KEVIN PAINTER 4-3 MARK WALSH

KEVIN PAINTER claimed a place in the last 16 of the Ladbrokes World Darts Championship with a 4-3 victory over Mark Walsh as he continued his run of form.

Painter - who won the Cash Converters Players Championship earlier this month - led the match 3-1 and looked on course to take victory in the fifth set when he had two darts at double top to win the match, only to miss and allow Walsh to hit back.

The Hertfordshire ace won the next two sets to level, only to see Painter take the decider 3-0 to set up a third round meeting with either John Part or Richie Burnett.

"I'm going to have a nice Christmas now and know I'm in the third round," said Painter. "I've got six days off now and I'm looking forward to coming back next week.

"Maybe a couple of years ago I'd have lost this game, but things are going well for me, I've got a lot of fight in me and I'm confident in what I'm doing.

"Mark made me fight all the way but in the last set I knew I had to hold throw, and the 134 to break him in the last set was an incredible shot - all three darts were in the middle and it was a great shot which turned the match.

"I know I've got to improve, and I was pretty poor at times in different places. I've got to work on that, but maybe I was a little bit too relaxed and maybe I've got to concentrate a little bit more."

Walsh hit a 180 with his first three darts, but missed doubles proved expensive as Painter hit a 120 checkout to start the match confidently.

Walsh took the second leg before Painter, who came through a four-set tussle against Arron Monk in the first round, forged ahead again by taking third.

Walsh held throw for a second time to take the fourth, before Painter took the set in the deciding leg with an excellent 112 finish.

Walsh hit a maximum in the process of taking the first leg of set two, before Painter hit double 16 at the first time of asking to claim the second.

Walsh hit double eight to win the third leg and took the next by landing double ten to level the match, after Painter missed double top for a 118 finish.

Both players held throw in the opening two legs of set three, and Painter continued that trend by taking out 71 to win the third.

The fourth leg saw the Daventry-based thrower hit a 96 finish, landing double 18 with his third dart to lead for the second time.

Painter hit double 16 to make a winning start to the fourth set, before hitting the same bed to win the second leg, which included a 180.

Painter then won the set with a superb 11-dart finish to move further clear of his opponent, as an 81 checkout gave him a 3-1 advantage in the match.

Walsh secured a break of throw at the start of the fifth set, but five missed darts to take the second were costly as Painter hit double ten to step in.

Painter won the third leg with a 13-dart finish to move to the brink of victory, before Walsh replied on double 18 to keep his hopes alive.

The deciding leg saw Painter miss two darts at double top to win the match, and Walsh held his nerve with an accurate dart at the same bed to take the set and hit back.

Walsh, seeded 11 for this year's event, won the first leg on double top before the second saw both players struggle to find the winning double.

Painter missed five chances, but Walsh was off-target with six attempts and was punished as double two put the 2004 finalist level.

Both players held throw in the next two legs, before Walsh took the decider by hitting double four with his first dart, to force a seventh set.

Painter hit double four to win the first leg of the deciding set, and then took the second with the aid of a 180 and a superb 134 checkout.

That put the in-form ace a leg away from a victory which was duly secured as he took out another 81 finish to wrap up his last 16 place.