PHIL TAYLOR moved three points clear at the top of the Holsten Premier League Darts with a convincing 8-2 win over Dennis Priestley in Reading.
Taylor pushed three points clear of both Priestley and Terry Jenkins thanks to a strong display against his long-time sparring partner.
Taylor averaged 102.17 and took five successive legs in the second half of the match to romp to the victory.
"The league table is starting to take shape with the players who look like they will qualify for the play-offs, and I'm relieved to be sat at the top," said the defending Premier League champion.
Jenkins joined Priestley on 12 points with an 8-6 win over Roland Scholten in a remarkable contest.
The World Grand Prix finalist opened up a 6-0 lead before Scholten hit back with six legs of his own to square matters, before Jenkins took the final two for victory.
Colin Lloyd also won a final-leg shoot-out to defeat Raymond van Barneveld 8-6 and gain a second successive victory, moving the former World Number One to within four points of the play-offs.
Peter Manley cut the gap on fourth-placed van Barneveld to three points with his 8-4 win over Adrian Lewis in the night's final game, condemning the 22-year-old to a sixth straight defeat.
Holsten Premier League Darts
Night Nine, Reading
Colin Lloyd 8-6 Raymond van Barneveld
Terry Jenkins 8-6 Roland Scholten
Phil Taylor 8-2 Dennis Priestley
Peter Manley 8-4 Adrian Lewis
COLIN LLOYD 8-6 RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD
COLIN LLOYD further boosted his play-off ambitions in the Holsten Premier League Darts with a superb 8-6 win over Raymond van Barneveld.
Lloyd has endured a torrid time against the Dutchman since his move to the PDC last year, but grabbed his first win against van Barneveld in Reading to back up last week's defeat of Peter Manley.
He should have led 4-1 early on, but was pegged back to three-all at the interval, but a break of throw in the ninth leg proved crucial in the final outcome.
"It was about me coming on stage and enjoying myself, because that's when I throw good darts," said Lloyd.
"Raymond missed a few doubles and let me in a couple of times, but I had to take them. I felt very good, very relaxed and got the result.
"That's two wins in a row - Jaws is back and he's biting!"
Lloyd began the match with a maximum, but saw the chance to take the first leg against the darts slip away with six misses at double eight before van Barneveld landed double 16.
He took out 66 on double top for leg two, before the pair traded maximums in the third leg before van Barneveld landed a 90 checkout in two darts.
Lloyd hit back to win the next two legs and go 3-2 up, breaking van Barneveld in the second after the Dutchman wasted five darts at the double.
Van Barneveld responded in kind with both legs either side of the break, but Lloyd took advantage when the Dutchman began to wobble on double top to win three in a row and lead 6-4.
Lloyd misses allowed van Barneveld to win leg 11 on double 16, but the former World Number One hit a pressure double four on his last dart to go 7-5 up - and secure at least a point.
Van Barneveld held his throw to send the match into a decider, but scores of 135, 180 and 100 put Lloyd in command, and a two-dart 86 finish sealed the win.
TERRY JENKINS 8-6 ROLAND SCHOLTEN
TERRY JENKINS held off a monstrous fight back from Roland Scholten to strengthen his position in the Holsten Premier League Darts play-offs.
The World Grand Prix finalist roared into a 6-0 lead by winning all six legs in the opening half of the match.
However, Scholten hit back to take the next six and leave the match on a knife-edge, before Jenkins won the game's last two legs - including an 11-darter in the decider - to take victory.
"To be honest I thought I would whitewash him when I went 6-0 up, but after the break I couldnt find the treble 20 as well," said Jenkins.
"I didn't expect him to win six legs in a row but I knew I had to get one more and put the pressure on him.
"My game hasn't been as good in practice this week but I'm still confident and I'm in a good position now with the play-offs in mind."
Jenkins made a brilliant start to the match, taking out finishes of 83, 86, 67, 81 for an 11-darter and 118 to win the first five legs and leave Scholten shell-shocked.
The Dutchman missed doubles to get off the mark in leg six, with Jenkins landing double top to go into the break 6-0 ahead.
Scholten began the second half of the game with his third 180 of the night, and that seemed to galvanisde the Dutchman.
He won four legs in a row - including legs of 13 and 14 darts - without Jenkins reaching the double before punishing his opponent's missed effort at double top by landing the bed himself.
Scholten levelled the match in leg 12 by hitting double 16 at the fourth time of asking, but Jenkins finally regained his range on the doubles to win the next and go 7-6 up.
That ensured a point and perhaps eased the pressure, with scores of 140 and 180 in the decider leaving him on a 100 checkout, which he snapped up in two darts for an 11-dart finish and victory.
PHIL TAYLOR 8-2 DENNIS PRIESTLEY
PHIL TAYLOR moved three points clear at the top of the Holsten Premier League Darts with a convincing 8-2 win over Dennis Priestley in Reading.
