on Sunday.

The Yorkshireman had reached the final of the South-West Regional Final in Swindon 12 months ago, but went one better in Bristol to claim the £5,000 winner's cheque.

He was, though, forced to draw on all his experience early on, going 2-0 down in the opening set before clawing back the next three legs without reply to move one set up.

He led 1-0 in the second set before landing back-to-back 180s in the next leg, only to whittle his way down to double four as he moved to within a leg of the match.

Wade had chances to keep himself in the game in the third leg, but allowed Priestley back for double eight, which the 56-year-old nailed to take the title.

"I'm just happy I won," said Priestley. "I've played in so many of these and never got the victory!

"I was panicking a little bit when James went in front but I kept my nerve and got the winning double.

"I had a couple of good games to get through on Saturday, playing Wes, Ian Whillis and Gary Anderson so it was difficult throughout."