PDC World Darts Championship 2021: Daryl Gurney beats Vincent van der Voort

Daryl Gurney's best previous performance at Alexandra Palace was reaching the quarter-finals in 2017

Northern Ireland's Daryl Gurney matched his best previous showing at the World Championship by beating Vincent van der Voort 4-2 to reach the quarter-finals.

Gurney, 34, won the first set and after the Dutchman levelled, the Londonderry man moved into a 3-1 lead as he just missed a nine-dart finish in set three.

Van der Voort whitewashed Gurney in set five as he improved his finishing.

But after missing six match darts in leg four of set six, Gurney held his nerve to win the next leg and match.

The Northern Irishman afterwards described his performance as "terrible" and will know that he will have to raise his game considerable to threaten either in-form Gerwyn Price or Mervyn King on New Year's Day.

However, he always looked to hold the edge against Van der Voort, 45, who struggled badly with his finishing early to hand the initiative to the Northern Irishman.

The Dutchman missed two attempts at double top as Gurney broke the throw in the first leg with more poor Van der Voort finishing allowing the Londonderry to take a 2-0 lead.

Van der Voort opened his account in leg three but a double four finish allowed Gurney to clinch a scrappy fourth as he took the opening set.

Gurney was punished for poor finishing in the second set as failed on double top and double 10 which allowed the two-time quarter-finalist to pinch leg five as he levelled at 1-1.

Then came the moment of excitement as Gurney suddenly found form with successive 180s only for him to miss a nine darter by a whisker as his attempt at double 12 was just above the wire.

However, Gurney stayed in control of the set to move into a 2-1 sets lead and also won the next on a similar 3-1 scoreline as the Dutchman's scoring waned.

As often happens when at the point of no return, Van der Voort's form improved in set five as two 13-dart legs and a 15-darter saw him whitewash the Northern Irishman.

Playing with the darts, Gurney led 1-0 and 2-1 in set six but his six missed match darts as he failed on double 16, double eight and double four gave Van der Voort a reprieve.

However, it proved a temporary one as Gurney held his nerve to clinch the match on throw in leg five.

"I was very lucky," Gurney told Sky Sports after his win.

"I was putting myself under so much pressure. If this goes to the last set, I thought to myself, 'I'm going to get beaten'."

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