Searle loses thriller but Aspinall advances at Worlds

Ryan Searle lost in the deciding set of a thriller against Ryan Joyce

Twentieth seed Ryan Searle is out of the PDC World Darts Championship after losing a third-round thriller against Ryan Joyce at Alexandra Palace.

Searle fought back from two sets down and ended the game with an average of 100.97 but Joyce, a quarter-finalist in 2019, pipped him in the deciding set to win 4-3.

With the seventh set level at 2-2, Joyce hit a brilliant 113 checkout to edge ahead and won the next leg against the darts to clinch the win.

He will now face fourth seed Luke Littler in the fourth round.

Meanwhile, 12th seed Nathan Aspinall is through to the last 16 for the first time in five years after a 4-0 win over 21st seed Andrew Gilding.

Aspinall's win was built on his ruthlessness on the doubles with the 33-year-old from Stockport hitting six of his seven darts at the outer in the opening two sets.

Gilding missed two darts to win the second and was then broken in the deciding leg of the third when 'The Asp' took out 101 - his only 100-plus checkout of the match.

An average of 92.17 is well down on what Aspinall would expect but his six 180s came at crucial times and he backed it up with a 60% checkout percentage.

Ricardo Pietreczko awaits Aspinall in the next round after he stormed to a 4-1 win over Englishman Scott Williams, who reached the semi-finals last year.

The German went two sets up and responded superbly to Williams pulling one back, averaging 118.66 in the fourth before sealing the win with a stylish 121 checkout.

Saturday's schedule and results

Afternoon session

Third round

Ryan Joyce 4-3 Ryan Searle

Scott Williams 1-4 Ricardo Pietreczko

Nathan Aspinall 4-0 Andrew Gilding

Evening Session

Third round

Chris Dobey 4-2 Josh Rock

Michael van Gerwen 4-2 Brendan Dolan

Luke Littler 4-1 Ian White