Pipe reflects on coughgate two years on after victory over Pratnemer: 'Nothing makes up for the two years I've had to go through'

Pipe spoke afterwards; he said that he was unexpectedly good due to him being an unknown and that in reality, the wrong player went through but that he did what he had to do.

"Benjamin was fantastic. Obviously you don't know what to expect from someone we don't know. He played really well so relieved I am," said Pipe to LiveDarts.

"All credit to Benjamin. The wrong person is sat here but I took my chances I guess that's what counts."

'The Force' also reflected on the crowd support he received and said that despite nothing making up for the year or so he has had, it feels good to be able to do the walk-on and not be vilified like after cough-gate.

Despite that he said it was the worst two years of his life but that he has finally got there and that support has allowed him to do that.

"I couldn't have got a better crowd, I might go out there and buy them all a drink, they were that fantastic. Nothing makes up for the two years I've had to go through, winning today is sweet; it's proved to me that I can dig deep and I can go down the walk on with my head held high."

"There's not one dart player who would say I would have done what I was meant to have done. You don't see a cough you hear it, there was never any sound produced. I was hammered for what I said in the interview, misconstrued words that was just looking for something to stiff me. It's shocking but it is what it is."

"It's been two years of real hard slog but we've got there now. The crowd has allowed me to do that."

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