UK will be wide Open for Mark Jones

Brierley Hill's Mark Jones will be looking to pick up "scalps" when he takes to the oche in the UK Open - starting with darting stalwart Dennis Smith.

The 42-year-old plasterer meets Smith over the best of 17 legs as the third round of the PDC's 'FA Cup of Darts' begins tonight, live on Sky Sports.

Smith's star has fallen in recent years but he was a protege of Phil Taylor and has reached three major semi-finals and four quarter-finals in the PDC.

Jones, conversely, is in his best PDC form and has already banked £2,500 in the UK Open qualifiers, putting him through to the third round.

The former West Midlands county player, who plays his pub darts for the Maypole Inn in Halesowen, headed to the Reebok Stadium in Bolton today.

The Black Country darter has matched his previous run in the competition without throwing a dart, after going from first to third round last year.

And Jones insists he's capable of beating any of the big stars of darts tonight and in the later stages of the UK Open.

He said: "It's nice to be straight into the third round and it's nice to be straight in among the pennies!

"I am happy to play anyone, if my darts go how I know they can go I am quite capable of beating anybody as well.

"If I can take a big scalp in this tournament, my name will be in lights then and I really will be buzzing.

"I just need to knuckle down and get stuck in and you are only ever as good as your next game.

"It's how good you are on the day in darts, there's only one robot and his name is Phil Taylor!

"All I can do is try and start fast and rack up as many legs as I can."