Price edges out Suzuki in entertaining tie, O'Connor reels off three straight legs to defeat Webster

William O'Connor and Gerwyn Price have claimed the first points of the evening session at the Grand Slam of Darts after two entertaining spectacles to start proceedings.

O'Connor faced Darren Webster in a tie which many wouldn't have expected to be so good. It was marred though with needle between the pair with Webster supposedly spilling water on 'The Magpie's equipment which fuelled the fire.

Price faced Mikuru Suzuki in one of the most highly anticipated ties of the first lot of group matches and he received his customary boo's but ended up coming through it in an entertaining spectacle.

In the first tie, the first two legs were shared between Webster and O'Connor against the throw before Webster landed tops to hold and make it 2-1 in the early going.

O'Connor though smashed in his first 180 and hit a 68 checkout for a 12-darter to make it 2-2. Webster though took the lead again hitting an 82 checkout to regain the upper-hand.

O'Connor set up 40 from 123 after he went one away but he hit a clutch double ten with last dart in hand to secure the first points.

Price to start the tie was the pantomime villain as usual and had to encounter boos and nearly lost the first leg when he couldn't finish it off initially but Suzuki couldn't punish and 'The Iceman' went 1-0 up.

Suzuki though thrilled the crowd with a first 180 and pinned double 20 to make it 1-1. A 142 checkout though halted that momentum for the time being as Price went 2-1 up.

A 116 checkout saw Suzuki level it up again after Price had initially hit 174 to leave 36. A cracking game so far in Wolverhampton.

Price was well ahead with Suzuki on 162 and this allowed 'The Iceman' to have two goes at double ten and then double five to go 3-2 up.

The Welshman missed a 78 checkout on double six but Suzuki couldn't punish, neither could Price though and she hit 1, double one checkout to thrill the crowd and restore it to parity.

Price went one away and it was up to Suzuki now to hold her throw to force a decider. Suzuki missed a 76 checkout when she strayed into the five and only had a shot at bull; Price as a result claimed victory in a highly entertaining clash.

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Grand Slam of Darts 2019, Day One

Evening session schedule

Darren Webster (96.7) 3-5 (98.87) William O'Connor (D)
Gerwyn Price (88.21) 5-3 (84.24) Mikuru Suzuki (C)
21:00 Ian White v Steve Lennon (B)
21:30 Gary Anderson v Dave Parletti (D)
22:00 James Wade v Wesley Harms (B)
22:30 Michael van Gerwen v Jim Williams (A)
23:00 Adrian Lewis v Ross Smith (A)
23:30 Dimitri Van den Bergh v Robert Thornton (C)

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