Darts: Debut delight for Benito van de Pas

Benito van de Pas shows his delight after beating Paul Nicholson at Alexandra Palace. Picture: Getty Images

Van de Pas, a 21-year-old Dutchman, earned his place at Alexandra Palace after an impressive first season on the PDC circuit after winning a Tour Card in January, and he took full advantage by earning a huge win over the former quarter-finalist.

Both men started perfectly by hitting 180s on their opening visits to the oche, but it was van de Pas who maintained his form the best, completing a 14-darter with double 16.

Nicholson missed all three shots at doubles during the set, which van de Pas sealed by hitting double eight for a 41 finish.

Former Players Championship Finals winner Nicholson responded well, taking the second set 3-0 after hitting double eight, checking out 116 on double 18 and finishing off with a 38 outshot.

A break of throw in the next put Nicholson ahead, but after narrowly missing a 170 checkout, van de Pas levelled. An 80 finish on tops edged Nicholson in front again and he then edged the set on double two, after the Dutchman missed tops to force a decider.

Two 180s helped van de Pas move ahead in the fourth set, and although he missed three sets darts to allow Nicholson to level, he landed double 16 in the decider to stay in the match.

Van de Pas went 2-0 up in the decider – after Nicholson hit the wrong double – and despite a 180 in the next, Nicholson went out when van de Pas checked out 109 to complete a dream debut.

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“That was awesome,” said van de Pas. “I started really well, but in the second and the third set I wasn’t playing very well so just had to stay in it. I’ve played really well on the floor all season and played well in some Players Championship events, and what I learnt there is that you just have to fight and fight to get anything.

“I played well in the first set and then Paul came back, so then I just had to fight as hard as I could to get through. That 109 at the end went in and it was amazing.

“I’m going back home tonight then I’ll come back to play on Saturday against Dave Chisnall or Ryan De Vreede – I would like to play against Ryan because I’ve been travelling with him the whole year so it’d be nice to play him here.”

Webster earned a second- round showdown with Phil Taylor with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over fellow left-hander Ron Meulenkamp.

“I’ve had a tough time for the last few years really and it’s just great to get the job done,” said Webster. “I’m a million miles from where I want to be but it’s going to take time and I just have to be patient and work hard, and I am working hard.

“I’m up for playing Phil, for me he’s still the best there is, but I won’t be scared of him. I’m not trying to rub him up the wrong way or anything like that but I have beaten him before here, not many other people have.

“Every time you play Phil you have to see it as a massive opportunity to go up there and show what you can do and that’s exactly how I’ll approach it.”

Winstanley won a high-quality contest with Wayne Jones 3-2 to move into the second round.

Winstanley hit seven 180s and averaged 93.66 while also hitting three ton-plus finishes, but all that was only just enough to squeeze by Jones, who averaged even higher at 94 and had four 180s of his own.

“That was a really tiring game, I just couldn’t shake Wayne off and every time I tried to do it he just came coming back at me and back at me,” said Winstanley.

“I thought we both played well, but I really wanted that, I’ve been in a sudden death game before and there’s no way I wanted to play in one again!”

Winstanley added: “I’ve never beaten Darren and he’s breaking my heart – he’s like a Yorkshire terrier, but we’ll see how it is when we get up to play here. This is my stage, not his!”

Painter beat Russian qualifier Boris Koltsov 3-1 to set up a second-round tie with another international qualifier, Cristo Reyes from Spain.

In the evening session, No 6 seed James Wade, a three-time World Championship semi-finalist, was due to take on Jamie Lewis, while world No 8 Dave Chisnall was scheduled to take on Ryan De Vreede, with Kim Huybrechts and Ian White also in action.

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