BDO World Darts: Eccles 'accepts luck' to beat Fitton

Tony Eccles admitted fortune was on his side as he defeated fifth seed Darryl Fitton 3-1 in the first round at the BDO World Championship at Lakeside.

Stockport's Fitton missed a series of chances at doubles and Eccles, 43, took advantage to book a last-16 spot.

The Hartlepool thrower told BBC Sport: "It's the first time I've had a bit of luck on the Lakeside stage.

"It's about hitting doubles at the right time. I had a bit of luck and I hope it continues."

Eccles, a quarter-finalist at Frimley Green in 2007, continued: "Hopefully in the next game, I'll start waking up. We were expecting a ding-dong and it didn't happen, but I scraped over the line and that's what counts.

"I'm in the tournament now and I've got over that first hurdle. As soon as you've won that first game, you're in the tournament."

Eccles' next opponent is 12th seed Wesley Harms from the Netherlands, who has reached the last four in each of the last two years at Lakeside.

"I've never played Wesley so I think we'll have a good game," added Eccles, who lost in the first round last year after switching back from the Professional Darts Corporation.

"I hope he starts firing and then I'll follow it. I was expecting that from Darryl and, unfortunately, he didn't fire.

"I'm not going to take Wesley lightly. I've been odds-on favourite up there and been turned over. Hopefully I'll be the underdog [against Harms] like I was against Darryl."