The excitement continues to build in the Skol World Championships. Peter " One Dart " Manley survived an 11 set marathon to beat veteran John "Old Stoneface" Lowe, who Club Ireland brought over in 1985. Here is a write-up and a photo of One Dart.
MANLEY HAS LAST WORD
John Lowe and Peter Manley played out a war of words before this match, but it was One Dart who made the critical comments at the oche with a narrow 6-5 victory.
Manley, who broke his recent first round hoodoo with a win over Steve Brown in round one, stole an early march on the veteran with a 3-1 win in the first set.
Used to a battle Lowe dug in and took the second set to five legs, before evening the match with a 68 out.
Lowbo stepped up his efforts in the third set. Three quality outs of 101, 68 and 64 clinched the set and he continued that form into the fourth with a 99 and 61 to take a two set lead.
Both men had averages in the high nineties and Manley turned his scoring into a victory in the fifth set, to keep the match on a knife's edge.
Manley got himself right back in the match in the sixth set, when after Lowe had narrowly missed D19 on 154, One Dart took out 51 to make it 3 sets all.
The contest remained tight in sets seven and eight; Lowe taking the first and Manley again drawing level after Lowe had just missed a 128 to take a tangible lead.
Following the pattern of the match, Lowe it was who got in front again by taking the ninth set to make it 5-4.
One Dart hit back straight away. A 137 out in the third leg set him on his way and after Lowe had missed 60 with a unusually nervous throw, the game went to a deciding set at 5-5.
Lowe seemed to tune out of the match in the eleventh set. Manley duly took his chance to win three legs without reply to see himself through to the quarterfinals and a showdown with Ronnie Baxter.
Afterwards Manley admitted that he hadn't expected Lowe to play so well, but that ultimately the veteran had wearied over the long haul of an eleven setter |