Stunning Taylor completes tournament double (From Crewe Guardian)

Stunning Taylor completes tournament double

9:55am Monday 15th March 2010 in

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WORLD darts number one Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor was in unstoppable form last week with the Crewe resident remaining unbeaten in various competitions.

Taylor came from 5-3 down to maintain his unbeaten start to the Whyte & Mackay Premier League with a draw against Mervyn King in Manchester.

Taylor looked on course for a first defeat of the season when King punished a slow start from the 15-time World Champion to take leads of 3-1 and 5-3.

But Taylor hit checkouts of 161, 126 and 125 in successive legs in dragging himself back into the game, and a 13-dart finish in the deciding leg earned him a point.

Taylor edged a scrappy opening leg on double one, but King levelled and then punished three missed doubles to take the third against the darts.

King followed up a 180 in the fourth leg with a classy 130 finish, ending on double eight, to extend his advantage to 3-1 before Taylor took the next two to level going into the break.

It was King who kicked off the second half of the game the stronger, finishing 61 in two darts and landing another maximum and an 88 finish to move 5-3 up.

Taylor then found his top gear, taking out 161 to spark his challenge into life, before levelling with a 126 bullseye finish and then taking out 125 on double top to incredibly lead 6-5 after the pair had traded 180s in the 11th leg.

King hit another maximum and double 16 to stop the rot in the 12th leg and level, before a classy 99 finish, with Taylor waiting on a double, put him 7-6 up and ensured he would take a minimum of a point.

Any hopes he had of repeating his win over Taylor in last year's Premier League semi-finals, though, were ended as the four-time champion finished with a flourish, hitting three successive 140s and double top in a 13-darter to grab a draw.

"I'm fairly satisfied to get a draw after being behind and to be honest I'm pleased to get a result against a player of Mervyn's class," said Taylor.

"My finishing was rubbish at the beginning but I clicked into gear in the second half of the match.

"I'm not right yet and have to work harder because I've got a long way to go to get back to my best."

King added: "I'm a little bit disappointed that I only got a draw because I had Phil by the throat and let him off.

"I'm here to give Phil a game and pressurise him, and I think I did that for a long time in the game.

"We've got a healthy rivalry, Phil is THE man and I want to be THE man, so I've got to push him.

Taylor then swept to a second successive Players Championship victory, whitewashing Mark Dudbridge in the final of Saturday's event in Wigan.

The Stoke native was victorious in a Players Championship two weeks ago in Derby, and claimed another £6,000 title at Wigan's Robin Park Tennis Centre.

The 15-time World Champion won his opening three games on the day 6-2, against Darren Latham, Gary Mawson and Peter Manley, before defeating Holland's Michael van Gerwen 6-4 in the last 16.

Following a 6-1 win over Wes Newton in the quarter-finals, he defeated Colin Lloyd 6-3 at the last four stage - winning four of the final five legs after the Essex man shared the opening stages - before powering past Dudbridge in the decider.

He then completed a weekend double in Wigan with a stunning whitewash of Jamie Caven in the final of Sunday's UK Open Qualifier.

Taylor had won Saturday's Players Championship in imperious fashion, and doubled his prize money for the weekend by picking up a further £6,000 on Sunday.

Only world number three James Wade was able to take a leg from Taylor in his opening four games, with Mark Jodrill, Sam Allen and Michael Smith all whitewashed.

He then defeated Jelle Klaasen 6-2 in the quarter-finals and repeated the scoreline in his semi-final defeat of Osborne.

However, he saved his best display for the final averaging an amazing 121.86 in a straight legs win over Derby star Caven.