Jamie Hughes out again in BDO semis

Hughes lost 6-1 to his best friend on the circuit at Lakeside tonight with the BDO No 1 now playing for the trophy with Danny Noppert tomorrow,

The Black Country thrower was 4-0 down before he registered his first set and only forced a deciding leg on one occasion.

The 30-year-old has now failed to beat Durrant in his last nine attempts at competitive darts, one of only three victories coming at the 2014 Antwerp Open.

For the first time in his fourth tie, Hughes failed to win the throw in the practice room. He instead broke Durrant in the very first leg, punishing his miss at tops for 116 with double five for 80.

Durrant restored parity with his first break on double eight for 48, coming from behind to go in front on double five for 20.

A first 180 followed from him, but it was Hughes who took the leg on double 12 for 75. Durrant held to strike a one set advantage on double eight, despite Hughes' first 180.

A clear run at tops ended up in three missed darts at a double for Hughes to go ahead in the second set and Durrant capitalised to break on double eight for 48.

Hughes came close to a 136 checkout after missing double eight and, again, Durrant was there to punish him on tops after a second 180.

The same bed halved the legs advantage for Hughes in the second set, after a second 180 of his own. It only prolonged losing the set, though, as Durrant doubled his sets lead to break on tops for 72.

'Duzza' clicked into gear, finishing on the bullseye for 132 and breaking with a splendid 170, the latter bringing on the 'Duzbot' dance. Double 10 for 60 secured a whitewash third set.

A third 180 got him going at the start of the fourth set, where Hughes had problems again counting before missing the bull for 111.

Durrant took the first leg after a fourth 180 to break on double 18, before tops for 117 after maximums from both players.

Hughes finally got back into the set double 16 for 37, but Durrant nudged into a 3-0 sets advantage on double 16 for 74.

Attempting to turn the tide, Hughes struck first in the fifth set on double eight for 35 against the darts and the same bed put him in command.

Durrant replied on double three for 12, Hughes landed a fourth 180 at the start of the fourth leg. He would not be denied and broke again, getting his first set on the board on double two for 10.

Hughes went ahead again at the start of the sixth set, on double 12. Durrant levelled on double 16 for 44. Hughes' fifth 180 came in the next leg, which he won on tops after Durrant's sixth maximum.

Durrant made it 2-2 on double six and a hammer blow to Hughes came to end the set, despite a sixth 180 from him.

With both needing 20, 'Yozza' missed double 10 and double five to bust himself, with Durrant stepping in to establish a 5-1 sets lead on his first dart to break.

Durrant opened the eighth set with victory in his sights, nudging closer with double 15 for 117. Hughes restored parity on double 16 for 32.

Double 18 for 36 put Durrant to within a leg of match victory, with a seventh 180 giving him an excellent chance of getting over the line first against the darts.

Hughes tried to hang in there and could have forced another leg, had he landed his one go at tops for 73. Durrant made no mistake coming back for double 16 to go through.