Brilliant Steve Beaton rolls back the years to defeat Wessel Nijman in World Darts Championship cracker

Starting off a star-studded night of darting action, Steve Beaton has rolled back the years to defeat Wessel Nijman 3-1 in a cracking contest.

In his 33rd consecutive World Championship appearance, Beaton was given a heroes welcome as he took to the Ally Pally stage. The support of the crowd proved vital in the opening set as well with Nijman heavily booed when going for a set winning double. When he missed, Beaton punished to take the lea.

Set 2 again went all the way to a deciding leg and again it was experience that triumphed over youth. Beaton taking it with a splendid 14-darter to move two sets to the good.

Nijman was still very much in this though, despite the score line and he kicked off set 3 with a hold of throw. Breaking the Beaton throw for the first time in the next leg, the Dutchman then held to clean sweep the set and halve his deficit.

Another break of throw to open set 4 made it four legs on the spin for Nijman. Beaton responded with six perfect darts to kick off the next leg but with the Englishman sat on 16 after 9 darts thrown, Nijman pinned the double 18 for an 11-dart hold and a fifth straight leg. Beaton, averaging over 110 for the set made it 2-1 in legs with a hold and then with a 14-dart break, he moved to one away from the match. Despite six missed match darts, Beaton eventually got it done on double 6 for the 3-1 win.