Rampant Josh Rock downs slow-starting Ross Smith, sets up Michael van Gerwen tie as Gerwyn Price edges fiery Daryl Gurney duel

The first round is complete at the World Matchplay as we head into the business end of the tournament in the coming days and it is a latter stage that will include Michael van Gerwen and Gerwyn Price among those through. MVG now faces Josh Rock in the second round.

Van Gerwen took down Raymond van Barneveld in a match which as ever was highly touted but given that both are not in the best form and haven’t been for some time very much flattered to deceive which it came to the end product.

He only averaged 91 in the end in a 10-6 win. Van Barneveld hit double 10 to go ahead but Van Gerwen went on to win the next three legs with Van Barneveld only averaging 81. The Green Machine failed to make it 4-1 after missing two darts at double 20 and Barney closed it down to just a leg between them.

But MVG was left frustrated as Barney broke throw to level the score at 3-3 after Van Gerwen missed three darts at double eight. Van Barneveld then took the lead for the first time but MVG turned on the afterburners as much as he could and led 6-4 at the second break.

Van Gerwen went seven into the nine-dart finish making it five consecutive legs but he busted 17 two throws in a row allowing Van Barneveld to somehow win the leg.

But in the end Van Gerwen sealed a 10-6 win in a game that neither will want to remember. He missed two match darts before hitting double 10 to beat his great rival.

Gerwyn Price on the other hand was anything but pedestrian both on the board and with his needle with Daryl Gurney off it. They both had no love lost at the end as they exchanged choice words.

Price won 10-7 averaging 100 with six 180’s and 66.7% on the doubles in a statement display. But Gurney deciding to mimic Price came back to bite him as Price celebrated ten times harder after they both had a bit of needle afterwards.

Despite a fast start from Gurney, Price found his range hitting 114 and 82 to give himself an early advantage before making it 3-1. It was ominous as he took out 82 for the second time before seeing off 206 in four darts to put himself 5-1 up.

Gurney though started to see the light and won three consecutive legs to go two behind. Gurney took out 150 to make it 8-7 but he wired double seven to make it 8-8. Price took out 81 in two darts and from there it was all she wrote apart from in the needle stakes.

Next up is Chris Dobey who saw off Ricardo Pietreczko in another match which flattered to deceive. He won seven out of the last eight legs to book his spot through agains the German. Pietreczko levelled early on with an impressive 122 checkout but was broken back and after an early lead, Dobey made it 4-4. It was six consecutive breaks before Dobey finally held going 122 on double 20 to go 6-4 up.

He took out 108 on double 16 to win but it wasn’t exactly a thriller.

To end the night it was Josh Rock facing Ross Smith in perhaps the most mouth watering first round affair.

In truth it was all Rock to start. He took out 167 to start and missed a dart for a 134 checkout but cleaned up double 20 en route to a 5-0 lead.

Smith looked at 128 to spare his blushes. Rock missed 140 on double 16 for 6-0. Smith finally got a dart at double and went 5-1 down.

Rock was averaging 100 as he hit a 10-dart hold to go 6-1 up. An 11-dart 53 checkout saw Smith get a leg back. Smith went 6-3 down to break and had a chance to go in at 6-4.

Six perfect darts from Rock but he couldn’t add a seventh. A 10-dart leg saw Rock go 7-3 up. Rock missed the bull for 161 and Smith went double 19, double 20 for a showpiece 91 checkout to make it 7-4. Rock though went two away from the finishing line breaking back.

A superb 140 checkout saw Rock go 9-4 up. He hit double two to surge over the line and write the wrongs from 12 months ago.