Searle seals fourth round spot with win over O’Connor

Searle, who only won his tour card to enable him to play on the Pro Tour just over two years ago, eased to an emphatic win at Alexandra Palace; hitting four maximums and an average of just below the 90 mark en route to victory.
He took the opening leg of the match, but three consecutive legs for Ireland’s O’Connor handed him the opening set and a 1-0 advantage.
European Darts Matchplay finalist, O’Connor, produced a magnificent 103 outshot to go within two legs of a 2-0 lead, only for Searle to take out 15, 13 and 16 dart legs in succession to level up proceedings.
Searle opened up a 2-0 lead in the third set, though, O’Connor battled back and sent the set to a decider. The Devon-based ace wired the bullseye and handed O’Connor a shot at a 103 checkout - which he had already pinned earlier in the clash. The Irishman wasted the opportunity, with Searle converting double eight to move 2-1 ahead.
O’Connor was left distraught with himself after squandering various chances at the outer ring, with Searle punishing the Irishman’s errors and gaining a two set advantage; moving on the verge of a last 16 place on his World Championship debut.
More missed opportunities for O’Connor handed Searle a chance for the match after taking a 2-0 lead. After missing a dart at double eight to convert a 133 checkout, Searle landed double two to close out a 4-1 victory.
It really has been a dream World Championship debut for Devon’s Ryan Searle and he will face either Michael Smith or John Henderson in the fourth round.
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Ryan Searle (89.40) 3-1 (89.76) William O’Connor (R3, 1-3, 3-1, 3-2, 3-1, 3-0)
20:30 Gary Anderson vs Jermaine Wattimena (R3)
21:30 Michael van Gerwen vs Max Hopp (R3)
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