Jonny Clayton scraps his way to sudden death victory of Mickey Mansell in dramatic World Darts Championship thriller

Jonny Clayton wasn't at his best, but showed great grit and determination to scrap his way to a 3-2 win over Mickey Mansell in a sudden death leg at the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship, setting up a meeting with either Daryl Gurney or Florian Hempel in the last 32.

The final afternoon game of the pre-Christmas section, there was plenty of drama in the opening set. After successful holds of throw, the set went all the way to a fifth and deciding. Clayton had the darts in it, but 'The Ferret' just couldn't buy a treble allowing Mansell to get to the double first and the Northern Irishman made no mistake, pinning tops to move into a 1-0 lead.

Clayton didn't seem too concerned by the disappointing end to set 1 though. The Welshman broke the Mansell throw to open up set and then held to move 2-0 up in the set. After both players had numerous chances in leg 3, eventually Clayton secured it to complete the whitewash set and level the contest back up at 1-1.

Despite some very questionable doubling in the first leg of set 3, Clayton eventually nailed double 1 to continue his run of legs. Although he still hadn't really got out of second gear, Clayton made it six legs on the spin a few moments later to get himself 2-1 up in sets, just one away from the third round.

Mansell finally stopped the rot in the opening leg of set 4. As the pair traded holds of throw over the next few legs, set 4 looked as if it would be sent to a fifth and deciding leg. Mansell had other ideas however, breaking the Clayton throw in leg 4, making it 2-2 in sets.

With a stunning 136 checkout to get set 5 underway, Mansell broke the Clayton throw, surging towards the winning line. After Clayton missed chances to break straight back, Mansell then went even better with a 154 checkout to make it 2-0 in the set. Full credit to Clayton though, the Welshman kept plugging away and held throw in leg 3 to keep himself alive, then levelling with a ton-plus checkout of his own, forcing a tiebreaker.

Kicking off leg 5 with five perfect darts before eventually winning it 10, it seemed like Clayton had simply had enough messing around. After missing a matchdart at bull in the next leg, Clayton then fired wide with two at double 8, blowing three match winning opportunities as Mansell made it 3-3 in the final set. Nailing double 10 in the next leg, Mansell then actually went in front himself again at 4-3. It was then Mansell's turn to miss a matchdart, going over the needed tops for a 96 checkout. Clayton punished to make it 4-4. Clayton then held throw without fuss in leg 9 to get back to one away. Mansell would not go away though, holding his own through and sending the contest to a sudden death leg. Clayton had the darts, and he had the first dart at double, going inside on double 10 for a 128. With Mansell nor around to punish though, The Ferret returned in pin double 5 and take victory.