YORK darts ace Barry Noble will be arrowing for revenge when he takes on the world's best at the Winmau World Masters at the Spa Royal Hotel, Bridlington, this weekend.

The veteran thrower, a member of the Golden Slipper Mixed League side and the Dinghouses' John Smith's Men's League squad, may be entering the twilight of a colourful career on the oche, but he has no fear in taking on some of the top names in the game.

After letting slip a golden opportunity of progressing last season, when he let eventual runner-up Jarkko Komula off the hook in the board final when leading 2-0, Noble is out for revenge.

Noble, who finished the season fifth in the British averages, has been drawn in the same group as the Finnish 12th seed, with a rematch in the board semi-final already on the cards.

But Noble, who lost 4-2 to Dave Smith (Leeds) in the Yorkshire Classic semi-final on Sunday, with Smith losing in turn to the outstanding BDO player and Masters seventh seed Tony Eccles in the final, will first have to beat two other Scandinavian stars.

Soren Behrendsen from Denmark awaits Noble in the first match on Saturday, with Sweden's Nordic Cup champion Markus Korhonen set to face the winner.

Joining Noble under the York banner is Yorkshire skipper Chris Thompson.

Thompson, who throws for The Sun in the John Smith's Men's League and Escrick Social Club in the Super League, is in line for a potential board final against sixth seed Andy 'The Viking' Fordham.

Up-and-coming Thompson, who finished ninth in the British rankings, faces USA Singles champion Ray Carver in his opening game.

Victory would then pit Thompson against either Scotland's John Donaldson or Gibraltar's Harry Parody.

Barring any shocks, 1999 champion Fordham, literally one of the giants of the game, will then be the next obstacle in the board final.

The winners of the board finals then go through to the last 16 of the prestigious tournament.

Fordham was at the Danelaw Viking Village at Murton Park yesterday filming for Dutch television to promote the world finals at Bridlington.

Updated: 12:38 Friday, November 01, 2002