DARRYL FITTON 4 v GARY ROBSON 0

Dazzler Darryl Fitton, the ninth seed  slashed his odds with a sparkling 32 minute 4-0 drubbing to tumble Gary “Big Robbo” Robson.

The two off-stage friends served up a sporting encounter but it was all one way traffic as Fitton drove home seven 180s in his pulverising demolition of the eighth seed from Northumberland.

And the secret of his success – peace of mind.

I have moved to a quiet part of Stockport with a river running past the house and this has helped to remove all the stress in my life. Everything is going well.

“The player I feared most in this tournament – Gary Anderson – has gone and I think that I can now win this title. That was the best game I have had at the Lakeside.

“I was delighted with my performance. Gary (Robson) did not start well and I capitalised on this. Anything can happen this week though. The crowd were fantastic tonight,” said Fitton.

He made his trademark entrance to the stage with his stomping dance to the vibrant Madness song “One Step Beyond.”

A semi finalist in 2005, the Stockport sharpshooter hopes this week himself to go one stop beyond and reach his first Lakeside final.

The Cheshire ace took the opening leg of the match and then seized the initiative in the second after Robson, with the throwing advantage, missed five doubles, Big Robbo sweeping back to take the third.

But a showpiece 106 checkout (60, 6, double tops) saw the blue –shirted Stockport sharpshooter scoop the set.

Two maximums and power-scoring from Fitton saw him turn the throwing advantage and claim the second set unchallenged.

The rout continued in the next as Fitton blasted out 180s in each of the opening legs to move ahead and turn the set advantage to his favour, coolly moving into a 3-0 match lead with double nine.

For the third set running Fitton blasted in a maximum to start but Robson nipped in to take the leg on double 16, Dazzler producing another 180 in the next leg, exiting in 13 darts and following up with a 156 checkout for a 12-dart leg and 2-1 match lead.

Throwing first in the fourth leg, two 140s and a ton helped Fitton reach the double first as he clinched the match-winning 60 checkout with two darts to the tumultuous delight of the capacity crowd.

 
Contact us | View site map