"He'll drop a few Friday": Neil Duff ready to stop Jason Brandon's flawless set streak at WDF World Championship

Neil Duff managed to edge past his best friend, travel partner and a man who eve has all the same sponsors as him in Barry Copeland 3-2 at the WDF World Championship.

Duff, the 2022 World Champion admitted it wasn't a classic but that it was never going to be so in reality against someone he loves so much. But that overall he was delighted to find his way through against him and remain unscathed.

"It was never going to be a classic, I think when you're playing someone that's as close as me and Barry are it's always going to be hard, nervy affair. I wasn't going to give it a whole lot and then whenever he give it I don't know how many darts at a double I missed in the first leg and he took that leg and actually celebrated and I went ok right we'll do that then and yeah grinded out another one," said Duff to WDF Darts.

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"Me and Barry have probably played 1,000 times before and whether it's on the Lakeside stage or in the back bar of some pub he still gives it plenty and I knew what to expect from him. I told you there would be fireworks and at least it was entertaining. It probably wasn't the best standard of darts but you were never going to get that with two guys who actually love the bones of each other. So we'll see sit down, we'll have a chat later on and reflect and we'll still be good friends."

But he is eager to add another World title now admitting that he rested on his laurels after last time but also that if he does win it, it's a good thing for the WDF as they know he will defend it unlike Andy Baetens for instance this year who jumped to the PDC soon after.

"A lot has changed but they say everything comes full circle and I'm actually back to where I'm as hungry as I was two years ago. I think being the World Champion, I got a bit lazy. You can learn to lose as much as you can learn to win and I was happy to turn up. I'm not happy to turn up anymore, I want to be contesting. I want my title back. I want the next 12 months for the WDF as they know I'll come here next year and defend it again. I'm enjoying my game, I'm playing with a smile on my face. To be up there playing Barry was my worst nightmare in this competition. I know my manager and he will be in so much pain because one of us had to lose."

Next up is Jason Brandon in the Quarter-Finals and he was defiant in saying that the American who hasn't dropped a set thus far wouldn't get a free ride on Friday.

"He'll drop a few tomorrow. I don't know the guy, he doesn't know me so we'll go in there as two strangers and we'll play each other and the best man will win. I'll be ready for it. I won't give sets away. If he wants to win four sets in a row, he'll have to tear them off me as I won't be giving them away."