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Results from Wednesday 19th December 07 Evening Session

Jenkins, who has reached five televised finals in the past year, became the biggest-name casualty so far in this year's event after allowing the qualifier to come from behind for a 3-2 victory.

Jenkins paid the price for seven missed doubles for the match in the fourth set, with Shepherd eventually taking the win.

He will now meet Mick McGowan in round two, following the Irishman's victory over fellow Dubliner Jason Barry .

Chris Mason and Kevin Painter will also meet on Boxing Day in a tasty second round clash, following their wins over Steve Brown and Gary Mawson respectively.

Mason recovered from a poor opening set to reel off nine straight legs against Bristol's Brown, while Painter produced the highest average of the tournament so far, 96.45, in seeing off Mawson 3-0.

Former World Champion Bob Anderson's valiant comeback from 2-0 down to force a deciding fifth set proved in vain as he went down to Jason Clark in the evening's closest contest.

Earlier in the day, PDPA Qualifier Jamie Caven celebrated his World Championship debut with a straight sets defeat of Wes Newton, with Denis Ovens and Barrie Bates also comfortable winners.

Anthony Forde's reward for a 5-2 preliminary round win over Japan's Akihiro Nagakawa is a clash with current World Champion Raymond van Barneveld on Thursday.

Czech Republic qualifier Miloslav Navratil overcame Philippines number one Rizal Barellano in five successive legs to set up a first round meeting with Andy Jenkins, a semi-finalist 12 months ago.

2008 Ladbrokes.com PDC World Darts Championship
Wednesday 19 December
Preliminary Round
Anthony Forde 5-2 Akihiro Nagakawa
Miloslav Navratil 5-0 Rizal Barellano
First Round
Wes Newton 0-3 Jamie Caven
Denis Ovens 3-0 Colin Monk
Mick McGowan 3-0 Jason Barry
Barrie Bates 3-0 Gerry Convery
Bob Anderson 2-3 Jason Clark
Terry Jenkins 2-3 Kirk Shepherd
Chris Mason 3-1 Steve Brown
Kevin Painter 3-0 Gary Mawson


Jason Clark 3-2 Bob anderson
(3-1, 3-2, 1-3, 1-3, 3-1)

JASON CLARK survived a storming comeback by Bob Anderson to win 3-2 in the first round of the 2008 Ladbrokes.com PDC World Darts Championship.

Clark condemned the former World Championship to a second successive first round defeat at the tournament, although it was not for want of trying following a fine effort from Anderson.

The 60-year-old produced a stirring display to come from two sets down to level, and he actually led in the decider before Clark produced the final blow.

Clark started the match superbly with a maximum in the first leg and hit an 80 checkout to open his account.

He then doubled his lead, hitting another 180 in the process, before Anderson hit back with a 111 checkout in the third leg.

Clark closed out the set with the help of his third maximum to edge in front.

The 60-year-old started the second set well, breaking the Clark throw, only for the local hero to immediately hit back with a 101 checkout.

Clark then took the lead with a 13-dart leg before Anderson hit back to level, and two 140s at the start of the deciding leg from Clark helped him take the set and go one away from victory.

Clark broke the Anderson throw at the beginning of the third set and appeared to be moving towards victory.

But Anderson stormed back to take next three legs and with it the third set to begin his comeback.

The opening two legs where shared at the beginning of the fourth, but Anderson converted a superb 101 checkout with Clark waiting on a two-dart finish to lead 2-1.

Anderson then made Clark pay for a missed dart at double 16, managing to land double top and send the match all the way into a decider.

Anderson was now on a roll and hit a fantastic 141 finish at the beginning of the fifth and appeared to have a strong grip on the match.

But Clark managed to nick the next two legs to go one leg away from victory after Anderson spurned his chances.

The tension failed to affect Clark and two 140s at the start of the next leg proved to be decisive to help clinch victory.

"I felt like a bit of a tourist - at 2-0 I switched off and started enjoying the view on stage!" said Clark.

"I started well but I thought I'd thrown it away when he got level and went ahead in the final set, but luckily I got another chance and took it.

"Bob's a legend and he's beaten me before, but it was a great game and maybe it was my day."

Anderson said: "I've prepared for three months for this and I was mentally and physically as good as I've ever been going into the game, but Jason was the better man."

"I've no complaints whatsoever, and I wish Jason all the best. When I went 2-0 down I was determined to take the game at least to the final set, and I did that, but it wasn't quite enough."