Taylor pushed three points clear of both Priestley and Terry Jenkins thanks to a strong display against his long-time sparring partner.
Taylor averaged 102.17 and took five successive legs in the second half of the match to romp to the victory.
He took out a 121 finish for a 12-darter against the throw in the first leg, and doubled his advantage with double 16 in the second.
Priestley hit back to land double top at the first time of asking, but a 13-darter in leg four put Taylor 3-1 up.
A strong fifth leg saw Priestley hit back with a 73 finish on double top, but his missed attempt at bullseye in the sixth allowed Taylor in to take the leg and go into the break with a two-leg cushion.
Taylor landed three ton-plus scores to take leg seven against the throw with ease, and then won the next two without Priestley reaching the double to go 7-2 up.
With one foot over the finishing line, a relaxed Taylor threw his first maximum of the game in the next leg, and finished 84 in two darts for an 11-darter and victory.
"I'm very happy to get the win because I had to try hard," said Taylor. "Dennis concentrates so much but it didn't come off form him.
"The league table is starting to take shape with the players who look like they will qualify for the play-offs, and I'm relieved to be sat at the top."
PETER MANLEY 8-4 ADRIAN LEWIS
PETER MANLEY got back to winning ways in the Holsten Premier League Darts by condemning Adrian Lewis to a fifth straight defeat.
Both players entered the game knowing that victory was vital to keep alive any hopes of reaching the play-offs, and it was Manley who handled the pressure best, living up to his "One Dart" nickname with some clinical finishing.
After losing a scrappy opening leg, Lewis took the next two in 15 and 14 darts to move ahead and suggest that he was ready to finally shake off his losing run.
But Manley won the fourth with ease before taking a 13-darter to break Lewis' throw and regain the lead.
He took the next two legs either side of the break to create a 5-2 cushion and leave Lewis needing to raise his game.
The 22-year-old, to his credit, battled back to win two of the next three legs, including a superb 11-darter in leg ten in which he landed six perfect darts.
But a two-dart 100 finish gave Manley at least a point at 7-4, and he punished Lewis' profligacy in the next to wrap up the win with double 13.
"I've worked hard recently and am pleased to get the win," said Manley. "I wasn't at my best but I took my chances.
"Adrian's a great young player and he'll bounce back - it's probably unfair to label anyone 'bottom of the league' because everyone works so hard and it is so competitive.
"But I knew that a win would keep me chasing the top four and I'm still in with a shout."
Taylor pushed three points clear of both Priestley and Terry Jenkins thanks to a strong display against his long-time sparring partner.
Taylor averaged 102.17 and took five successive legs in the second half of the match to romp to the victory.
"The league table is starting to take shape with the players who look like they will qualify for the play-offs, and I'm relieved to be sat at the top," said the defending Premier League champion.
Jenkins joined Priestley on 12 points with an 8-6 win over Roland Scholten in a remarkable contest.
The World Grand Prix finalist opened up a 6-0 lead before Scholten hit back with six legs of his own to square matters, before Jenkins took the final two for victory.
Colin Lloyd also won a final-leg shoot-out to defeat Raymond van Barneveld 8-6 and gain a second successive victory, moving the former World Number One to within four points of the play-offs.
Peter Manley cut the gap on fourth-placed van Barneveld to three points with his 8-4 win over Adrian Lewis in the night's final game, condemning the 22-year-old to a sixth straight defeat.
Holsten Premier League Darts
Night Nine, Reading
Colin Lloyd 8-6 Raymond van Barneveld
Terry Jenkins 8-6 Roland Scholten
Phil Taylor 8-2 Dennis Priestley
Peter Manley 8-4 Adrian Lewis
COLIN LLOYD 8-6 RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD
COLIN LLOYD further boosted his play-off ambitions in the Holsten Premier League Darts with a superb 8-6 win over Raymond van Barneveld.
Lloyd has endured a torrid time against the Dutchman since his move to the PDC last year, but grabbed his first win against van Barneveld in Reading to back up last week's defeat of Peter Manley.
He should have led 4-1 early on, but was pegged back to three-all at the interval, but a break of throw in the ninth leg proved crucial in the final outcome.
"It was about me coming on stage and enjoying myself, because that's when I throw good darts," said Lloyd.
"Raymond missed a few doubles and let me in a couple of times, but I had to take them. I felt very good, very relaxed and got the result.
"That's two wins in a row - Jaws is back and he's biting!"
Lloyd began the match with a maximum, but saw the chance to take the first leg against the darts slip away with six misses at double eight before van Barneveld landed double 16.
He took out 66 on double top for leg two, before the pair traded maximums in the third leg before van Barneveld landed a 90 checkout in two darts.
Lloyd hit back to win the next two legs and go 3-2 up, breaking van Barneveld in the second after the Dutchman wasted five darts at the double.
