WORLD CHAMPION Raymond van Barneveld suffered a second defeat of the 2007 Holsten Premier League Darts as he went down 8-4 to Dennis Priestley on Thursday.
The Dutchman was making his first appearance at Blackpool's famous Winter Gardens, but never settled against the 56-year-old Yorkshireman.
Priestley took out finishes of 124 and 120 in the match, and won six of the final eight legs to settle further into second place in the table.
He remains just a point behind Phil Taylor, whose incredible unbeaten streak in the tournament continued with his 8-1 win over Colin Lloyd.
Terry Jenkins sits third, moving above van Barneveld with a sensational 8-1 rout of Adrian Lewis.
Roland Scholten saw his top four hopes increase with an 8-2 win over Peter Manley, hitting two ton-plus finishes and averaging over 97.
Holsten Premier League Darts
Night Seven, Winter Gardens, Blackpool
Terry Jenkins 8-1 Adrian Lewis
Roland Scholten 8-2 Peter Manley
Dennis Priestley 8-4 Raymond van Barneveld
Phil Taylor 8-1 Colin Lloyd
ADRIAN LEWIS 1-8 TERRY JENKINS
TERRY JENKINS condemned Adrian Lewis to a fourth successive Holsten Premier League Darts defeat with an 8-1 romp at the Winter Gardens.
Lewis was looking to arrest his recent run of poor form and keep tabs on in-form Jenkins, who began the night in fourth place.
However, Lewis never recovered from a slow start, with Jenkins roaring into a 4-0 lead.
He took the opening leg with a pressure 116 finish after Lewis landed a maximum to leave 32.
Double top and double ten gave Jenkins the next two legs, and he extended the lead to 4-0 before Lewis hit back with a 65 finish on double ten to get off the mark.
Two more double top finishes put Jenkins 6-1 up, and he took the next two legs to power over the finish line and inflict another heavy defeat on the 22-year-old.
"I'm really pleased with that," said Jenkins. "I needed that win after opening the game to below me by a couple of points and I didn't want to let it slip.
"I knew if I could win I'd move on to nine points.
"In the first leg, it was a killer blow for him and I knew I had to get a good lead on him. He's a young player and he can start thinking about it, so you have to make it count.
"I had to keep on hitting the doubles and I concentrated on winning the legs with my darts and then trying to get them against the throw."
ROLAND SCHOLTEN 8-2 PETER MANLEY
ROLAND SCHOLTEN grabbed his second win of the 2007 Holsten Premier League Darts with a fine 8-2 win over Peter Manley.
The Dutchman had lost heavily to Raymond van Barneveld a week ago in Aberdeen, but bounced back in style.
Although he led only 3-2 after the first five legs, a run of five in a row saw him punish Manley misses and take the win.
Manley was off-target on the bullseye to steal the opening leg against the darts, with Scholten taking out double ten before seeing his opponent take out 121 on the bull to win leg two.
Double 12 gave Scholten the next leg and he took out a superb 138 finish in leg four to break Manley's throw and move 3-1 up.
Manley landed a second 180 of the game in leg five before hitting straight back on double top.
But he wasted the chance to win leg six, after opening with five successive treble 20s but missing two darts at double top before a two-dart 96 sent Scholten into the break 4-2 up.
It proved a crucial moment, with Scholten taking the first leg after the restart and then finishing on 102 against the throw to lead 6-2.
He held his throw to take the ninth leg, and took out double four with his second dart to seal victory after Manley missed double top to stay in the contest.
"Peter didn't perform as he can do but I was happy with how I played," said Scholten, who averaged over 97.
"I know I can do more still and hopefully I can do next week against Phil Taylor - it's about time I beat him!
"I'm getting back to my best form and hopefully in a couple of weeks I'll be fully confident and back to how I know I can play.
"I've still got the feeling I will qualify for the semi-finals."
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD 4-8 DENNIS PRIESTLEY
WORLD CHAMPION Raymond van Barneveld suffered his second defeat of the 2007 Holsten Premier League Darts, with Dennis Priestley taking out the Dutchman 8-4 in Blackpool.
Van Barneveld bounced back from a defeat to Phil Taylor with a superb 8-1 win over Roland Scholten a week ago, but never settled against Priestley.
The 56-year-old Yorkshireman regained his finishing touch following his first defeat of the competition in Aberdeen seven days earlier to take a notable scalp.
