Stan James World Match Play
Denis Ovens 10-5 Dennis Priestley
Dennis Priestley's stanjames.com World Matchplay hopes were devastated by Denis Ovens at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.
Priestley has made three previous finals in the World Matchplay during his illustrious career, but a nightmare summer continued with a 10-5 defeat.
The Yorkshireman was whitewashed by Phil Taylor in the recent Las Vegas Desert Classic, and never recovered from going 4-1 down as Ovens set up a second round clash with Terry Jenkins on Thursday.
"Dennis is a legend but that wasn't the real Dennis Priestley up there," said Ovens, who hit three key finishes of 118, 125 and 116 in the match.
"He did not perform and I took my chances. I knew he would come back at me when I went 4-1 up but I held on and am delighted to be through."
Ovens made the ideal start, punishing three missed doubles from Priestley to take the opening leg and then landed double nine to go 2-0 up.
Double top saw Priestley get off the mark, but a miss at the same bed in the next allowed Ovens to move 3-1 up.
Priestley began leg five with a maximum, but Ovens hit a 12-darter to move three legs clear - only to again miss his chances in the next as double 18 gave the Yorkshireman a second leg.
Ovens took the eighth leg with a key 118 checkout, before Priestley landed double four and double eight to win two successive legs and pull back to 6-4.
He missed three darts at a double in the next before double eight allowed Ovens to hit back, only for a bullseye finish to keep Priestley in the game at 7-5.
But Ovens found an extra gear, taking out 125 on tops in the next, double 16 for a 9-5 cushion and a 116 checkout to wrap up victory.
"It wasn't my best performance overall but I did my best and am through to the next round," added Ovens.
"Against Dennis you have more time to think about things and I took my time. It will be different against Terry Jenkins in the second round, he's a different type of player and I know I can beat him."
