PDC World Darts 2018: Phil Taylor reaches last 16 as Daryl Gurney loses out

Taylor finished with an average of 99.37 for the match

Sixteen-time champion Phil Taylor eased past Justin Pipe 4-0 to reach the last 16 at the World Championship - his final event before retirement.

Pipe got a hostile reaction from the crowd after the controversy around his first-round match where it was claimed he coughed to distract his opponent Bernie Smith at a key time.

Former champion Raymond van Barneveld is also through thanks to a 4-1 win over Kyle Anderson but fourth seed Daryl Gurney is out after losing to Scottish 29th seed John Henderson 4-2.

The incident involving Pipe and Smith on Wednesday has been referred to the Darts Regulatory Authority who will now contact Pipe. The 27th seed could face a fine or a suspension or have some of his £18,500 World Championship prize-money withheld.

Although Pipe started in a bullish mood against Taylor and had two darts in the fourth leg to take the opening set, the 57-year-old held his nerve with a 52 checkout and in the next leg won the set on a double 20.

But from then on, Taylor controlled matters and Pipe was unable to win another leg in the match.

"It was hard to concentrate out there," admitted Taylor, whose next opponent will be Keegan Brown, a 4-2 winner over Zoran Lerchbacher.

"In all my years I've never played in a game like that - it was very strange. I felt sorry for Justin's family because it it wasn't nice to hear that.

"As soon as the crowd stopped booing Justin, he went off the boil and I started to concentrate more.

"I tried to nick the first set - I knew that would be important.

"I'm not playing well enough to win and I need to get my energy levels up to compete with Michael [Van Gerwen] and Gary [Anderson]."

Henderson never made it past the second round at the World Championships in his previous five attempts

Van Barneveld, the 2007 champion and the ninth seed this time, dominated the first two sets against Anderson, the 24th seed.

Anderson gave himself a chance by winning the third set but the Dutchman quickly exerted his authority to set up a last-16 meeting with compatriot Vincent van der Voort.

Henderson claimed the biggest win of his career against Gurney, the World Grand Prix winner.

The Scot was the better player throughout but after taking a 2-0 lead he saw Gurney fight back to level the match but Northern Irishman struggled again after that allowing Henderson to wrap up victory.

His next opponent will be rising star Rob Cross who advanced with a 4-3 win over 13th seed Michael Smith.

Smith had two match-winning darts in the sixth set but missed both and Cross, the 20th seed and in his first Worlds, hit back to take out double 14 and move into a deciding set.

The momentum had turned Cross' way and he broke in the third leg of the sixth set and held his throw in the next leg for victory.

Steve West will take on 2017 finalist and two-time winner Gary Anderson in the third round after winning 4-1 against Holland's Jermaine Wattimena.