Jim Williams pleased with improvements as he moves into BDO World Darts Championship quarter-finals

After a nervy first performance against Gary Stone, the second seed was under pressure to avoid going out in the Last 16, as fellow top seeds Wesley Harms and Richard Veenstra did. Williams steered clear of the banana skin, averaging 94 in a comfortable 4-0 success against 15th seed Hogarth.

The Welshman felt it wasn't just his own improvements that helped him towards a more serene win.

"I felt a lot more comfortable. There were a few issues with the lighting the first day - to be fair to the venue, they changed all that," he told Tungsten Tales.

"I was trying to win 4-0, that was my plan! Ryan's a fantastic player; I just had a few good shots when it matters. That's what you've got to do, really.

"A lot of it is timing. If you can do the right thing at the right time, it makes it so much easier for you."

Williams is now the favourite to take the title at the Indigo. He believes that his win over Stone says as much about his chances as the second round whitewash against Hogarth.

"Someone told me once: your A-game doesn't win you tournaments, your B-game does. My B-game was Saturday [against Stone] and I scraped through it," said Williams.

"Since Glen's [Durrant] gone to the PDC, that opened a door because he's a class above everyone else. Someone has to step in, and I'm trying to do that."

Williams takes on Paul Hogan on Friday evening, with a World Darts Championship semi-final spot at stake.