Holsten Premier League Darts - Night Ten Round-Up

PHIL TAYLOR cemented his place at the top of the 2007 Holsten Premier League Darts table after making it 38 games without defeat in the tournament with a thumping 8-1 win over Terry Jenkins.
Week ten of the league series at the Bournemouth International Centre produced two drawn matches, with only Taylor and his fellow Stoke-on-Trent thrower Adrian Lewis recording wins.
Lewis, who has been desperately out of form in recent weeks, stormed back to his best by producing four ton-plus finishes on his way to an 8-5 win over Colin Lloyd, whilst the matches between Raymond van Barneveld and Peter Manley, and Roland Scholten and Dennis Priestley both finished all-square at 7-7.
Manley won the last three legs of his match with the reigning world champion to secure a point that keeps him in with an outside chance of qualification for the May 28 play-offs in Brighton, and Priestley pegged Scholten back with a 99.50 average in another stalemate.
Taylor rounded the night off by pulverising his opponent into submission with a 107 average - taking the first six legs without reply and looking set for the first whitewash of the event before Jenkins avoided humiliation by taking the eighth leg.

PETER MANLEY 7-7 RAYMOND VAN BARNEVELD

PETER MANLEY snatched a draw from the jaws of defeat to deny Raymond van Barneveld two points from their Holsten Premier League Darts contest at the Bournemouth International Centre.
Manley looked set to suffer a blow in his play-off hopes when he fell 7-4 down following a mid-game burst from van Barneveld.
But the Dutchman was unable to complete the job, with Manley winning the final three legs to claim a 7-7 scoreline against the World Champion for the second time in the 2007 Premier League.
The pair made a slow start, with the first three legs going with the throw - to leave Manley 2-1 up - without the winning player being under any pressure.
Van Barneveld took out double 16 with his first dart in leg four to level matters, and then had the luxury of missing six darts at a double before winning leg five against the darts to move ahead.
Manley missed two darts to break back immediately going into the break, with van Barneveld checking out on double four to go into the break 4-2 up.
Manley took the first two legs after the restart to square the match before van Barneveld hit top gear for a superb three-leg spell.
He landed double 16 in all three legs, checking out in 11, 13 and 11 darts to move 7-4 up and earn at least a point.
With the throw in his favour in two of the final three legs, few would have backed against the Dutchman closing out the win.
But Manley immediately hit back to win leg 12, hitting four successive ton-plus scores and hitting double top for a 14-darter.
He took the 13th leg to send the game into a decider, and took advantage of three van Barneveld misses at double eight to land his favoured double top and scramble a point.
"Peter gave me a lot of opportunities at the doubles but I didn't take them," said van Barneveld.
"While I was practising I felt good but it was totally different on stage and I struggled to hit the treble.
"I've now lost three and drawn one of my last six games, which isn't good enough for a World Champion."
Manley said: "I really needed to beat Ray to move closer to the top four and I guess I've got to win every game now.
"I think the top four are pretty settled and it will be hard to break in there now, but I'll give it my best shot."

ADRIAN LEWIS 8-5 COLIN LLOYD
ADRIAN LEWIS ended a five-game losing run in the Holsten Premier League Darts in style with an 8-5 win over Colin Lloyd in Bournemouth.
The 22-year-old had slumped to the bottom of the league table following a disappointing recent run.
However, that looked like a distant memory as Lewis hit back in style, including a 164 finish in a four-leg burst which powered him over the finishing line.
"I've learned a lot this year and I'll hopefully be able to build on this now," said Lewis.
"It would be nice to show what I can do now in the remaining weeks. My scoring has been good recently but I've struggled with my finishing and tonight it was there.
"I managed to keep the pressure on Colin and I took out some crucial finishes when he was on a double."
Lewis made a blistering start, winning the first leg with a 124 finish, the second in 13 darts and the third on double one after Lloyd wasted his chance to get off the mark.
Lloyd hit back with a 14-darter in leg four to break Lewis' throw, and won the next three legs either side of the break to lead 4-3.
A superb 129 finish saw Lewis level before Lloyd moved back ahead with a 12-darter.
Lewis took leg ten on double top, and a stunning 164 finish for a 12-darter against the throw saw him break Lloyd's throw and go 6-5 up.
He took out 87 for an 11-darter in leg 12, and then landed three ton-plus scores in the next to seal the win.

ROLAND SCHOLTEN 7-7 DENNIS PRIESTLEY

DENNIS PRIESTLEY and Roland Scholten shared the spoils in a 14-leg Holsten Premier League Darts thriller in Bournemouth.
The pair battled out a see-saw encounter in front of over 3,000 fans at the BIC, with the lead switching hands three times before Priestley won the final leg to grab a draw.
The veteran Yorkshireman hit back from losing the opening leg to take three in a row, including two 14-darters, to move 3-1 up.
Scholten hit back in leg five - despite two maximums from his opponent - but Priestley went into the break 4-2 ahead after landing double eight on his final dart.
However, he was to miss doubles in the next three legs to allow Scholten to move 5-4 up, with the Dutchman then taking out 121 for a 12-darter to a two-leg lead as he hit top form - opening four legs in a row with 180s.
Priestley responded superbly, mirroring the 121 finish before then taking out 127 on double eight to square the game at six-all.
Scholten was first to the double in the 13th leg, taking out 90 in two darts to ensure at least a draw.
Scores of 140 and 180 gave Priestley the advantage in the decider, and he landed double ten to grab himself a share of the points.
"At 4-2 up I wanted to kick on and get the win, but Roland fought his way back into the game well," said Priestley.
"It was a great game and I'm satisfied with a draw in the end."
Scholten added: "We both played really well. Dennis took out some nice shots and probably deserved a point."

PHIL TAYLOR 8-1 TERRY JENKINS

PHIL TAYLOR produced a thundering display to defeat Terry Jenkins 8-1 in Bournemouth and extend his lead at the top of the Holsten Premier League Darts table.
The defending champion has returned towards top form in recent weeks, and produced his best display yet in 2007.
Taylor averaged 107 and dropped just one leg in a thrilling display to move four points clear at the head of the table.
"I've been practising very seriously for this because Terry has been in great form this year," said Taylor.
"I've concentrated hard and I feel I'm getting better and better at the moment. The fitness regime I've been on is kicking in and I feel good."
He certainly looked good in making an outstanding start, opening up a 3-0 lead without Jenkins getting to a double.
The Ledbury thrower was given a chance in leg four when Taylor missed three darts at tops, but his missed bullseye allowed the 13-time World Champion back - and he made no mistake on double ten.
He took the next two legs to lead 6-0 at the break, and was narrowly off-target on the bullseye for a 167 finish in the next, before hitting double eight to put one foot over the finishing line.
Jenkins won the eighth leg to get off the mark, hitting double top with his first dart, but that would be as good as it got for the World Grand Prix finalist as Taylor completed the rout on double eight.