Top seed Tony O'Shea survives early BDO darts scare
BDO World Professional Darts Championships Venue: Lakeside Country Club, Frimley Green, Surrey Dates: 2-10 January Coverage: Live on BBC Two, BBC Red Button and BBC Sport website. Daily reports and scores on BBC Sport website
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Belly-bouncing begins BDO World Championships
Tony O'Shea survived a first-round scare to seal a 3-2 victory over Robbie Green on the opening day of the BDO World Professional Darts tournament.
The top seed, nicknamed 'Silverback', raced into a 2-0 lead, Green responded by taking the third set to love before levelling in the fourth.
However, O'Shea kept his composure in the fifth, using his superior finishing skills to see off 'Kong'.
Defending champion Ted Hankey cruised to a 3-0 win over Gary Robson.
'The Count' set up a second-round tie against the Netherlands's Willy van der Wiel, who caused the first shock of the tournament when he beat former champion John Walton 3-2.
Video - Willy van der Wiel makes spectacular 161 checkout (UK only)
With the tie poised at 2-2, the 2001 winner lost his form when it mattered most, allowing his younger opponent to sneak the victory.
England's Brian Woods saw off Van der Wiel's compatriot Joey Ten Berge in another five-set thriller.
Hankey, seeded fifth, produced a series of impressive finishes to completely outplay Robson.
"I was a little shaky on the first two legs through nerves," he told BBC Sport. "But I finished well and I'm impressed with myself."
There was another shock in the last match of the opening day's action as Norway's Robert Wagner defeated eighth seed Alan Norris 3-2.
Wagner's reward is a second-round match against Woods.
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