Tuesday 30 December
Seven more matches as the third round continued at the Circus Tavern. In the opening game of the afternoon session, Steve Beaton, the 1996 BDO World Champion knocked out Jamie Harvey 4-0. However 4-0 was a rough scoreline on Harvey, as Beaton took each set bar the opening set in deciding legs to break Bravedart's heart and go through. The next surprise in the World Championship came in the shape of the 1995 BDO World Champion Richie Burnett going out, 4-3 to Simon Whatley. Whatley holding his nerve in a tense sudden death leg, taking the final set 6-5 to knock out the 13th seed. Whatley now would face Roland Scholten or Lionel Sams in the fourth round. The final match of the afternoon would see the first of the home players in action. Colin Lloyd seeded 5 averaged 98.61 to go through 4-1 against Peter Evison. Lloyd had been particularly clinical, Evison taking the opening set 3-2, but Lloyd would take the remaining four with the loss of just one leg.
In the evening session, Steve Maish would go out to the other local hero; Dagenham's number 12 seed Wayne Mardle by four sets to two. Mardle who pushed Taylor to eight sets in their third round classic a year ago would take the final two sets after Maish had held his own. Mardle would now face Lloyd for a place in the quarter-finals. Then followed arguably the biggest surprise of the day; Roland Scholten would bow out 4-2 to Lionel Sams. Sams however would be relieved to hold on after squandering a 3 set lead and managing to take the 6 set by 3-1. Had Scholten managed to level at 3-3 then surely he would have been favourite to win the match.
The former world Champion, Phil Taylor would open up his quest to become the champion for the 11th time by quickly disposing of Colin McGarry. Taylor took the first two sets 3-0, and then the next two 3-1 to go through 4-0 dropping just two legs and averaging 98.89. - He would be now meeting old rival Dennis Priestley as the 16th seed went through with a tense 4-3 win over Richie Buckle.
Read more about this topic: 2004 PDC World Darts Championship, Day 4
Famous quotes containing the word december:
“Work—work—work,
In the dull December light,
And work—work—work,
When the weather is warm and bright—
While underneath the eaves
The brooding swallows cling
As if to show me their sunny backs
And twit me with the spring.”
—Thomas Hood (1799–1845)