KIRK SHEPHERD 3-2 TERRY JENKINS
(3-2, 0-3, 1-3, 3-2, 3-0)

KIRK SHEPHERD caused a major upset in the first round of the 2008 Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship, knocking out number four seed Terry Jenkins at Alexandra Palace.

The 21-year-old came back from 2-1 down to reach the second round in a five-set thriller.

Jenkins had seven darts at doubles in the fourth set to clinch the match, but failed to convert and was made to pay for his errors by the PDPA Qualifier.

Shepherd started the match in fine style by taking the opening two legs before Jenkins hit back to level the set.

Shepherd got to the double first in the decider to take the lead, although it would not last.

The man from Herefordshire took a strong grip on the match by winning eight of the next nine legs to establish a 2-1 advantage, as well as a 2-0 lead in the fourth to go one leg away from winning the match.

But Jenkins then could not take the opportunities he had created, with Shepherd capitalising by landing double 18 and double eight to level the set.

Shepherd then took the deciding leg to force another first round contest into a decider. completing the fifth leg in 16 darts.

Jenkins' struggles continued in the final set, missing more doubles in all the three legs of the to allow Shepherd to step in and claim a famous victory.

CHRIS MASON 3-1 STEVE BROWN
(2-3, 3-0, 3-0, 3-0)

CHRIS MASON came from a set down to end Steve Brown's Ladbrokes.com PDC World Darts Championship hopes at the first round stage with a 3-1 victory.

Mason looked on course to crash out of the event following a poor opening set, in which he struggled to find his range as the debutant took the lead.

However, Mason found his best form in set two, including a 136 finish, and went on to reel off nine straight legs to seal his place in the last 32.

Mason missed three darts for the opening leg, with Brown stepping in to take the lead and also move 2-0 up.

Brown failed to take his chance for the set in the third leg, allowing Mason to hit back to level before a 67 finish in the decider put the newcomer one up.

Mason kicked off the second set with a 15-darter, and doubled his advantage with a brilliant 136 finish, before levelling the match on double 12.

His confidence seemed to return in an instant, taking the third set without Brown even reaching a double with fine legs of 12, 13 and 14 darts.

An 81 finish, with Brown sat on double top, proved a telling blow in the fourth set's opener, and Mason wasted little more time in sealing the win with two more legs.

"I didn't settle at all and I'd hate to think what my average was in the first set, but from then on I think I looked pretty solid," said Mason.

"Nobody wants to lose before Christmas - and my Christmas would have been absolutely ruined because this means so much to me.

"My whole year has been based around one event, and after that first set I think I showed a lot of things I've never had before.

"That first set was probably the worst I've ever played on television, but I forgot about it. That's an improvement for me."

Mason, who was born in Bristol but is now based in Stoke, has known Brown since the 26-year-old was a schoolboy, and added: "It was a tough match.

"Steve's dad used to own a pub that I once practised in, and he used to come home from school, throw his bag down and practise with me for two hours when he was a teenager.

"He's like a little son of mine and it was tough because I think of him as family.

"It's easy to play someone you dislike and it's very tough to play someone who, if they weren't playing you, you would want to win against anybody."

KEVIN PAINTER 3-0 GARY MAWSON
(3-1, 3-0, 3-1)

KEVIN PAINTER produced a fine display against Gary Mawson to romp into round two of the Ladbrokes.com PDC World Darts Championship with a straight sets victory.

Painter dropped just two legs and ended the match with the highest average of the tournament so far, at 96.45.

Both players were impressive at the beginning of the match, with Mawson recording two maximums but Painter more clinical with his doubles to take the first set 3-1.

Painter was in full flow in the second set, hitting a 101 checkout in the first leg, and the next two without reply to double his lead.

The 2004 runner-up took the first leg of the third set, but Mawson replied with a 96 checkout to level matters.

Mawson had an opportunity to take the lead in the third, but missed tops and Painter landed double eight to take him to the brink of victory.

Painter hit a 180 and 140 in the next leg and then took out double nine to complete a comfortable victory.

"I enjoyed that," said Painter. "I came into the tournament with a bit of form but you never know what's going to happen in the first round.

"It's nice to get through. I played well, hit my doubles and scored well, which is all you can ask for.

"My confidence is up anyway, and as soon as I got on stage the darts started flowing."

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