04/08/2025
Cracking weekend at ADC tour.
First weekend doing it and it was a great setup, excellently run.
Day 1 Event 1
Last 256 I drew Ian Withers, steady player but I kept chipping away and managed to seal a 4-1 win (84.72 Avg)
Last 128 was a tough draw against Sam Spivey, I started way too slow letting him get a 3-0 lead on me. Managed to pull it back to 3-2 but then missed 10 darts at double to level up and Sam won it on Double 1. Disappointing in the end but a fair result on reflection of the match. (84.42 Avg)
Day 1 Event 2
I got a bye in last 256 so I had to wait a while to get stuck in. In the last 128 I faced former PDC tour card holder Ryan the Lion Palmer. It was a very tight game which I felt I was getting the upper hand in but again sloppy darts at doubles cost me and you don’t give that level of opponent opportunities. I went down 4-2 (87.55 Avg)
I was a little dissatisfied after day one as I wasn’t quite sharp enough and it cost me in crucial moments. So I went home, rested early and told myself if I kept up the form and just added a few percent I could get a run going on day two.
Day Two Event 1
I opened up with a very uninspiring 4-1 over steve Allen (71.43 Avg) after receiving a bye in round 1.
This setup a last 64 showdown with Shaun fox. An absolute belter of a match which went to a last leg decider. I came out on top 4-3 (88.97 Avg)
The last 32 saw me face off with Matt Gallett, I’d not seen Matt for a while. Quality player and I took control early on, a few bounce outs from Matt let me capitalise further and I sealed the deal with a 4-1 win (85.13Avg)
I was excited by the last 16 draw as I got to face Robbie Martin. He won event 1 on Saturday and was runner up in event 2 so I knew I had to be on it and I raced into a 4-1 lead with a glorious 125 with two bulls. Nerves caught a bit and I tightened up missing 4 match darts to win it 5-1 and Robbie nicked the leg then comfortably held throw to make it 4-3. I sealed the win with a 144 checkout and advanced to the Quarters (86.46 Avg) Ross Montgomery marked the game and that made me more nervous than the match 🫣
I was completely blown out the water early in the Quarter by Kurt Parry. His relentless treble 20 barrage was a sight and I quickly surrender a 3-0 after missing darts for leg 2 and 3 lead before fighting back to 3-2. Kurt was just to strong in the early phase of the legs and beat me 5-2 (86.84Avg) with a first 9 average of over 112.
Day Two Event Two
I was back on the oche almost immediately after my Quarter final defeat and the dissapointment hadn’t quite shaken off. I started scrappy losing the first leg to Luis Crowley-Bryenton before going 4/4 on the doubles and winning 4-1 (79.1 Avg)
Last 128 saw me take on Paul Haynes, I just had too much artillery and a splendid 138 to take a 2-0 lead put me in a good place. A good leg from Paul saw him break me and pull it back to 2-1 but I carried on in the same vein and got over the line 4-1 (82.17Avg) to setup a rematch with Sam Spivey.
The last 64 match was a corker but great finishing saw me race off to a 3-0 lead before Adam mounted a spirited comeback to make it 3-2. I held my nerve to get over the line 4-2 with my best performance so far and an average of 92.62.
This saw a last 32 encounter with David Pallet who was on monster form after dispatching Jarred Cole in the 64 with a 109+ Avg.
He started in the same vein and after a tasty 11 darter was 3-0 ahead. At this point my main aim was to get a leg on the board and try to build from there I opened leg 4 with 99 then 96 to leave 306, I hit a sweet 171 all on 19’s to leave 135 then checked it out on the bull for a nice 12 darter. After fumbling D18 in leg 5 I tidied up the D9 to make it 3-2 but David set off like a steam train in leg 6 and never let off. He beat me 4-2 (90.29 Avg) with a 103.33 Avg.
That rounded off the weekend where I had plenty of positives. My lowest losing Avg was 84.42 and my others being 86.64, 87.55 and 90.29
Still a bit of work to go to get to the level I need in January but by far the best weekend of darts performance wise so it heading in the right direction. 84.94 Avg for the entire weekend so still another 7 or 8% minimum to find. 16x 180s and a lot of 171 plus.
Onwards and upwards!!
