PDC World Darts Championship Round-up | Josh Rock gets campaign off to winning start as Leonard Gates adds his name to Ally Pally fan-favourites list

It was not a convincing performance from Josh Rock in his first round tie against debutant Gemma Hayter at the PDC World Darts Championship, but he managed to come out victorious 3-1.

Rock started the brighter, breaking the Hayter throw in 16 darts. Hayter had the chance to reply back instantly after sloppiness on the outer ring from Rocky but missed her chance. The erratic attempts at double prolonged into the next leg and this time Hayter punished him on tops for a first leg on the Ally Pally stage. The World cup winner wrapped up the first set on double 16 with no trouble. He had a 23% checkout rate in the first set, but his scoring gave him enough of an advantage.

Rock was much more clinical in the second set as he sprant away from his opponent. 75 and 64 were taken out with his one dart at double before he wrapped it up in style, taking out 102 on tops for a first ton+ of the match.

This clinical streak did not last for Rocky. After going behind, his scoring once again saved him with a really poor end to the leg. He missed numerous darts but got over the line on double two. When 2-1 up, Hayter looked to have settled into this contest. Five perfect darts got the crowd's hopes sky-high, and they were given something else to cheer about as she won the leg and clinched the set.

Hayter looked like she was at least going to muster up a chance to break but failed to get down to a double from 86. rock showcased some of his finishing skills from set two as he took out 72 on tops. Nevertheless, he was under the cosh with his scoring faltering. Hayter replied with a terrific 14-darter as she piled on the pressure. The Northern Irishman managed to get back on trakcs with a 15-darter. Hayter forced a last-leg decider, but Rocky was not going to let this slip as he took out 81 in three to cement his spot in the next round, where Joe Comito awaits.

Leonard Gates produced the dance moves as well as the darts to fend off Mickey Mansell 3-2 in a game which pretty much had everything. Gates entered the fray in style, waltzing to the stage with some compelling dance moves. He quickly got the fans on side and repaid their trust by breaking the throw in the first leg. He almost did this with a 161 but finished up on double eight. When 2-1 ahead, the American missed double 12 for a 101 outshot and the set. Mansell missed two at that target to break but pinned double six moments after. He would throw for the set, but it was Gates who reaped the rewards. After coming close to completing the exact same checkout a set prior, he pinned double six to take a set advantage.

Mansell was the dominant force in the second set. While gates level fell off a cliff, The Cyclone capitalised. He broke the throw amid missed doubles from Gates before taking out an impressive 120 to move within one of levelling. He did this in the next leg on his favourite tops. He then made it four consecutive legs before Gates broke his duct in double 12. He pinned it once more ahead of claiming the third set.

The fourth set began with two legs that Mansell won in a combined 54 darts. After a dreadful scoring leg, the pair messed around on the doubles. It was not just missing doubles. Gates missed the whole board when going for a big number while Mansell busted his score twice. The Northern Irishman got over the line on double two for a 33-darter before following that up with a 21-darter. A 12-darter from Gates got them back on track before Mansell clinically pinned tops to force a fifth and final set.

The Soulger was the one to take advantage of this. He sprant away from his opponent after picking up a hugely important break of throw and sealed the deal with his fourth match dart. He celebrated in true Gates fashion, as he sets up a possible tie against Nathan Aspinall in the second round.

Kevin Doets came back from a set deficit to fend off debutant Matthew Dennant 3-1. The match got off to a blistering start thanks to some accurate arrows from Hawkeye. He took out 152 to begin a run of four holds in the opening set. He should have taken the first set but missed five set darts. Dennant, who was yet to miss a double, made it three out of three in the first set on double 16 to clinch the set.

Doets could have started the second set in similar fashion but opted against taking out 164 as he got over the line on double eight. In the next leg, Dennant had no choice but to go for it and got very close to the bull. This would be ruthlessly punished by Doets who pinned double 18 to back that break of throw up. He squandered yet more darts for the set in the next leg but finally got a set on the board. It was the least he deserved after averaging over 106 in the second set.

This form would not continue after the break. The Scholar raced into a 2-0 lead before missing darts at tops for the set. These opportunities would not come back for the Englishman. Doets racked off two legs on the spin before racing ahead in the fifth leg of the set, nailing double 16 to take the lead for the first time since the third leg of the match.

Doets almost surpassed that 152 outshot at the start of the contest with a 167 but missed the bull. His failure to clean up allowed Dennant to hold. Doets followed this with a 120 checkout before another two holds forced a last-leg decider. Dennant, who was throwing to stay in the match, missed two at tops. Doets made no mistake on double 16 and secures his spot in the second round. It will be a highly anticipated matchup against Kenyan’s darting hero David Munyua.

Jesus Salate made his way to Alexandra Palace as a history maker – the first darter from Argentina to compete in the World Darts Championship. It would not be a dream debut, however, as he lost 3-0 to Ryan Meikle, winning only one leg. Meikle gave the Salate a brutal introduction to the World Championship. The Barber won the first set with a trio of 15-darters, starting it with a 130 checkout on double five before sealing it with a 96 checkout in three. He was averaging over a ton and missing just two doubles.

The 15-darters continued into the second leg as Meikle took out 110 on double 15 for another break. He backed this up with a 21-dart hold by taking out 62 in three. This was concerning for Salate who had not settled in this match. The Argentinian finally had darts at a double thanks to a slip up from Meikle. However, they were both missed and Meikle made no error when coming back. It was six legs on the bounce from the darter from Suffolk as he looked fully in command.

Salate did manage to get a leg on the board after the break. It was a historic first leg won from an Argentinian at Ally Pally after he took out 78 in two darts. Despite this, Meikle was able to break back straight away. He then saw out the rest of the match with ease, moving him into the next round.