RONNIE BAXTER progressed to the PartyPoker.net European Championship quarter-finals with a second successive deciding leg victory, as he defeated Wes Newton 10-9 in Dinslaken.

Baxter took out 126 in the 11th leg to edge past Alan Tabern in Friday’s first round, and was pushed all the way by local rival Newton in a thriller.

The Blackpool man led 7-4 and 9-6 before Newton – who hit a 170 earlier in the game – hit back to level, but both players struggled to find the treble in the decider before Baxter finished double ten for a last eight spot.

Number five seed Terry Jenkins was also pushed all the way before seeing off Australian star Simon Whitlock 10-8 in their second round clash.

The duo shared the game’s opening 14 legs before a double salvo from Jenkins put him into a crucial 9-7 lead before he closed out victory.

Mark Walsh held off a fightback from Jelle Klaasen before defeating the Dutch youngster 10-7.

Klaasen found himself 6-1 down following a slow start, but a change of darts sparked a comeback as he pulled back to 8-6 before Walsh found another gear to seal victory with a 128 checkout.

Wolverhampton’s Wayne Jones booked his place in a second successive major quarter-final, defeating Scotland’s Robert Thornton 10-4.

Saturday’s evening session will feature the remaining four second round games, including reigning champion Phil Taylor against Andy Smith and world number two Raymond van Barneveld facing Germany newcomer Bernd Roith.

Barrie Bates and Jamie Caven will kick off the night, while Lloyd and van Gerwen also do battle for a spot in the last eight.

PartyPoker.net European Championship
Saturday July 31
Second Round
Afternoon Session
Mark Walsh 10-6 Jelle Klaasen
Terry Jenkins 10-8 Simon Whitlock
Ronnie Baxter 10-9 Wes Newton
Wayne Jones 10-4 Robert Thornton

Evening Session
Play Commences 8pm German time (7pm UK time)
Barrie Bates v Jamie Caven
Raymond van Barneveld v Bernd Roith
Phil Taylor v Andy Smith
Colin Lloyd v Michael van Gerwen

MARK WALSH 10-7 JELLE KLAASEN
MARK WALSH held off a spirited fightback from Jelle Klaasen before sealing his place in the quarter-finals of the PartyPoker.net European Championship with a 10-7 victory.

Walsh romped into a 6-1 lead as he made Klaasen pay for a slow start, with the Dutchman changing his darts after failing to settle in the first five legs.

The number eight seed extended that lead to 8-2 before Klaasen took three in a row, but Walsh held his nerve to move into the last eight.

Walsh landed maximums in the first two legs in a confident start, although some edgy finishing meant he needed to finish double two and double four to move 2-0 up.

Klaasen finished 124 on the bull to get off the mark in the third, but missed double top to level in the next as Walsh posted double five with his third dart for a 3-1 cushion.

He also repeated the finish to move 4-1 up at the first break, which saw Klaasen change darts – with a 180 in the sixth leg suggesting an immediate improvement before four missed doubles allowed Walsh in on double top.

Another double top finish put Walsh 6-1 up, although misses in the next allowed Klaasen in to edge the eighth.

The next two were shared before Walsh hit a 180 and took out his trusted double top to move six legs clear at 8-2.

A maximum from Klaasen to open the 11th leg seemed to spur the youngster to life, and he posted scores of 140 and 165 in setting up a superb ten-dart finish on double eight.

He also hit a 180 in taking the next in 13 darts, and double top reduced the gap to 8-6 and ensured Walsh some nervy moments.

Double top in the next edged Walsh a leg from victory, and after Klaasen finished double five for a seventh leg the Englishman sealed the win on the bull for a 128 checkout.

“Jelle made a great comeback and it was getting edgy for a minute,” admitted Walsh. “He changed his darts and it worked for him, but I just concentrated on my game and got the job done.”

TERRY JENKINS 10-8 SIMON WHITLOCK
TERRY JENKINS edged out Simon Whitlock 10-8 to win his place in the last eight of the PartyPoker.net European Championship.

