Gary Anderson makes flying start with 113+ average as Mickey Mansell stuns Wade in best ever TV performance at Grand Slam of Darts

The group stage of the 2024 Grand Slam of Darts continues to rumble on this evening in Wolverhampton with the second half of the groups getting underway. Opening the evening session with a win, both Mickey Mansell and Gary Anderson got things off to a good start.

With both James Wade and Mickey Mansell knowing they were in a group alongside defing Grand Slam of Darts champion Luke Humphries, there was some added pressure to get off to a winning start. In the match, it was the much more experienced Wade who kicked things off the better, holding throw in the opening leg and then breaking the Mansell throw in leg 2 with a roof raising 121 checkout. The Northern Irish showed some good fight in the next leg though, breaking straight back and then a few moments later, levelling the contest at 2-2.

A comfortable hold finished on his old faithful double 10 then saw Wade regain the lead. Kicking off with five perfect darts on the Mansell throw, Wade was then threatening to regain his break of throw advantage. Mansell though, held firm, pinning a brilliant 140 checkout to level up again. Punishing two Wade misses on the outer ring, the Northern Irishman then surged ahead at 4-3 and suddenly, he was throwing for the match. After Wade missed two darts to force a decider, Mansell mopped up and secured the 5-3 victory on his Grand Slam debut.

Gary Anderson has never failed to make it out of the group stage of the Grand Slam of Darts and the Flying Scotsman got off to a brilliant start in this one against Ryan Joyce too with a solid break of throw in the opening leg. A comfortable hold of throw followed and the Scot had doubled his lead, consolidating that break of throw. Anderson threatened to move three clear with a 170 but after he missed the bullseye, Joyce capitalized on double 8 to stay in touch.

Anderson was flying though, and kicked off the leg 4 with 5 perfect darts, eventually taking the leg in twelve. A second break of throw for Anderson followed and in double quick time he was just one leg from the win. Again he kicked off a leg with 5 perfect darts, giving Joyce little hope and sealing the victory 5-1.