Players Day Two - Evening

Published: Saturday, 31 January 2009, 7:31PM

Phil Taylor was in imperious form in his quarter-final clash with Colin Lloyd, beating his hapless opponent 9-0.

The 14-time world champion didn’t have to find top gear as Lloyd suffered from a complete loss of confidence.

“I was a little upset and feel for Colin,” said Taylor, who averaged only 92. “It’s not the nicest way to progress, as he’s such a lovely man - but a win’s a win.

“He’s been struggling for the last 18 months now and I’ll have a chat with Colin and see what’s happened.”

James Wade won an epic battle with Raymond Van Barneveld 9-8 to seal a semi-final clash with Robert Thornton.

Wade started with a bang, immediately nailing a 167 check-out – the joint- highest of the tournament so far.

Wade took a 5-1 lead at one stage but the Dutchman hit back to win five in a row.

In the end though it was the Brit who held his nerve as the game went down to the crucial final leg.

“Darts players have more heart and fight than any other sportsmen, and I showed it there,” said Wade.

“I got away with it a bit, as I didn’t play my best darts, but nor did Raymond.”

Dennis Priestley could not repeat the heroics of his amazing comeback in the previous round, as he was brushed aside by the steady Thornton in the first quarter-final.

Thornton took the match 9-5 in a polished performance, which included two 180s - the only maximums in the clash.

"I couldn't be Superman again!" said Priestley, who came from 5-0 down to win 6-5 against John Part in the afternoon session.

"I'm really a one-game-a-day man so it was too much for me, but no excuses as Robert played really well and hardly gave me any chances."

Thornton said: "He's one of the hardest players in the world to beat. I've played Dennis twice before and he's beaten me twice, so it wasn't going to be a third time."

Ronnie 'Rocket' Baxter powered through to a semi-final meeting with Taylor with a 9-5 win over Mervyn King, who was badly affected by the heat of the Circus Tavern.

The match looked like going down to the wire when the scores were 5-5, but Baxter, who hit a 167 early on, the joint-highest check-out of the tournament, proved the strongest.

"I hit that 167 and then threw trash - a bag of nails, as if I hadn't thrown a dart in my life," said Baxter. "But I knuckled down and got the job done."

Quarter-final results:

Dennis Priestley 5-9 Robert Thornton
James Wade 9-8 Raymond Van Barneveld
Ronnie Baxter 9-5 Mervyn King
Phil Taylor 9-0 Colin Lloyd