Catch up on Wednesday evening's action from Ally Pally:
Ryan Joyce (35) 3-1 Alex Spellman (-)
Spellman, who finished top of the CDC (US tour) rankings this year, managed to keep his own first leg fairly straightforward. Joyce missed two darts on double 12 in his own leg, which was punished by Spellman.
The third leg also went to Spellman, who averaged 98.02 in the first set.
A fine 128 finish on the bullseye allowed Joyce to narrowly keep his own first leg. The second leg also went to the Englishman after he managed to hit the bullseye twice to leave 32. Throwing out 110, Spellman got back into the set.
He also managed to keep his own leg and therefore a decisive fifth leg came. Under pressure from the American, Joyce managed to keep his own leg and move to 1-1 in sets.
Joyce seized the opportunity to break from 102 and make it 1-0 in legs. A leg later, it was Spellman who threw out 74 to break back.
The third leg too did not go with the arrows and Joyce got to start the fourth leg for the set. This time the leg did go with the arrows and the Englishman took the lead.
Joyce seemed to be heading for victory with an average of 101.
He took a 2-0 lead after a break and got to start the third leg himself for the match. The Englishman managed to hit his second match and recorded an impressive victory.
Joyce will play compatriot Stephen Bunting in the second round.
Richard Veenstra (79) 3-0 Ben Robb (-)
After a loose dart from Robb, Veenstra punished it by throwing out 104 to break the New Zealander in the second leg for 2-0.
A leg later, it was Robb who broke back from 105 after misses by the Dutchman.
In his own leg, Robb made it 2-2 and a decisive fifth leg was a reality. Veenstra took the set by throwing out 112 on the spur of the moment.
After numerous misses by both men, it was Veenstra who broke in the third leg of the second set for a 2-1 lead. A leg later, the set was clinched by the Dutchman, who only had to throw 80 average until then.
Throwing out 138, Robb put the score at 1-1 in legs. A leg later, it was a 142 finish by Veenstra that put the Dutchman on match point.
It was a set of high finishes: Robb forced a deciding leg by throwing out 100. Veenstra was allowed to start that one and threw his first 180 of the match. Finishing 74, he secured victory with his second match dart.
Veenstra will play Belgian Kim Huybrechts in the second round.
Christian Kist (91) 0-3 Luke Littler (164)
The junior world champion made it 2-0 after a break in the second leg and got off to a flying start. Keeping his own third leg, the set went at lightning speed to Littler, who was throwing almost 110 average at the time.
The young Englishman continued in the second set as well. He broke Kist in 13 darts for a 1-0 lead in legs.
In his own second leg, Littler ran out and after Kist connected, Littler was allowed to start the fourth leg for the set. In it, he scored his third and fourth 180 of the match and finished 82 in two darts for the set.
Kist did not get the opportunity to come back into the match. In the fourth leg of the third set, Littler managed to break and decide the match with his first match dart. Littler threw 106.12 average and finished 50 per cent of his darts on the doubles.
Littler will play UK Open champion Andrew Gilding in the second round.
Peter Wright (4) 0-3 Jim Williams (47)
Finishing 68 after a bullseye, Williams managed to break in the first leg. The Scottish world number four immediately had an answer ready by breaking back.
Both men then managed to keep their own leg and a fifth leg was required as a decider. A 124 finish on the bullseye enabled the Welshman to break and take the first set.
In the third leg of the second set, Wright broke 2-1 and could throw for a set win. After a handful of misses, Wright lost his break and Williams could start the fifth and deciding leg.
Helped by his second 180 of the match, Williams had no problems and also won the second set after being 2-1 down.
In the first leg of the third set, Williams hit again. He broke Wright, who changed darts several times during the match. In his own leg, he hit match point and an early elimination of the two-time world champion and reigning European champion came very close.
Wright did not come close again and Williams continued to score and finish well. He secured the biggest win of the night with just one match dart.
