By Alex Moss
1 JANUARY 2017 • 9:22PM
Gary Anderson is one win away from a third PDC World Championship title in a row after beating Peter Wright 6-3 in the semi-finals.
The Flying Scotsman has lifted the Sid Waddell Trophy for the last two years and progressed to a third consecutive final at Alexandra Palace after beating his fellow Scot this evening.
The second seed raced into leads of 2-0 and 3-1, before Wright battled back to level up at 3-3.
But Anderson moved through the gears and took the next three sets, finishing with eight successive legs, to book his place in tomorrow’s final.
Wright began the semi-final with the throw and hit a 180 with his first three darts, but seven missed doubles cost him the opening set which Anderson took in straight legs.
A 127 checkout on the bull helped Anderson take a 2-0 lead in the second set, before Wright fought back by winning back-to-back legs to force a deciding leg.
Anderson kicked off the deciding leg with two maximums to threaten a nine darter, eventually finishing on double four for an 12-dart leg and a two set lead.
After breaking the Wright throw again to go 1-0 up in the third set, it was then Anderson’s turn to be punished for missed doubles.
A dart each missed at double 12, six and three from the defending champion was pounced on by Wright, who hit tops to level and then won the next two legs, the last of those in 10 darts, to get his first set on the board.
Wright was on course for consecutive 10 darters when he came to the board needing double 18 in the first leg of set four, but three missed darts at doubles later and Anderson capitalised to nick the leg.
Three more missed attempts at doubles in the next leg from Wright were punished again, as Anderson checked out 118 on double 19 for a 2-0 lead in the set.
Wright responded with 118 and 116 finishes in successive legs to force a deciding leg, which Anderson won in 12 darts after back-to-back 180s left him with a 41 checkout for the set and a 3-1 lead.
Anderson looked on course for a 4-1 lead in sets as he made the most of more missed Wright doubles to go 2-0 up, but four set darts were spurned and Wright came back with three straight legs to steal the set.
Wright finally got back on level terms at the end of the next set, checking out on double 12 in the deciding leg after Anderson had missed two darts to go 4-2 up.
Anderson brought the Wright comeback to a halt in the seventh set, though, as he took out a brilliant 157 checkout to win the set 3-1 and go 4-3 in front.
The 157 checkout from Anderson was a big blow for Wright, who lost the next two sets 3-0 to miss out on a second World Championship final.
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