Sophie McKinlay, remember the name! Scottish teen stuns Lisa Ashton on her Lakeside debut after Aaron Turner takes first victory on iconic stage
WDF
The 2024 WDF World Championship continues to rumble on at the iconic Lakeside Country Club this evening with both Aaron Turner and Sophie McKinlay coming through their opening round ties, the latter defeating the great Lisa Ashton on her Lakeside debut.
For Turner, husband of women's darts star and Sky Sports pundit Laura Turner, this was his third crack at getting a win on the iconic Lakeside stage. As it turned out, it was third time lucky for the Englishman too as he secured a straight sets victory over American debutant Jeff Springer.
In truth, the quality of the contest was nothing to really rewrite home about, Turner averaging just 79.05 in victory compared to Springer's 74.04. As mentioned though, on his third trip to the Lakeside, Turner has now finally managed to get that first win on the board, having previously lost out to both Ricky Nauman and Jim McEwan.
In the next matchup, one of women's darts biggest names Lisa Ashton faced off against Sophie McKinlay in her Lakeside debut, just days before the Scot also competes in the Girl's event at this year's World Championship.
Despite her youth and relative inexperience, it was McKinlay who took the first set, playing some very impressive darts too. Ashton needed all her experience to then get back into the contest in a tightly fought second set. In the third and final set, McKinlay again took control, breaking the Ashton throw in leg 1. Ashton bounced back to level the set with a break of her own, but as the momentum continued to switch, the Scottish teenager moved a leg away from victory by breaking the Ashton throw again in leg 3. Four matchdarts then came and went for McKinlay, before Ashton pinned a 74 checkout to force a deciding leg, one which the Lancashire Rose had the darts. In an understandably nervy leg, McKinlay missed another matchdart, only for Ashton to then miss three herself. Finally, at the 7th time of asking McKinlay then secured a huge victory in her young career.
𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗦𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿!
— WDF Darts (@DartsWDF) December 1, 2024
Aaron Turner secures a win on the Lakeside stage at the third attempt as he defeats Jeff Springer Jr in straight sets. #Lakeside2024 pic.twitter.com/d2j0mbXcWh
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- I'd have said the same about Ady Lewis,but the PDC is indeed a law unto itself,so sorry bud,get your leg kicking and do it for the good lads!!rick6705-01-2025
- COME ON RICHIE BURNETT Surely a World Champion and player with the calibra of Richie should be exempt from ever losing a tour card and having to qualify.richieburnettrocks04-01-2025
- It's nice that Starmer took time away from persecuting Britons putting up mean stickers and tweets criticising migrant rape gangs to praise Luke's achievement.thebogeyman04-01-2025
- That's true, Richie. Taylor used to call it, "Manley's millions."MrYnyslas197103-01-2025
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- Wessel Nijman nickname should be Ni I Manmedinabello03-01-2025
- Jealously.....a nothing happening player who has won nothing and only redeeming feature is his ever increasing bald spot. He'll be crying he deserves a premier league place next. Class A Tw4trichieburnettrocks31-12-2024
- Woodhouse is 36 but looks half that Bunting is 39 ? and looks twice thatrichieburnettrocks31-12-2024
- Rydz looks like he has tried to gaffer tape a birds nest to the top of his head. What the hell !richieburnettrocks31-12-2024
- Missed that as was working. Damon must be absolutely gutted. Will be interesting to see Premier League players.ListerAnderson28-12-2024