The match was his for the taking but he bottled numerous chances to finish Barney off.

Is not that the problem with the players outside of the top 4 or 5, they might take the scalp of a Terry Jenkins or John Part but when it comes to one of the Top 4 they do not seem to have that killer instinct and that goes for the likes of Tabern, Osbourne, Lloyd, Thornton, Lewis, Baxter et al. King made the leap easily and whilst others have had their chance in the last 3 or 4 years no one else has looked like breaking into the elite and staying there.

Nice to see that Dennis The Menace had no such problems against Wade.

The one who we should see soon if he has the killer instinct is Gary Anderson as for a slow starter in tournaments he was impressive on Monday and as much as I like Lewis I think for the competition it is best the Scot wins tonight as Lewis just goes to pieces when he faces Taylor whereas Anderson might just give him a game.

It's a good point. Barney himself looked shot last night though, the chances Tabern had but didn't take shocked me.

Agreed about Dennis too, he put in a superb performace. He threw cracking darts in the deciding leg - a joy to watch.

Was at the Tamworth v York game so did not see last nights darts but everyone knows Barney has been out of form all year but yet he still makes semi's and final's for fun as the players earning a good living and making £100K+ just in prize money seem content with that and not take that extra step and be the next Mervyn King.

The riches of the Premier League were up for grabs earlier in the year but it looks like it will be pretty similar to last year with the top 6 remaining the same and only the wild cards changing (for me Anderson and Priestly as long as an outsider does not become World Champion).

Made up that Dennis Priestley won

Top top bloke and on his day still top class, carrying it through a tournament is a problem but I'd love him to be in the Premier League as his farewell tour as he would do far better than Klassen or Mardle did this year and with the once a week format could well make the Finals Day.

The draw would play into his hands too as he is so steady over 14 legs he would be very hard to beat.

Lewis vs Anderson was superb

You are not wrong.

Think Anderson will learn from it as I think he played into Lewis's hands a bit making a spat from nothing but I was impressed with Adies interview afterwards as it was like hearing a mini Taylor with the cockiness gone and being very honest and level headed.

He seems to have taken things to the next level since becoming a dad but how he will cope against his mentor on Friday will really show how far he has come and if he is going to be knocking around the lower reaches of the Top 10 or pushing the likes of Part and Jenkins out of the way as he heads upwards.

True.

Has Lewis ever actually beaten Taylor when it's mattered in a decent sized tournament?

Any chance of him doing anything other than roll over for his tummy tickling this time around either?

Still, be nice to see the whiny f*cker get his backside handed to him.