Ricky Evans pulled off a stunning straight-sets upset to knock out World Matchplay champion Nathan Aspinall in round two of the World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace.
Evans, ranked 53rd in the PDC Order of Merit, lost just two legs in the final evening session match-up and will take on Northern Ireland’s Daryl Gurney in the last-32 after Christmas.
Evans told Sky Sports: “Nathan is one of the best darts players in the world, and I’ve literally done a job on him there.
“I’m the weirdest, most loveable idiot in the world, and I’ve just beaten Nathan Aspinall!
“There’s a funny walk-on, there’s a funny me, but there’s a good dart player there and eventually it’ll come out.”
Stephen Bunting cruised into the third round with a 3-0 win over Ryan Joyce, averaging an impressive 107.28.
Bunting hit five 180s en route to victory and will next face Germany’s Florian Hempel.
Ryan Searle set up a meeting with Joe Cullen after beating Tomoya Goto 3-1.
He handily won the first two sets, but his Japanese opponent would not go down without a fight, rallying with a 97 checkout to claim the five-leg third set before he was swept away by the Englishman in the fourth.
Tournament debutant Berry van Peer, 107th in the PDC Order of Merit, extended his run of upsets, advancing with a 3-1 victory over Josh Rock after dumping out Luke Woodhouse in round one.
In the afternoon session, world number nine Jonny Clayton came from behind to begin his World Darts Championship campaign with a 3-1 win against Steve Lennon.
Lennon edged the opening set 3-2 to take an early lead, but two 140s helped Clayton draw level in the second set.
Another tight set followed in the third, where the ‘Ferret’ managed to clinch the fifth leg with a double five to take the lead and Lennon was left to rue his missed doubles as Clayton saw the match out with a clean sweep in the final set.
Daryl Gurney fended off a late comeback from Steve Beaton to win 3-1.
Gurney won the opening set in three straight legs, averaging 104 before taking the second, but an incredible third set saw Beaton fight back and throw back-to-back 180s to help him claw a set back.
The ‘Bronzed Adonis’ looked set to level but Gurney wrapped up victory with a 136 checkout.
Ricardo Pietreczko reached the third round on his Alexandra Palace debut after beating Callan Rydz 3-2 in a tight battle.
A shaky start saw Rydz fall behind in the opening set, but fought back in the second to draw level.
Rydz fell just short of a nine-darter in the third, allowing Pietreczko to swoop in to snatch the set and the Englishman threw 128 to take the contest to a decider, but ‘Pikachu’ earned a clean sweep in the fifth to earn his spot in the next round.
Richard Veenstra won his clash against Kim Huybrechts in style completing a whitewash over the Belgian.
Veenstra ran away with the contest, winning all nine legs with an average of 99.46 to cruise into the next round, where he will meet world number 2 Michael van Gerwen.
