CO STOMPE 3-0 MICHAEL SMITH

CO STOMPE enjoyed a relatively comfortable path towards the last 32 of the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship with a straight sets victory over debutant Michael Smith.

Stompe suffered a first round exit at the hands of Peter Wright 12 months ago, but the same fate did not hit the Dutchman this time around.

Stompe hit a 180 in the opening leg but St Helens youngster Smith, making his World Championship debut, held throw to win the opening leg by landing double ten.

Smith missed two chances to break throw in the second, and Stompe accepted the reprieve by hitting double 16 at the first attempt.

The Dutchman, a quarter-finalist in this event in 2009, won the third leg against the darts with the aid of a 180 and then hit double five in the next to win the first set.

Stompe began the second set with his third maximum of the match, but missed three darts at doubles to take the leg and Smith again made his opponent pay by hitting double eight.

Stompe recovered from those errors by breaking back immediately with a 13-dart finish and then hit double top at the first time of asking to take the third leg.

The fourth leg saw the 21-year-old miss five darts at doubles to level, and Stompe hit double top to register a two-set lead and leave his opponent with a mountain to climb.

Smith started the third set well - as he had the previous two - by holding throw to win the first leg and then recorded a maximum in the next.

But Stompe went on to take it by hitting double top to level and then hit a clinical 79 finish to take the third and move within touching distance of victory.

The fourth leg saw Stompe miss double 19 for a 158 checkout, but Smith could not capitalise and he returned to the oche to hit double 16 and seal a place in round two.