Having previously drawn with Phil Taylor, Priestley moved onto 11 points and a step closer to securing his play-off berth with a famous triumph.
The opening four legs went with the throw before Priestley took out a crucial 124 finish on double 11 in leg five to break the throw - after van Barneveld leg 61 with a maximum.
Van Barneveld saw the chance to break back in the next leg evaporate when he missed double 18, with Priestley landing a tricky double 19 to go into the break 4-2 up.
The Dutchman hit back with a 15-darter but a 120 "Shanghai" finish and then double five against the throw put Priestley 6-3 up.
The tenth leg proved pivotal in the outcome of the match, with a van Barneveld 180 leaving him 76 and Priestley's 177 setting up a 42 finish - only for both to suffer double trouble.
The Dutchman eventually missed nine darts at the double before Priestley one a double one shoot-out to ensure at least a draw.
Van Barneveld stayed in the hunt with a 64 finish, but wasted three darts at the double in leg 12 before Priestley took out double ten for the win.
"I'm obviously delighted to get the win but I didn't feel I played all that well," said Priestley. "It was a real contrast from last week, when I scored well but couldn't finish.
"I kept my nerves intact this week and it is such a big thing for us each week to get the two points.
"Perhaps I've been lucky but I'll take it!"
PHIL TAYLOR 8-1 COLIN LLOYD
PHIL TAYLOR stormed past Colin Lloyd to remain unbeaten in the Holsten Premier League Darts with an 8-1 victory in Blackpool.
Taylor has won eight World Matchplay titles on the Winter Gardens stage, and showed some of his best darts in sweeping Lloyd aside.
The tone was set when he won the opening leg despite Lloyd missing double four darts to go ahead, with two double 16 finishes putting Taylor 2-0 up.
Lloyd broke Taylor's throw to take leg three, but paid for another miss in the next as the defending champion went 3-1 up.
He took the next two, including a clinical 13-darter, to lead by four legs at the break and took two more to go 7-1 up and ensure at least one point.
But a comeback was never likely, despite a third maximum of the match from Lloyd in the next, as Taylor sealed the win and grabbed a £1,000 bonus for the night's highest finish with a superb 170 checkout.
"Colin missed a few doubles and let me in and I feel sorry for him, he's a great player," said Taylor.
"I had to pounce and I'm pleased with my display. I'm getting back to my best."
ENDS
The Dutchman was making his first appearance at Blackpool's famous Winter Gardens, but never settled against the 56-year-old Yorkshireman.
Priestley took out finishes of 124 and 120 in the match, and won six of the final eight legs to settle further into second place in the table.
He remains just a point behind Phil Taylor, whose incredible unbeaten streak in the tournament continued with his 8-1 win over Colin Lloyd.
Terry Jenkins sits third, moving above van Barneveld with a sensational 8-1 rout of Adrian Lewis.
Roland Scholten saw his top four hopes increase with an 8-2 win over Peter Manley, hitting two ton-plus finishes and averaging over 97.
Holsten Premier League Darts
Night Seven, Winter Gardens, Blackpool
Terry Jenkins 8-1 Adrian Lewis
Roland Scholten 8-2 Peter Manley
Dennis Priestley 8-4 Raymond van Barneveld
Phil Taylor 8-1 Colin Lloyd
ADRIAN LEWIS 1-8 TERRY JENKINS
TERRY JENKINS condemned Adrian Lewis to a fourth successive Holsten Premier League Darts defeat with an 8-1 romp at the Winter Gardens.
Lewis was looking to arrest his recent run of poor form and keep tabs on in-form Jenkins, who began the night in fourth place.
However, Lewis never recovered from a slow start, with Jenkins roaring into a 4-0 lead.
He took the opening leg with a pressure 116 finish after Lewis landed a maximum to leave 32.
Double top and double ten gave Jenkins the next two legs, and he extended the lead to 4-0 before Lewis hit back with a 65 finish on double ten to get off the mark.
Two more double top finishes put Jenkins 6-1 up, and he took the next two legs to power over the finish line and inflict another heavy defeat on the 22-year-old.
"I'm really pleased with that," said Jenkins. "I needed that win after opening the game to below me by a couple of points and I didn't want to let it slip.
"I knew if I could win I'd move on to nine points.
"In the first leg, it was a killer blow for him and I knew I had to get a good lead on him. He's a young player and he can start thinking about it, so you have to make it count.
"I had to keep on hitting the doubles and I concentrated on winning the legs with my darts and then trying to get them against the throw."
