 World number one Lloyd survived a third-set scare |
World number one Colin Lloyd edged to a 4-1 win over Canadian John Verwey in the Ladbrokes World Championship. Lloyd, who landed his first major title at the Skybet World Grand Prix in October, lost his concentration and the third set to the Ontario electrician.
"I let the number one thing get to me a bit tonight," said Lloyd, who topped the rankings in Belgium.
"But I got through the match and hopefully I can settle down and start playing the way I know I can."
Eight seed Wayne Mardle staged a terrific recovery after falling two sets behind to up-and-coming star Mark Walsh.
Mardle eventually hit his stride to close out the match 4-2 at Purfleet's Circus Tavern.
"I played like an idiot," Mardle, 31. "If Mark hadn't have gone off the boil I would never have won.
"I've not been playing great but I dug deep. I'm better than that, but at least I'm off and running now and I'm back in Wayne Mardle land."
He will next take on Paul Williams, who took advantage of Alan Warriner's misfortune as he became the first man to reach the last 16.
Warriner had to dash north to collect his darts from his in-laws at Knutsford services after leaving them at home and did not get to bed until 0430 GMT.
The lack of sleep appeared to take its toll as he slipped to a 4-1 defeat.
 |  I got a bit caught up in the crowd early on instead of focusing |
"Alan seemed to have too many things going on in his head today and he just didn't show up," said Williams.
Mark Holden's "dartitis" looked to have returned as he struggled in his 4-1 defeat by Denis Ovens.
Holden was never tested in his easy wins in the first two rounds but he failed to repeat his earlier form against Ovens.
The 12th seed produced a performance of high quality and the 47-year-old will now play either Roland Scholten or Jamie Harvey on Thursday.
"I knew I had to do a job on Mark so I dug in and it paid off," said Ovens.
In other action, Bristol's 13th seed Mark Dudbridge edged 1995 BDO world champion Richie Burnett 4-3.
"That took all I've got," said Dudbridge, the former World Masters champion who dethroned John Part here last year on his way to the quarter-finals.
"Richie kept pounding the 60 and I knew it would be close. We were both scrapping for everything.
"I got a bit caught up in the crowd early on instead of focusing. But then I heard one of my best friends shout 'slow down', which I did, and I owe him half of the money I've earned for this."
MMIX
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