A well-fired 180 from Gordon Mathers gives him the chance to break Ricky Evans' throw.

Mathers gets the first chance to finish, but a 133 for Evans sets up 54, which he gets to go at.

Evans hits the single 14, but misses two darts at tops.

Mathers shows him how to do it. A single 20 and a double 20 takes out 60 to level the match.

Gordon Mathers goes into the third set off the back of winning three consecutive legs.

Ricky Evans is forced to stop midway through his attempt of 152 and seems very frustrated.

Mathers, going for 92, goes too low on double 15, allowing Evans to pin double 16 to break throw.

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Neck and neck in terms of the averages so far.

Ricky Evans is on 87.93, with Gordon Mathers fractionally behind at 87.43.

Ricky Evans needs three straight leg wins to take this set but missed doubles at 10 and five make his chances of doing so more difficult.

Gordon Mathers, needing 30, takes the second set.

A missed double 15 does not bother him, going seven and then double four to level the match.

This match has been all about the breaks of throw.

Ricky Evans has 164 left to do exactly that, but a stray second dart into treble four sees him miss out.

Gordon Mathers has 110 remaining, but goes low on double 20.

A missed double 12 from Evans brings Mathers back in, who with his third dart, doubles his lead in the set.

Gordon Mathers, against the throw, gets the first chance of a break in the second set, with two visits on a checkout before Ricky Evans has any.

Mathers misses three darts at doubles, one at eight and two at four.

Three single 20s from Evans give Mathers another shot at double four, which he takes.

Ricky Evans leads the way on the averages after that first set, averaging 91.65 to Gordon Mathers' 88.07.

Evans has performed well on the doubles, taking three of his five chances at a rate of 60%.

The same cannot be said for Mathers. The Australian has taken one of his seven opportunities, with double 20 not being his friend so far.

For the set, Ricky Evans has a Shanghai 120 finish on his throw, but only gets half of what is required.

Gordon Mathers remains off a finish and Evans takes 60 for a second leg in a row to win the first set.

Ricky Evans starts off the leg with four perfect darts, giving himself every chance of a third break of throw, but Gordon Mathers finds a maximum of his own.

Evans, on 60, takes it out on double 20 with the third dart of his visit for another break.

Gordon Mathers gets the chance to take out 142 for a break of throw.

He finds treble 20 and treble 14 but misses double 20 again.

His next visit starts with another miss, but he makes up for it a dart later to level up.

Ricky Evans loves a spot of festive flinging.

He came out to 'Merry Christmas Everyone' and continued a fine tradition of seasonal outfits.

2023: Ho ho oche

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2022: Claus in his contract

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A 180 and a 140 in back-to-back visits for Gordon Mathers put him in control in the opening leg.

The Australian puts four darts at double 20 over the bar, offering Ricky Evans the chance to break.

He does so on double 16.

"Rapid" Ricky Evans is dressed very festively and orchestrates a crowd rendition of "Merry Christmas, Everyone" to end his entrance.

Gordon Mathers is hoping to cause a big upset here.

Mathers to throw first, game on!

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"Rapid" Ricky Evans takes on Gordon Mathers as massive pre-match favourite.

Evans, 34, is at his 10th World Darts Championship but he is yet to progress past the third round, reaching it three times before in the 2020, 2021 and 2024 editions.

Hoping to cause a major upset is the unseeded Mathers. It is the Australian's third time in the tournament and he is hoping to win a first round match for the first time.

Dave Chisnall, a semi-finalist four years ago, awaits the winner in the second round.

Madars Ramza averaged 90.65, but his doubles and ability to hold his throw made it a nightmare to play against.

He took out 11 of his 22 double attempts and did not drop a single leg on his throw.

Christian Kist averaged 94.9, hit a nine-darter and seven 180s, but it still was not enough.

Dirk van Duijvenbode awaits in the second round.

Madars Razma, in a set-deciding leg, gets it going with an 180.

A superb leg, which Razma controlled throughout, gives him the victory with an 100 checkout on double 20.

A sensational match. Razma withstood Christian Kist's nine-darter and excellent early showing without dropping a single leg on his throw!

He is in the second round. Hard luck for Kist, who on another night, would have won comfortably.

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Christian Kist has to win the next two legs to stay in the tournament.

On his throw, an opening 180 gives him every chance and he is allowed nine darts at 167.

A 97 first visit leaves 70, which he takes in two darts on double 20.

A leg to decide the set. Here we go again!

Winning legs on your throw is all well and good for Christian Kist, but the position he is in means he has to break Madars Razma's throw.

A 140 gives him the best chance of doing so, but Razma, comfortably behind, applies some pressure with a two-treble visit of his own.

A century sets up 56, which Kist is allowed to attempt after Razma's 126 chance is ended by a single three.

Kist's 16 leaves double 20, but instead, he finds double five and misses double 15.

Razma just about clings on and on double eight, moves within one leg of the second round.

Christian Kist gets the first chance of a finish on 106, with Madars Razma waiting on 111 after a 130 set up that included two bulls.

A treble one and two single 19s from the Latvian allow Kist three darts at 48.

Very unconventional but effective from Kist. Double eight, double 16.

Level set.