ROLAND SCHOLTEN 8-2 PETER MANLEY
ROLAND SCHOLTEN grabbed his second win of the 2007 Holsten Premier League Darts with a fine 8-2 win over Peter Manley.
The Dutchman had lost heavily to Raymond van Barneveld a week ago in Aberdeen, but bounced back in style.
Although he led only 3-2 after the first five legs, a run of five in a row saw him punish Manley misses and take the win.
Manley was off-target on the bullseye to steal the opening leg against the darts, with Scholten taking out double ten before seeing his opponent take out 121 on the bull to win leg two.
Double 12 gave Scholten the next leg and he took out a superb 138 finish in leg four to break Manley's throw and move 3-1 up.
Manley landed a second 180 of the game in leg five before hitting straight back on double top.
But he wasted the chance to win leg six, after opening with five successive treble 20s but missing two darts at double top before a two-dart 96 sent Scholten into the break 4-2 up.
It proved a crucial moment, with Scholten taking the first leg after the restart and then finishing on 102 against the throw to lead 6-2.
He held his throw to take the ninth leg, and took out double four with his second dart to seal victory after Manley missed double top to stay in the contest.
"Peter didn't perform as he can do but I was happy with how I played," said Scholten, who averaged over 97.
"I know I can do more still and hopefully I can do next week against Phil Taylor - it's about time I beat him!
"I'm getting back to my best form and hopefully in a couple of weeks I'll be fully confident and back to how I know I can play.
"I've still got the feeling I will qualify for the semi-finals."
RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD 4-8 DENNIS PRIESTLEY
WORLD CHAMPION Raymond van Barneveld suffered his second defeat of the 2007 Holsten Premier League Darts, with Dennis Priestley taking out the Dutchman 8-4 in Blackpool.
Van Barneveld bounced back from a defeat to Phil Taylor with a superb 8-1 win over Roland Scholten a week ago, but never settled against Priestley.
The 56-year-old Yorkshireman regained his finishing touch following his first defeat of the competition in Aberdeen seven days earlier to take a notable scalp.
Having previously drawn with Phil Taylor, Priestley moved onto 11 points and a step closer to securing his play-off berth with a famous triumph.
The opening four legs went with the throw before Priestley took out a crucial 124 finish on double 11 in leg five to break the throw - after van Barneveld leg 61 with a maximum.
Van Barneveld saw the chance to break back in the next leg evaporate when he missed double 18, with Priestley landing a tricky double 19 to go into the break 4-2 up.
The Dutchman hit back with a 15-darter but a 120 "Shanghai" finish and then double five against the throw put Priestley 6-3 up.
The tenth leg proved pivotal in the outcome of the match, with a van Barneveld 180 leaving him 76 and Priestley's 177 setting up a 42 finish - only for both to suffer double trouble.
The Dutchman eventually missed nine darts at the double before Priestley one a double one shoot-out to ensure at least a draw.
Van Barneveld stayed in the hunt with a 64 finish, but wasted three darts at the double in leg 12 before Priestley took out double ten for the win.
"I'm obviously delighted to get the win but I didn't feel I played all that well," said Priestley. "It was a real contrast from last week, when I scored well but couldn't finish.
"I kept my nerves intact this week and it is such a big thing for us each week to get the two points.
"Perhaps I've been lucky but I'll take it!"
PHIL TAYLOR 8-1 COLIN LLOYD
PHIL TAYLOR stormed past Colin Lloyd to remain unbeaten in the Holsten Premier League Darts with an 8-1 victory in Blackpool.
Taylor has won eight World Matchplay titles on the Winter Gardens stage, and showed some of his best darts in sweeping Lloyd aside.
The tone was set when he won the opening leg despite Lloyd missing double four darts to go ahead, with two double 16 finishes putting Taylor 2-0 up.
Lloyd broke Taylor's throw to take leg three, but paid for another miss in the next as the defending champion went 3-1 up.
He took the next two, including a clinical 13-darter, to lead by four legs at the break and took two more to go 7-1 up and ensure at least one point.
But a comeback was never likely, despite a third maximum of the match from Lloyd in the next, as Taylor sealed the win and grabbed a £1,000 bonus for the night's highest finish with a superb 170 checkout.
"Colin missed a few doubles and let me in and I feel sorry for him, he's a great player," said Taylor.
"I had to pounce and I'm pleased with my display. I'm getting back to my best."
ENDS
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