BBC SPORT | OTHER SPORTS | Hard work for Warriner

Top seed Alan Warriner was made to work for a 4-2 victory over Reg Harding in the opening round of the Skol World Championship in Purfleet.

The World Grand Prix winner was not at his best throughout the contest and Harding will rue a number of missed chances.

Warriner claimed the opening two sets but struggled to reproduce the form that earned him a first major title in Dublin last month.

My game is very good at the moment but that performance was below par

Alan Warriner

And Harding delighted his supporters at the Circus Tavern by battling back to level the match at 2-2.

The number 27 seed then produced a 120 checkout in the fifth set to put the pressure back on Warriner.

But the Ice Man kept his cool and went on to edge the sixth set 3-2 and take the match.

A relieved Warriner said: "I was always in command but I let too many legs slip through silly doubles and bad scoring.

"I had to keep digging in. I've got three days off now so I will just relax.

"My game is very good at the moment but that performance was below par."

Ronnie Baxter followed by producing a slick performance to inflict a 4-2 defeat on Kevin Painter.

Painter, the man who sent Phil Taylor crashing out of the World Grand Prix last month, made a bright start and won the opening set by three legs to two.

But Baxter turned on the style in the next three sets to move within one of victory.

Meanwhile Dennis Smith cruised into the second round with a 4-0 win over an out-of sorts Paul Lim.

Colin Lloyd celebrates his victory over Alex Roy

The number five seed was always in control against the American racing into a 3-0 lead.

Lim showed signs of resistance in the fourth set but Smith, a semi-finalist at the World Grand Prix, was not to be denied closing out the contest 3-2.

"I was pleased to go through but when I came out to play the first set I felt quite nervous," said Smith.

"But I'm a plodder who never gives in. I've come here to win this tournament and I hope I can carry on."

Local favourite Colin Lloyd was another first round winner with a 4-2 victory over Alex Roy.

The 27-year-old, who lost to John Part in the first round last year, said: "I'm happy with the win because I had to dig deep."

Richie Burnett watched Peter Evison narrowly miss a nine-dart finish before ending his hopes in the first round.

Burnett, a former world champion, produced an impressive display to beat Evison 3-1.

Evison took the opening set by three legs to two before Burnett came back to level the match.

Evison almost pocketed the �100,000 prize for a nine-dart finish in the opening leg of the third set.

He reeled off two maximums before a treble 20 and treble 15 put him gave him a shot at double 18 for the cash.

But his third dart drifted wide and although he won the leg Burnett won the next three legs to claim the set.

Burnett also won the fourth set and with Evison's form dipping, the Welsh number eight seed produced an impressive 124 checkout to close out the match.

First round results (seeding in brackets)
(1) A Warriner 4-2 R Harding
C Lloyd 4-2 A Roy
(5) D Smith 4-0 P Lim
(8) R Burnett 4-1 P Evison
R Baxter 4-2 K Painter


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