Wearing a perpetual smile throughout the match the 43-year-old Middlesbrough man fought back from losing the opening set to dash the hopes of last year’s losing semi finalist.

Delighted Moody said: “I did enjoy that but I just couldn’t find the treble 20. I really enjoyed myself, it was fantastic.

“I spurred myself up during the match shouting ‘wazzer’ – it’s a term we use when we hit a good score in the pub where I play my darts,” said the playoff qualifier.

De Ruiter stormed into a 2-0 first set lead only to see the battling super league player from Cleveland battle back and level. Despite a maximum from Moody, De Ruiter checked out.

Moody’s desire to “live for a long time” was manifested in his happy go lucky attitude on stage, playing the game with a perpetual grin on his face, which was even wider after he levelled the match with a 3-1 success.

It was nip and tuck in the third set but the slow-throwing Moody turned the advantage to score a 3-1 third set success.

The flying Dutchman seemed to lack his normal fluid style, possibly due to a back problem, which had plagued him until days before the championship but forced his way into a 2-0 lead in the next set narrowly missing bull for a match-levelling 132 checkout.

In the next wayward darts let in Moody for a 81 checkout (treble 19, double 12) to pull within one leg of victory.

Remarkably, as both players battled down to the double in the next leg, Moody found himself requiring another 81 and fired out the same treble 19, double 12 match-winning checkout.

As he celebrated with another beaming smile, tears welled up the eyes of the Dutchman who saw his title hopes thwarted at the first hurdle.