Oh, that's bad luck for Anderson. He finds the stem of his own dart and gets nothing, allowing Taylor to keep pace. Crowd still subdued, this third set not quite warming them yet. Taylor, arched spine, leans towards the board, then watches Anderson leave 76. Pressure from the Power? You betcha, a 140 to leave 76. Anderson, though, mops it up in three. A hold.

You just feel that Taylor is starting to cook. Opening the leg with a maximum and stretching out into a decent lead. The pace has dropped, the noise too. Anderson looks less likely to break at the moment, Taylor will have six from 127. He needs only three! Fabulous finishing, ended with double eight.

Image source, Timo Glock/Twitter

Former Formula One driver Timo Glock:, external At Ally Pally for the final #worldofdartsselfie

The players back after a break, Anderson's tartan sleeve collecting arrows that don't find a treble. No treble? Better put three in next go to address that. A Scottish maximum. Taylor, though, is keeping pace, and joins Anderson in the low-100s after nine. 144 for Taylor and break. No treble, though. Anderson for 72. 12...20...tops? No. Chance for Taylor, 84 for a break. In the 60...double 12? Oooohhh, no. The Powrer's first chance goes begging, punished by Anderson's double 10.

I wonder if, even at this early stage, Anderson might rue that chance to take a set against the darts. It's his throw in the third.

Image source, Getty Images

Darts players are probably not best known for their sartorial elegance but a couple of years ago, Gary Anderson brought the level down even further.

At the 2013 World Championship, the Scot showed up wearing an eye-watering monstrosity which featured random pieces of material with varying patterns.

Thankfully now he opts for a sober black shirt with a tartan sleeve.

Image source, Getty Images

Now he's flying. A 180 takes Taylor's average to 110. Boos when the chance of a nine-darter goes, while Anderson is starting to miss. Keep focussed, though, Philip, there's a set to win. No finish for either man after nine, Taylor will have six from 179. Better, a 139 leaves tops. Anderson pressure, 140 to go to 82. Tops for Taylor and the escape...two missed. Double 10? No. A chance for the Scot. Missed 25, one at double 10? Huge dart....just wide. The chance for 2-0 gone. For now. Double drama, but Taylor finally finds the red bit at 4 o'clock. Banter between the two, dancing in the crowd. Wonderful.

Is Taylor just starting to make his bed in the 20 red bit? A 180 denied by a deflection. More red action, this time the one, two, three. Anderson has lost the arrows and Taylor should break. He's on 16 after nine. Double eight for a break. One missed, second time means an 11-dart leg. Power surge.

What has Taylor got? A 180, that's what, all to the soundtrack of the song that tells us there's only one of him. Anderson is miles back as Taylor comes for 81. He'd like to take this with conviction, but one at tops is missed. Nothing from the Scot, simple hold for Taylor. Anderson to throw for the set...

Now, as we all know, it's only a break if you hold straight after. Anderson, off the back of a Taylor 140, has given away the advantage, with Taylor again homing in on the red bit. He leaves 90. Two 20s. Bullseye? Miles off. Anderson for 68, treble 20 and double four. Concerning for Taylor. Anderson is giving nothing away.

Charlie Richardson via #bbcdarts:, external More of that please Gary. Super first set

Both men averaged over 100 in that first set, no surprise there given the quality. A loose start from the Power here, though, unpunished by Anderson. This is better, Anderson filling up the treble 20 for a maximum and he has the chance to set up a finish as Taylor sits on 110. The Power comes with Anderson lurking on 76. No shot for Taylor, Anderson coming for the break. Double eight? In she goes. Anderson breaks.

So, Taylor won the bull and gave away the arrows in the hope of an early break. It didn't come. Now, he throws first in the second set.

Image source, Getty Images

Taylor's first World Championship win came in 1990 when as an unseeded player he beat his mentor and top seed Eric Bristow 6-1 in the BDO final at the Lakeside.

He went on to win again in 1992 when he beat Mike Gregory 6-5 before the sport changed dramatically with the formation of the PDC.

Image source, Reuters

Hull City's David Meyler:, external Fancy Phil Taylor to win this 7-5

Image source, PA

Oh Philip, you've made a lifetime of this. Three perfect arrows start him off with a 177 and the chance to steal the arrows. Anderson responds with a maximum of his own, much-needed. The Scot will come for 121 as Taylor sits on 139. For the set...60...11...bull? In the red bit! Gary Anderson wins the first set with a 121 checkout! The Flying Scotsman is off to a flyer.

Taylor shows how adept he is at switching down the board, using treble 19 to get out of trouble. Still, Anderson is keeping pace against the arrows - he can win the first set with a break here. Anderson leaves 170 as Taylor sits on a bogey, he will come for 50. Anderson for the max checkout. One treble 20, but not a second. Taylor, 18 for two 16s. Double eight? Yes. Decider coming up.

This is some start. Perfect darts from Anderson, the crowd booing when a sixth at the treble 20 fails and ends the chance of a nine-darter. Still, he's left 81 after nine. No pressure from Taylor, the Scot will have six from here. He uses three to leave double 16. One missed, second on home.

Fill em up, Philip. "One-hundred-and-eighty", the first maximum of the match. Taylor has double six for a 12-darter, finding the green bit at 3 o'clock on the board.

Anderson will be pacier, Taylor as methodical as ever. The Scot, black shirt, settles first, finding the treble with each of his first two visits, but Taylor pressures with a 140. The Power, blue shirt unzipped, chases having won the bull and given the honour away. Both around 120 after 12, Anderson having one at tops. Last night, he slept there. Same again? You betcha.