PAUL NICHOLSON 10-8 STEVE BEATON

PAUL NICHOLSON staged a superb fightback to win through to his first William Hill Grand Slam of Darts quarter-final with a 10-8 triumph over Steve Beaton.

The Geordie's progression at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall continued with a gutsy display as he hit back from 2-0 and 6-3 down to see off Beaton.

The former World Champion dominated the first half of the contest, which included a brilliant 141 checkout, but could not stop a surge from Nicholson, who took six successive legs to set up the victory.

Beaton opened the game with a 14-dart finish and took out 80 to break in the second leg, after Nicholson had missed four darts to level.

Nicholson posted double eight to get off the mark in leg three, and squared the game on double ten before Beaton won the next on double five.

Nicholson finished 76 for the sixth leg before Beaton took the next three to pull clear, sparking the run with a 141 checkout of treble 17, bull and double top before he also finished 63 to break and double nine in moving 6-3 up.

The run was ended in the tenth leg as Nicholson finished a key 82 on tops with Beaton waiting on 40 as he cut the gap to 6-4, and when the 47-year-old missed two darts at double 11 in the next he pulled back further by finishing double four.

The duo traded 180s in the next before Nicholson took out 88 for a 12-darter to square the match, and double 16 for a fourth successive leg put him ahead for the first time in the contest.

Nicholson posted his second 180 of the game in the next to leave eight, and stepped in to hit double four after Beaton missed two darts at double 12, before a fine 121 checkout saw him pull away at 9-6.

Beaton kept the game alive by winning the next leg in 13 darts, setting up double top with a 165 score before hitting a 180 and double five to reduce the gap to one leg.

Nicholson, though, opened the 18th leg with his third maximum of the game, and took out double eight for a 14-darter to secure his last eight spot.

"I'm chuffed to be through," said Nicholson. "It was a very hard game but it was what I expected because Steve's a fine player and he brought the best out of me with his performance.

"The 82 I hit in the tenth leg was enormous, probably as big as my 144 against Magnus Caris in the group stage, because if he had gone 7-3 up I probably wouldn't have been able to get back from that against a player of Steve's class.

"I keep doing it the hard way but I showed that I've got a lot of fight in me and I love these games."