Humphries comes from a set down twice to survive Hempel scare and reach Third Round at PDC World Darts Championship

Luke Humphries is seen as one of the favourites for this year's PDC World Darts Championship but poor doubling nearly cost him his place at the second round as he had to come from a set down twice against Florian Hempel who has form for shocks after defeating the fifth seed last year in Dimitri van den Bergh.

But it wasn't to be for the former handball player from Cologne who lost out 3-2 with Humphries also pinning seven 180's en route to victory and he will return post Christmas.

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Hempel started the tie with the lead sealing it in a deciding leg with Humphries not off to the best start averaging 83 but most of his 180's came in the second set as he leveled up.

He hit three in all to make it 1-1 but Hempel helped himself to a 2-1 lead from there to stop the revival in its tracks.

His poor doubling was in evidence as he went chasing around the board off 81 with Hempel back on 170 but ended up losing the leg and the set 3-1 to the German.

But he returned to sweep the next leg to force a deciding set and when Hempel couldn't send it to a tiebreak, Humphries returned for double eight to stumble through.

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