Quarter Final - Coral.co.uk Players Championships
Dennis Priestley 5 - 9 Robert Thornton
Dennis came back from 5-0 down to defeat John Part in the second round earlier on Saturday, but was not able to produce the heroics this time around as the Scot advanced to his second televised PDC semi-final.
Thornton started the match well by holding throw to take a 1-0 lead, before Priestley took the second leg and then broke throw in the next by landing double four for a 2-1 cushion.
But the Yorkshireman was unable to maintain the advantage as Thornton immediately broke back by hitting double 16 to take the fourth leg.
The next four legs were held with throw to leave the contest finely poised at 4-4.
Thornton continued the sequence to lead 5-4 and then broke the deadlock by winning the tenth leg for a 6-4 lead after Priestley missed three darts at doubles.
Thornton hit the first maximum of the game in the 11th leg in the process of the moving into a 7-4 lead, but Priestley pulled a leg back by landing double 10 after the Scot had missed a chance to convert a 128 checkout.
Thornton won the next leg in 13 darts to move one away from victory, and then landed his second 180 of the game before making Priestley pay for five missed darts at double 18 to land the winning double and seal the win.
"I think it was a game too far," admitted Priestley. "I've no excuses, Robert played very well, didn't give me any chances and I didn't take them when I was given them."
Thornton said: "He's one of the hardest players to beat and I've never beaten Dennis before. But I was determined to end that and it's great to be in the semi-finals."
