Red Dragon’s Beaton Cuts The Power In Daily Mirror Grand Slam Of Darts

STEVE BEATON sensationally ended Phil Taylor^s reign as the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts champion, coming from 14-11 down to take a 16-14 quarter-final win at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall on Saturday.

Taylor has won the first three years of the Grand Slam tournament, and his bid for another £100,000 title looked set to continue when he took leads of 10-7 and 14-11.

But Beaton - who had also led 7-5 at one stage - produced some superb darts to reel off five straight legs to claim a momentous victory.

He almost stumbled at the winning line in the final leg, when he missed three darts at double top to take the triumph, only for Taylor to miss the bullseye and give him a reprieve, which he gleefully took on double 16 to set up a semi-final with Scott Waites.

"I didn^t think I would get a second chance because you generally don^t when you play Phil," said Beaton, the 1996 Lakeside Champion.

"You don^t get many chances when you play Phil and you^ve got to take them, and I did tonight. It^s amazing and I^m determined to go on and win the tournament now on Sunday."

Taylor, who hit four ton-plus finishes, admitted: "Steve played fantastically and his finishing was the best I^ve seen from him. He was superb and every time he had a dart at a double he took it."

Waites, last year^s runner-up, won through to the last four with a 16-10 win over Holland^s Co Stompe earlier on Saturday evening.

Stompe hit back from 5-1 down to level at seven-all, but a run of winning eight from nine legs in mid-game proved crucial in him securing the win.

"My scoring wasn^t as strong as I wanted but I hit my doubles when I needed to," said Waites. "It^s brilliant to be in the semi-finals and it would be great to go all the way this year."

Earlier on Saturday, Wolverhampton^s Wayne Jones and world number two James Wade won through to the semis with 16-15 wins against Gary Anderson and Terry Jenkins respectively.

Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts Quarter-Finals
Wayne Jones 16-15 Gary Anderson
James Wade 16-15 Terry Jenkins
Scott Waites 16-10 Co Stompe
Steve Beaton 16-14 Phil Taylor

Sunday November 21 (1pm) Semi-Finals
Steve Beaton v Scott Waites
Wayne Jones v James Wade
Best of 31 legs

Final (8pm)
Best of 31 legs

SCOTT WAITES 16-10 CO STOMPE
SCOTT WAITES punished a lacklustre display from Co Stompe to win through to the semi-finals of the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts with a 16-10 victory at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall.

Waites remains on course to reach a second successive Grand Slam final, although he will face either Steve Beaton in the last four on Sunday after this triumph.

The Yorkshireman made a fine start, winning the opening two legs after Stompe missed eight darts at a double before hitting a 14-darter in the third for a 3-0 lead.

Stompe got off the mark with a two-dart 94 checkout in the fourth, but then missed two more darts at a double as Waites hit double five before setting up double 16 with a 170 score for a 5-1 lead.

Stompe kick-started his challenge with a 180 and an 81 finish for a 12-darter and then took out double top to pull back to 5-3.

He also left eight with a 168 score in the next, only to see three darts to punish misses by Waites miss double four as the 2009 finalist sneaked home double two with his final dart.

The pair traded 180s in the next as Stompe finished a 14-darter, and after Waites won the 11th with a 13-dart leg it was the Dutchman who briefly took control.

Stompe landed a 74 finish, double top for a break of throw and a 110 checkout to reel off three successive legs and draw level at seven-all.

He opened the next with a 174, but missed three darts to lead as Waites posted double four. He then broke throw on double top after three more misses from his opponent and hit double 12 to force a 10-7 cushion.

Stompe hit tops to snatch the next, but could do little to halt Waites^ charge as the Yorkshire ace won five straight legs to move to 15-8 up, twice breaking throw and also landing a pair of 180s.

Victory was delayed as Stompe hit double top in back-to-back legs to pull back to 15-10, but when he missed double five for a 130 finish in the next Waites took his chance with a 98 finish to wrap up the win.

"My scoring wasn^t as strong as I wanted but I hit my doubles when I needed to," said Waites. "It^s brilliant to be in the semi-finals and it would be great to go all the way this year."

Stompe added: "I missed too many doubles early in the game and that gave Scott the lead. He gave me chances but I didn^t take them, and that proved the difference.

"I^ve really enjoyed the week though and it^s just a shame that my tournament ended tonight."

STEVE BEATON 16-14 PHIL TAYLOR
STEVE BEATON sensationally ended Phil Taylor^s reign as the Daily Mirror Grand Slam of Darts champion, coming from 14-11 down to take a 16-14 quarter-final win at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall on Saturday.

Taylor has won the first three years of the Grand Slam tournament, and his bid for another £100,000 title looked set to continue when he took leads of 10-7 and 14-11.

But Beaton - who had also led 7-5 at one stage - produced some superb darts to reel off five straight legs to claim a momentous victory.

He almost stumbled at the winning line in the final leg, when he missed three darts at double top to take the triumph, only for Taylor to miss the bullseye and give him a reprieve, which he gleefully took on double 16 to set up a semi-final with Scott Waites.

"I didn^t think I would get a second chance because you generally don^t when you play Phil," said Beaton, the 1996 Lakeside Champion.

"You don^t get many chances when you play Phil and you^ve got to take them, and I did tonight. It^s amazing and I^m determined to go on and win the tournament now on Sunday."

After Taylor twice hit top to hold throw in the opening exchanges, he produced a moment of magic to break in the fourth when, with Beaton waiting on a finish, he checked out 161 for a 3-1 lead.

The advantage was extended to three legs when he hit a 177 and tops to take the fifth, although Beaton replied with a maximum to set up a 76 finish in the sixth.

Taylor took the next on double 16 to lead 5-2, but Beaton then produced a brilliant run to win five successive legs - hitting three 12-dart finishes and a pair of 14-dart legs.

Having hit an 81 finish, Beaton took out 161 and 121 on the bull to win the next two and then checked out double 16 and a two-dart 64 to move 7-5 up.

Taylor hit back in similarly destructive fashion, winning three successive legs to regain the lead before powering home a 167 finish for a 9-7 cushion, with the lead becoming three legs courtesy of double eight.

He could also have taken the 18th leg, but a miss at double 16 for a 104 finish allowed Beaton in to hit the same double to hit back.

However, he then wasted four darts to take the next and pull back to 10-9, with Taylor hitting tops to lead 11-8 before checking out 151 for a four-leg advantage.

Taylor also posted a 12-darter but Beaton won three of the next four, including checkouts of 88 and 84 for a 12-dart finish of his own, to reduce the gap to 13-11.

Taylor, though, landed what appeared to be a killer blow with a 124 checkout as Beaton waited on 32, putting him 14-11 up and two legs away from the win.

The world number one also hit a 180 in the next, but Beaton took out 64 for a 14-darter and then took out 68 to break, before then landing tops to level a thrilling contest.

Taylor then saw his doubles desert him, missing four darts to win a high-quality leg as Beaton posted a 68 finish to move back ahead at 15-14.

Three tons put him first to a finish in the next, but when he missed three darts at tops to seal victory Taylor had a chance at 93 to force a deciding final leg.

However, Taylor this time missed the bullseye and gave Beaton a reprieve, with double 16 at the third time of asking giving Beaton a famous win.

Taylor, who hit four ton-plus finishes, admitted: "Steve played fantastically and his finishing was the best I^ve seen from him. He was superb and every time he had a dart at a double he took it."