European Championship 2019 preview and schedule: Friday 25 October, evening session

Whether you hole up at home, in the pub or in your bespoke darts shed (they're all the rage), ITV4 will be showing the start of the European Championship second round on Friday evening. Our live score feature will do the job if the darts shed doesn't yet have a TV.

Joe Cullen got himself off to a flying start on Thursday. The Rockstar, aided by a 60 per cent success rate on doubles, won five of his six legs in five visits to the board. It was enough to account for Mervyn King. Will a repeat help him scupper Rob Cross? Voltage admitted after beating Darren Webster that something was missing. A near-ton average with a 154 finish to round things off wasn't exactly poor, mind.

Simon Whitlock was the most impressive player to take to the Göttingen oche. Until Jonny Clayton rocked up, anyway. The Wizard absolutely loves this tournament, and his passion was reignited in a 6-1 assault of Adrian Lewis. Daryl Gurney didn't have a hard time against William O'Connor but the 2012 winner and two-time finalist will put up much more of a fight. Through a narrow lens, Whitlock kind of feels like the favourite here. Gurney's wider form has of course been far superior, however.

I have just one question for Jonny Clayton. Where the absolute heck did that come from?!

The Ferret has been nothing short of mediocre in TV matches this year. In fairness, he has had a European Tour semi-final and quarter-final. But a 111 average and a 6-0 walloping of defending champion James Wade was completely out of the blue. It's a stark warning for Dave Chisnall, who put in a thoroughly professional performance against Dimitri van den Bergh.

In the last game, it's Michael van Gerwen versus Glen Durrant. A World Matchplay repeat, two top talents and world champions who-oh, hang on, they're both gone. Durrant had his chances, but a sterling display means that Ricky Evans is in round two. And the world champion is gone, bested by the 32nd seed. Ross Smith squeaked into the European Championship but after a superb performance, he has scored one of his biggest ever wins. Evans is a big hitter, but Smith has just KO'd the biggest heavyweight of them all. This could be the start of something special.

18:10 Joe Cullen v Rob Cross
19:10 Daryl Gurney v Simon Whitlock
20:10 Dave Chisnall v Jonny Clayton
21:10 Ross Smith v Ricky Evans