Jenkins followed up his hard-fought win over Andree Welge in the first round in Dinslaken with a gritty display to see off the Australian in a tight battle.

The pair were locked for 14 legs before Jenkins made the crucial breakthough to lead 9-7 before sealing victory and a quarter-final spot.

Whitlock took the game’s opening leg but missed double top to extend his lead as Jenkins finished 80 and then broke on tops for a 2-1 lead.

Whitlock hit the same finish to take the fourth, and after Jenkins won the next the Australian took out double eight and then 90 on the bull to take the lead at 4-3.

Jenkins levelled, and the next six went with the throw as the players searched for a break to move clear – with the number five seed being the man to win a leg against the darts, punishing two misses from Whitlock to win the 15th on double 14.

Double ten put him 9-7 up – the first time either player had been two legs clear, and though Whitlock took out double 16 for the next leg he missed two darts to keep the match alive as Jenkins hit double ten at the third time of asking for victory.

RONNIE BAXTER 10-9 WES NEWTON
RONNIE BAXTER progressed to the PartyPoker.net European Championship quarter-finals with a second successive deciding leg victory, as he defeated Wes Newton 10-9 in Dinslaken.

Baxter took out 126 in the 11th leg to edge past Alan Tabern in Friday’s first round, and was pushed all the way by local rival Newton in a thriller.

The Blackpool man led 7-4 and 9-6 before Newton hit back to level, but both players struggled to find the treble in the decider before Baxter finished double ten for a last eight spot.

Newton made a brilliant start to take out a 170 finish, the highest of the tournament so far, to take the lead, only for Baxter to reply with a 112 checkout and an 11-darter to lead 2-1.

Baxter missed the bull in the next two legs as Newton hit back to move 3-2 up, only for the Blackpool man to power in a 104 finish to level and win the next three to move clear at 6-3, twice punishing misses from his opponent.

Double three saw Newton pick up a fourth leg, but he missed four darts for the 11th leg as Baxter finished 76 to maintain his three-leg lead.

The duo traded double 16 finishes to leave Baxter 8-5 up, and Newton then produced an 11-darter to win himself a sixth leg, only for Baxter to post double ten and move a leg away from the win.

Newton kick-started his comeback with a 180 amongst two successive legs to pull back to 9-8, and a superb 11-darter saw him send the match into a deciding 19th leg.

Both players showed the pressure in the final leg, but Baxter regained his composure to be first to a finish, and had enough breathing space to return from two misses at double top to post double ten for the win.

“I got the better of him in the middle of the game and when I went 9-6 up the trebles didn’t want to go in,” said Baxter.

“At 9-6 I was playing really well but Wes came back brilliantly with those three legs. Wes was pounding the treble but in the last leg we were both probably as nervous as you can get, and fortunately I got the win.”

WAYNE JONES 10-4 ROBERT THORNTON
WAYNE JONES powered into his second successive major quarter-final with a 10-4 win over Robert Thornton in the PartyPoker.net European Championship.

Jones followed up last week’s run in the World Matchplay and an encouraging win over Adrian Lewis on Friday night with a confident display to see off Thornton.

The Wolverhampton ace never looked back after taking a 4-0 lead, and landed seven 180s in sealing a comprehensive win with an average of 96.

Jones opened the match with an 11-dart finish, and traded 180s with Thornton in the second before punishing three missed doubles frmo the Scot to double his lead.

Thornton missed four more darts at a double in the third leg and two in the fourth as Jones capitalised for a 4-0 cushion.

The Scot then posted the bullseye for an 86 finish in getting off the mark, although double 16 for a 13-darter and double nine from Jones put him 6-1 up.

Thornton won the next two legs to pull back to 6-3, and after Jones took the tenth he took out 80 for a 14-dart finish in reducing the arrears to 7-4.

Jones replied with a 14-darter of his own, and that was bettered when he hit a 180 and double 16 to take the next in 13 darts for a 9-4 cushion.

He then hit two maximums to set up a chance to seal victory, which he took on double four to move into the last eight.

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