Deller's too hot for Rod in thriller
DARTS: Suffolk darts ace Keith Deller last night moved into the second round of the PDO World Matchplay darts championship at Blackpool with a thrilling win over Rod Harrington.
By Dave Allard
DARTS
SUFFOLK darts ace Keith Deller last night moved into the second round of the PDO World Matchplay darts championship at Blackpool with a thrilling win over Rod Harrington.
Deller, the former Ipswich Town ballboy who won the Embassy world crown in 1983, overcame a poor start to win 10-8 in a tense encounter at the Winter Gardens.
It was Essex man Harrington who stamped his authority on the game initially, storming to a 4-1 lead with some fine darts including a 101 check-out.
But the two-times Matchplay champion saw his flow disrupted because of a series of unlucky bounce-outs, which eventually proved his undoing.
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Deller came right back to win the sixth leg with a cracking 116 finish and he then took the seventh to reduce the arrears to 4-3.
Then Deller was rocked as Harrington stretched his lead to 6-3. He could have extended it further in the tenth. But his attempt at double top bounced out.
Deller took advantage to finish on double 12 and he drew level taking the next two legs as Harrington lost his composure.
The number 20 seed then gained the lead for the first time in the match as he secured the 13th leg and he went on to make the second stage for the first time in four attempts.
Deller, who used to live in Bunting Road, Ipswich but now resides at Mildenhall, now meets Alan Warriner.
The Suffolk player said: "I was a bit lucky really. Rod had some bounce outs that let me in and I took full advantage. I've lost at the first round stage and it's about time I got through to round two.
"I'm pleased to beat Rod as well. We had a battle in Purfleet at Christmas and there is a bit of needle in our matches."