Van Barneveld responded in kind with both legs either side of the break, but Lloyd took advantage when the Dutchman began to wobble on double top to win three in a row and lead 6-4.
Lloyd misses allowed van Barneveld to win leg 11 on double 16, but the former World Number One hit a pressure double four on his last dart to go 7-5 up - and secure at least a point.
Van Barneveld held his throw to send the match into a decider, but scores of 135, 180 and 100 put Lloyd in command, and a two-dart 86 finish sealed the win.
TERRY JENKINS 8-6 ROLAND SCHOLTEN
TERRY JENKINS held off a monstrous fight back from Roland Scholten to strengthen his position in the Holsten Premier League Darts play-offs.
The World Grand Prix finalist roared into a 6-0 lead by winning all six legs in the opening half of the match.
However, Scholten hit back to take the next six and leave the match on a knife-edge, before Jenkins won the game's last two legs - including an 11-darter in the decider - to take victory.
"To be honest I thought I would whitewash him when I went 6-0 up, but after the break I couldnt find the treble 20 as well," said Jenkins.
"I didn't expect him to win six legs in a row but I knew I had to get one more and put the pressure on him.
"My game hasn't been as good in practice this week but I'm still confident and I'm in a good position now with the play-offs in mind."
Jenkins made a brilliant start to the match, taking out finishes of 83, 86, 67, 81 for an 11-darter and 118 to win the first five legs and leave Scholten shell-shocked.
The Dutchman missed doubles to get off the mark in leg six, with Jenkins landing double top to go into the break 6-0 ahead.
Scholten began the second half of the game with his third 180 of the night, and that seemed to galvanisde the Dutchman.
He won four legs in a row - including legs of 13 and 14 darts - without Jenkins reaching the double before punishing his opponent's missed effort at double top by landing the bed himself.
Scholten levelled the match in leg 12 by hitting double 16 at the fourth time of asking, but Jenkins finally regained his range on the doubles to win the next and go 7-6 up.
That ensured a point and perhaps eased the pressure, with scores of 140 and 180 in the decider leaving him on a 100 checkout, which he snapped up in two darts for an 11-dart finish and victory.
PHIL TAYLOR 8-2 DENNIS PRIESTLEY
PHIL TAYLOR moved three points clear at the top of the Holsten Premier League Darts with a convincing 8-2 win over Dennis Priestley in Reading.
Taylor pushed three points clear of both Priestley and Terry Jenkins thanks to a strong display against his long-time sparring partner.
Taylor averaged 102.17 and took five successive legs in the second half of the match to romp to the victory.
He took out a 121 finish for a 12-darter against the throw in the first leg, and doubled his advantage with double 16 in the second.
Priestley hit back to land double top at the first time of asking, but a 13-darter in leg four put Taylor 3-1 up.
A strong fifth leg saw Priestley hit back with a 73 finish on double top, but his missed attempt at bullseye in the sixth allowed Taylor in to take the leg and go into the break with a two-leg cushion.
Taylor landed three ton-plus scores to take leg seven against the throw with ease, and then won the next two without Priestley reaching the double to go 7-2 up.
With one foot over the finishing line, a relaxed Taylor threw his first maximum of the game in the next leg, and finished 84 in two darts for an 11-darter and victory.
"I'm very happy to get the win because I had to try hard," said Taylor. "Dennis concentrates so much but it didn't come off form him.
"The league table is starting to take shape with the players who look like they will qualify for the play-offs, and I'm relieved to be sat at the top."
PETER MANLEY 8-4 ADRIAN LEWIS
PETER MANLEY got back to winning ways in the Holsten Premier League Darts by condemning Adrian Lewis to a fifth straight defeat.
Both players entered the game knowing that victory was vital to keep alive any hopes of reaching the play-offs, and it was Manley who handled the pressure best, living up to his "One Dart" nickname with some clinical finishing.
After losing a scrappy opening leg, Lewis took the next two in 15 and 14 darts to move ahead and suggest that he was ready to finally shake off his losing run.
But Manley won the fourth with ease before taking a 13-darter to break Lewis' throw and regain the lead.
He took the next two legs either side of the break to create a 5-2 cushion and leave Lewis needing to raise his game.
The 22-year-old, to his credit, battled back to win two of the next three legs, including a superb 11-darter in leg ten in which he landed six perfect darts.
But a two-dart 100 finish gave Manley at least a point at 7-4, and he punished Lewis' profligacy in the next to wrap up the win with double 13.
"I've worked hard recently and am pleased to get the win," said Manley. "I wasn't at my best but I took my chances.
"Adrian's a great young player and he'll bounce back - it's probably unfair to label anyone 'bottom of the league' because everyone works so hard and it is so competitive.
"But I knew that a win would keep me chasing the top four and I'm still in with a shout."
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