Gary Anderson came up with the goods when it really mattered with a blistering display at the Alexandra Palace.

Without doubt his best performance of this World Championship as he took out Dave Chisnall 5-2 in a high quality quarter-final on Saturday.

After squeezing past Jermaine Wattimena and Chris Dobey, the Unicorn star stamped his class on a thrilling encounter despite his ongoing back problems.

“It is a relief for sure,” he admitted. “I’m glad it’s over. I would really have struggled if it had gone to eight or nine sets. The back is still sore and I’ve had the chiropractor up treating it. I will have more treatment before the semi-final and it will probably take a few months to get right.”

Anderson’s majestic start was vital as he raced into a three-set lead. In truth it should have been 4-0 but as Chisnall threatened a comeback, the Scot held his nerve superbly to close it out and reach another Ally Pally semi-final.

The first set took him just 39 darts, including an 11 darter to break in a leg where he hit two 180s.....after missing four darts in the opening leg of set two, Anderson produced some sparkling darts to reel off three consecutive legs in only 42 darts.

Chisnall brilliantly took out 121 on the bull and 112 to stay in the third set but a fabulous 7th 180 in the deciding leg left Gary ‘tops’ and he was three sets up averaging just shy of 110.

Anderson was actually two legs up in the fourth set but this time he couldn’t close it out. He missed darts at the bull and D9 and Chisnall pinched it on D10 with the last dart in hand.

Gary though raised the bar again. A 115 check-out to start set five and as Chisnall threatened again, the Unicorn man found a fabulous 130 finish on the bull to take the set in another deciding leg.

The St Helens man stayed in it, but Anderson wasn’t to be denied. Chizzy took out 140 to force another decider. Gary banged in a brilliant 171 to set up the win and nailed ‘tops’ to seal it 5-2.

In the end an average of 103 and a fantastic job done with 12 x 180s.

“I will rest up as much as possible and get ready for the next one! Let’s see what happens but that wasn’t bad for an old man with a bad back!”

Story from STUART PYKE in London

Image courtesy Lawrence Lustig / PDC

Posted in Unicorn Darts