Team Unicorn quartet James Wade, Michael Smith, Ian White and Ronny Huybrechts all bowed out of the World Grand Prix on day two in Dublin.
There was more woe for Wade as the Unicorn man lost in the 1st Round on the Dublin stage for the second consecutive year. The two-times World Grand Prix champion won only two legs as he was beaten by Steve West.
West took out 101, 114 and 101 again as Wade failed to make his mark. A disappointing night for 'The Machine'.
Smith had beaten Gerwyn Price in their last seven meetings but came unstuck against the Welshman on Monday night at the City West Hotel.
He lost the opening set as Price took out 105 and 86, but a brilliant two dart 92 check-out gave Smith the upper hand in the second set and he levelled the match.
The turning point came in the first leg of the final set. Smith left himself 24 only for Price to take out 88 on D7.....a 98 finish gave the Unicorn ace a glimmer but it wasn't to be and a third 180 helped Price into round two.
White missed a great opportunity against Mensur Suljovic. He won a brilliant first set including a 160 finish, but the Unicorn man then went off the boil. The Austrian took the second set in a deciding leg and then won the final set with ease. White will feel he should have capitalised in that second set.
And Ronny Huybrechts' WGP debut ended in defeat. The Belgian lost in straight sets to Mervyn King.....King missed six darts to win the opening set before finally clinching it, and after Huybrechts took the opening leg of the second set, King reeled off three consecutive legs to race to victory.
Monday 1st Round results:
Benito van de Pas 2-1 Cristo Reyes
Mervyn King 2-0 Ronny Huybrechts
Steve West 2-0 James Wade
Simon Whitlock 2-1 Christian Kist
Mensur Suljovic 2-1 Ian White
Michael Smith 1-2 Gerwyn Price
Mark Webster 0-2 Richard North
Peter Wright 2-1 Stephen Bunting
Report from STUART PYKE at the World Grand Prix
Photo courtesy Lawrence Lustig / PDC
