Phil Taylor 'Powers' into last eight
Phil Taylor overcame a major scare to remain on course for a seventh Grand Slam of Darts title by coming from 4-0 down to defeat Terry Jenkins 10-6 at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall last night.
Taylor seemed on course for a shock exit after Jenkins stormed into an early lead, but the 16-time world champion showed his experience to win 10 of the next 12 legs for the win.
Jenkins made a brilliant start, punishing seven missed doubles from Taylor to win the opening leg and hitting two 180s as he won three more legs to open up a 4-0 lead.
Taylor though finished 97 to get off the mark and then took out 52, double 16 and 68 to level before extending his run to six successive legs as he moved 6-4 up.
Jenkins took out 158 to win his first leg in seven and then levelled, but Taylor moved back in front and then took out a killer 116 checkout to open up an 8-6 lead, before finishing double 16 and 99 to book a quarter-final spot.
"It was a scrappy match and it was all about survival," admitted Taylor. "Missing seven darts at a double in the first leg threw me, and my head was gone.
"When I was 4-0 down, I had to relax and try to enjoy it. It didn't seem to click for me on stage but it's just one of those things.
"My finishing came back better and the 116 was a good shot after he had the 158, which was a belter, so I'm just relieved to have got the win in the end."
Reigning world champion Gary Anderson crashed out 10-6 at the hands of a resurgent Mark Webster, while Robert Thornton won through to the quarter-finals for the second time in three years as he held off Robbie Green's fightback to claim a narrow 10-8 victory and set up a last-eight contest with Taylor on Friday.
Thornton made a superb start with finishes of 96 and 160 in the opening two legs and also finished double four and tops for a 4-0 lead before Green kick-started his challenge with a 170 finish.
Thornton took out another 96 finish as he traded legs with Green, who hit back from 7-3 to 7-6 with a 13-darter, double eight and a 95 bull finish.
The Scot, though, finished a key double 10 to deny Green the chance to break and landed two more key maximums when throwing first to close out the win.
The second round concludes tonight with the remaining four matches, including tournament favourite Michael van Gerwen's clash with former Lakeside champion Steve Beaton.
Three-time Lakeside champion Martin Adams takes on Kim Huybrechts, two-time world champion Adrian Lewis plays Peter Wright and nine-dart hero Dave Chisnall is up against Michael Smith.
