MARK WEBSTER 5 v DARRYL FITTON 1

Twenty four-year-old Mark Webster surged into the last four, outshining Darryl “The Dazzler” Fitton 5-1.
It took the left-handed top seed from Denbigh 74 minutes to dash the hopes of Fitton who had been made a 4/1 favourite by bookies to lift the title. Webster’s prize is a classic England versus Wales showdown with defending champion Martin Adams.

The black-shirted Welshman is bidding to follow in the footsteps of the late Leighton Rees and Richie Burnett and be crowned Wales’ third champion. After the game the quietly-spoken bespectacled Welsh player said: “The match with Darryl was much closer than the final result suggested. It was a strange game and I did not expect to win. There were small margins of difference throughout the game but it was one of those days when I was hitting double tops.”

Two 180s steered Fitton into a 2-1 first set lead, Webster levelling on double nine after missing a 156 finish in the previous leg. Nervous Fitton then missed double 16 to hold his throw, the top seed swooping to exit with his third dart for a double. Fitton blasted in this third 180 to open up the second but legs were traded,
Webby firing home double 20 to move 2-0 ahead. Precision finishing steered the 24-year-old World Cup and Europe Cup champion to a 3-1 success after Dazzler’s sparkle on the doubles deserted him, missing double 20 and double 10. With the score at 2-2 in the fourth set Webster hit back-to-back 180s but then missed the crucial seventh 60 to set up a perfect nine dart finish. He recovered to take the leg on double 18 for a shock 4-0 match lead.

Fitton blasted out a sixth maximum to grab the fifth set after a short interval, the legs going with the throw in the next set during the first four legs. Webster narrowly missed double 16 for a match-winning 108 checkout but with Fitton unable to step up the pressure, the Welshman hit a match-winning double eight with his next dart and march into the last four, much to the delight of the fans proudly waving the green, red and white Welsh dragon flags. Cool Webster said of his forthcoming clash with the defending champ: “Martin
is a great darter but he is there to be shot down. I am feeling more comfortable with each game I play and I will just put as much pressure on him as I can.”


 

 
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