PETER MANLEY 8-3 DENNIS PRIESTLEY

Peter Manley picked up his biggest win of the 2007 Holsten Premier League with a fine 8-3 demolition of Dennis Priestley in the opener at London's Alexandra Palace.

The iconic venue will host the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship from this December, and Manley showed the finishing which has taken him to three previous finals in racing past Priestley.

Although he cannot qualify for the play-offs in Brighton at the end of May, Manley produced a fine display to complete a double over his veteran opponent.

"There's not a lot left to play for other than to finish as high as I can," said Manley. "Dennis didn't turn up tonight but he knows he's more-or-less in the top four.

"I knew a win would take me off the bottom of the table and it's given the other players something to think about and play for now."

Manley swept into an early 3-0 lead, including two double ten finishes and a two-dart 83 in the second leg to break Priestley's throw.

He was off-target on the bullseye to take a second break of throw and move 4-0 up, with Priestley hitting back to get off the mark.

Manley's 97 finish, on double 12, put him 4-1 up before Priestley took the next two legs either side of the break to cut the lead to just one leg.

However, Manley opened leg eight with a maximum and took out double eight with his first dart to stop the comeback in its tracks.

He took out a superb 111 finish on double top to push clear at 6-3, landed double eight once again to take the next and then won the match with a neat 62 checkout.Y

 

 

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