Phil Taylor

Taylor edges past stubborn Jenkins

Published: Sunday, 31 January 2010, 12:14PM

Reigning champion Phil Taylor needed all his experience and guile to see off Terry Jenkins 8-7 in the second round of the totesport.com Players Championship on Saturday evening.

The arrows king was involved in a tit-for-tat tussle from the off, neither player managing to pull away more than one leg throughout the whole of the absorbing contest.

Jenkins hit a double top at 7-6 down to take the battle into a deserved decider, however the 15-time world champion reeled off a 14-darter to set up a clash with Colin Lloyd in Sunday's quarter-finals.

Taylor revealed: "Terry's great under pressure and he took some superb finishes out with his last dart. It was a really tough game and I'm relieved to be through it."

Meanwhile, Lloyd marched past Kevin Painter earlier on thanks to a comfortable 8-4 win. He said afterwards, "I'll have to improve a bit if I'm going to win this but I know there's a bit more in the tank."

Elsewhere, Paul Nicholson will face Adrian Lewis in Sunday's first match after they defeated Steve Beaton and Andy Hamilton respectively.

It was a touch easier for Nicholson in an 8-5 victory, compared to Lewis' oche squeaker. Lewis declared: "I'll look forward to playing Paul now. He beat me in the World Championship a year ago, but I'm a different player now."

Colin Osborne booked a last-eight clash with Wes Newton following a routine 8-2 evening win over Michael van Gerwen after Newton had seen off a stubborn Ronnie Baxter 8-7 in the final Saturday afternoon match.

Osborne said: "Michael wasm't at his best, but I can only worry about my own darts. I'm in the quarter-finals and anything could happen on Sunday."

Mervyn King set up the final quarter-final clash against Wayne Jones after he walloped Dutchman Jelle Klaasen 8-1. He explained: "I feel for Jelle, because we've all been there and, although it was in my favour, it was an awkward match."

Jones, who came through his Saturday afternoon contest with Mark Walsh 8-5, declared: "I was annoyed at 3-1 down and had to try and break Mark's throw to get back into the game, which I did. At five all, I kicked on and got the win."

Sunday January 31
Quarter-Finals
1.10pm Nicholson v Lewis
2.10pm Newton v Osborne
3.10pm Taylor v Lloyd
4.10pm Jones v King

Semi-Finals
7.10pm
8.10pm
Order of play to be decided by toss of coin

Final
9.30pm

Format
Quarter-Finals - Best of 17 legs
Semi-Finals - Best of 19 legs
Final - Best of 25 legs

Prize Fund
Winner: £60,000
Runner-Up: £24,000
Semi-Final Losers: £15,000
Quarter-Final Losers: £10,000
Second Round Losers: £6,000
First Round Losers: £3,000
Total Prize Fund: £250,000

Check back for results and video highlights of the crucial clashes.