It came to down to one match….one all-Unicorn clash to decide who went through to the knock out stages at the Grand Slam.

And it was PDC Unicorn World Youth Champion Dimitri van den Bergh who won the day as he beat BDO star Mark McGeeney 5-1 to reach the last 16, where he will face a clash with Stephen Bunting on Wednesday night.

Dimitri was too good and drew on the pain of losing a 9-dart shoot-out at the Grand Slam two years ago as motivation on Monday night.

“It was a painful experience and I didn’t want to go through all that again - winning two group games and not qualifying,” he said.

“I am finding my form again at just the right time. I want to be here at the weekend and then it is the Players Championship, the chance to defend my World Youth title and the big one at the Ally Pally. I feel like I am ready!”

Van den Bergh averaged 99 to McGeeney’s 96, both hit two 180s but after the early exchanges the Belgian raced away with it as he won four straight legs to finish runner-up in the group.

It was still a great experience for McGeeney as he prepares for his tilt at the Lakeside Championship,

Elsewhere on Monday night, Simon Whitlock came from behind and hit two 170 finishes as he beat Gerwyn Price 5-4 to go through at the expense of BDO World Champion Glen Durrant who suffered a shock defeat against Andrew Gilding.

Whitlock will play Peter Wright in the last 16, Price takes on Josh Payne and Rob Cross will play Mensur Suljovic.

Report from STUART PYKE

Photo courtesy Lawrence Lustig / PDC

Posted in Unicorn Darts