Luke Woodhouse defies nine-dart finish from Damon Heta with nine legs on the spin to seal World Darts Championship epic and reach Last 16

A nine-dart finish doesn't promise the win as Damon Heta proved on Friday afternoon in an arduous but thrilling battle with Luke Woodhouse which saw the latter reach the Last 16 of the PDC World Darts Championship for the first time in his career.

Heta nets £60,000 which is a career high pay day and more than he got for winning the Brisbane Darts Masters which started his career. But with the Aussie in the Premier League conversation, it is another big name out and another big opportunity gone. While for Woodhouse, it is new ground broken. He now faces Madars Razma or Stephen Bunting for a spot in the Quarter-Finals.

It was all Woodhouse to start as he stole the opening set and a march on the Aussie. He survived a missed set dart in the leg before before going into the decider and landing double 16. This was despite averaging only 84.8.

But it got a whole lot better for Heta who hit a heroic nine-dart finish and then produced a timely 120 checkout in the deciding leg of the third set to gain the lead at 2-1 with five 180's to his name.

He looked to be heading towards the Last 16 himself when he went 3-1 up coming from 2-0 down to snatch the fourth set with an 81 checkout for a 12-darter in the deciding leg.

But Woodhouse would not give up, he clinched the fifth set 3-1 to reduce the deficit with seven 180's to his name and he made it 3-2. It was six legs on the spin for Woodhouse and Heta needed answers fast as the former suddenly forced a deciding set. But those answers wouldn't come.

Heta couldn't hit 104 and Woodhouse produced an 18-dart break to start and with Heta unable to muster a lot more than scores of 57, the Bewdley ace sprinted towards the line. A 180 and double 10 saw him consolidate that break and again he pounced. Heta missed dart after dart at the outer ring to stay in it and Woodhouse cool as you like hit 60 for the win.