Lukeman silenced the partisan home crowd to reach a maiden European Tour semi-final seeing off Martin Schindler to dent the final home hope.
'Smash' will have dreams of adding a first PDC ranking title after a sensational year so far and he produced again with a 98.3 average and four 180's to topple 'The Wall'.
While next up is Damon Heta who was flying with three ton plus checkouts including two 120's and a 130 but as the finishing line came into sight, he let Jonny Clayton back into the tie.
Only to produce when it mattered most in the decider to win 6-5 with a 97 average, four 180's and 6/8 on the doubles. Is 'The Heat' the man to beat?
Like alluded to, Clayton came from 5-1 down and as the trebles dried up including when Heta threw for the match, Clayton pinned an 81 checkout to send it the distance.
But a 180 finally came for 'The Heat' who sent pressure the way of Clayton who buckled and the Aussie ace left 80 for the win with six to come for it.
ADVERTISEMENT
He missed the first dart but returned for at least six more but pinned it first time and move into the semi-finals.
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
Heta beats Clayton!
Nearly a superb comeback from Jonny Clayton, but he fell at the final hurdle as Damon Heta seals the victory to reach the Semi-Finals.
Either him or Martin Lukeman will be a European Tour finalist for the first time!