Scott Williams first player to last 16 at World Darts Championship after epic victory over Martin Schindler

Scott Williams has qualified for the last sixteen at the World Darts Championship for the first time in his career. After an epic battle, the 33-year-old Englishman was too strong for Martin Schindler 4-3.

The darter from Boston, England, made up for an early 0-2 deficit, as opponent Schindler started the match excellently. Already in the third leg of the match 'The Wall' had a break by throwing a 100 finish into Williams' leg. With a 15-darter Schindler took the first set 3-1.

He then started the second set strongly with a 13-darter. Williams could not get anything else going in this set, and had to watch as set two went 3-0 to his German opponent with a 14-darter.

Schindler, however, failed to pull through. Scoring-wise, his average went down as much as 15 points in the third set. Williams was thus able to win the first leg of the third set with a 19-darter. He then broke Schindler with a 12-darter, before 'Shaggy' could throw a 17-darter for a 3-0 set win.

Thanks to a 146 finish, Williams then took a 2-0 lead in the fourth set. Schindler still came back to 2-2, but with a 76 checkout, the set went 3-2 to the Englishman and it was 2-2 after four sets.

In set five, Schindler managed to find the better scores again. He broke Williams right away with a 13-darter and then kept his own leg with a 14-darter. A delightful 161 finish then earned him the fifth set.

Schindler then only needed to hold his own set for a spot in the last sixteen, but it was Williams who forced a deciding set. A 12-darter gave 'Shaggy' a 2-1 lead in the sixth set. Schindler missed three darts to equalize the lead, after which Williams took the set with a 15-darter.

The Englishman then immediately surrendered his own leg in the deciding set, but Schindler failed to cash in on the break. With a 90 finish, Williams brought the score to 1-1. Schindler then started Williams' leg with a 180, but the German again missed doubles for a leg win. 'Shaggy' then threw another 90 checkout, before Schindler managed to throw out this leg as well to drag out an extension. Williams again survived a break dart from Schindler in the fifth leg before hitting a 13-darter in the sixth to take the match.