PHIL TAYLOR effectively confirmed his place in the last 16 of the William Hill Grand Slam of Darts by claiming a tight 5-3 victory over Steve Beaton.The match was finely balanced at three apiece before the world number one dug deep into his reserves to take the next two legs and a second straight victory.
Taylor opened the contest with a clinical two-dart 67 finish but Beaton replied to take the second on double ten after Taylor missed a dart at double 16.
Taylor missed double 16 again in third leg, and Beaton capitalised by hitting a 120 finish to lead 2-1 with a break of throw.
The three-time Grand Slam champion squared the game by landing double 16 in the fourth to break back before hitting back-to-back maximums in the fifth leg to set up a potential nine-darter.
The attempt at seventh treble 20 landed just above the wire, but the leg was won in 11 darts to put Taylor back into the lead.
Beaton, who defeated Taylor in the quarter-finals of last year's competition, won the sixth leg on double ten but Taylor edged ahead again to lead 4-3.
The eighth leg saw Beaton hit his second 180 of the game, but he missed a dart at double top to force a decider and Taylor capitalised by converting a superb 107 checkout to win the match in style.
"Steve's a great player and he really pushed me again tonight," said Taylor. "He beat me here last year so I knew I had to be on my game tonight to get the result."
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