YORK’S Chris Mathews pushed county ace Brian Dawson all the way before losing 5-4 in the stage one final of the Streamline Taxis York Open Darts Championship.
After a pair of 20-dart legs, Mathews went 3-1 up against Dawson (20) but his Barnsley opponent then checked out in 14, 21 and 15 darts to lead 4-3.
Mathews replied with 19 to take the match to a decider, which Dawson won in 13 darts after throws of 140, 100 and 180.
A total of 78 players took part in the Huntington WMC-hosted event, which was the first of ten ranking stages sponsored by Red Dragon Darts.
In the semi-finals, Mathews hit three 180s in legs of 14-14-15 and 21 to defeat fellow Minsterman John Quantock (16-21) 4-2, while Dawson (14-15-17 and 18) overcame Cleveland’s Peter Maw.
The quarter-final results were (players from York unless stated): Mathews 3 (21-20-20), Andy Walshaw (Catterick) 1 (13); Alex Pride (Harrogate) 2 (15-19), Quantock 3 (14-17-20); Maw (Cleveland) 3 (116 finish plus 180), Steve Vine 0; Dean Conley (Thurnscoe) 0, Dawson (Barnsley) 3 (21-15-15 plus 2x180).
Last 16 results: John Holden 1, Mathews 3; Walshaw 3, Matt Turnbull (Malton) 1; Pride 3 (16-17-19 plus 180), Chris Thompson 0; Lutz Leutzsch (Germany) 1, Quantock 3; Kenny Dobson (Cleveland) 0, Maw 3 (14-18); Russ Johnson (Mexborough) 0, Vine 3 (20-21); Conley 3, Gordon Leeming (Barnsley) 1; Russ King 2 (20-18), Dawson 3 (19-18-16).
Other legs of note during the day were thrown by Walshaw (19-16-18), Thompson (2x19, 3x16, 2x17), Trevor Day (18), Alex Render (2x18), Dave Lord (17), Leutzsch (2x16), Chris Quantock (2x20-14), Simon Cass (20), Steve Kemp Snr (16-18), Paul Cooper (2x19), Maw (16), Dobson (20-19-12-18-14-20), Howard Thwaites (17), Andy Jones (20-21), Vine (2x17, 2x19), Conley (17), Dawson (13-16), Rich Corner (13-15) and King (2x21).
Further 180s in the earlier rounds, meanwhile, were recorded by Johnson, Paul Mitchell, Lord, Chris Quantock, Kemp Senior, Maw, Jones, Dawson, Leeming and Steve Mann.
Four other ton-plus finishes were also claimed by Leutzsch (124), Pride (111), Thwaites (106) and Maw (100).
Stage two of the York Open Darts Championship will be held on Saturday at Huntington WMC.
Ranking points from all ten stages will determine which 48 players contest the Grand Finals later this year.
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