By Alex Moss
7 JANUARY 2017 • 11:00PM
Jim Williams knocked out Tony O’Shea in the first round of the BDO World Championship for the second year running with a straight sets win at Lakeside this evening.
The 13th seed, who reached the final of the WDF Europe Cup singles in September last year, dropped just two legs as he handed O’Shea a first round exit at Lakeside for the fourth year in a row.
O’Shea hit just two out of 27 attempts at doubles and Williams punished him, taking the first set in three legs before coming back from 2-1 down to win the second set in a deciding leg.
Welshman Williams stepped up a gear in the third set, averaging 112.74 and reeling off legs in 15, 12 and 13 darts to complete a 3-0 win.
Last year’s runner-up Jeff Smith battled through illness to see off Japan’s Seigo Asada 3-1 in the preliminary round this evening.
Smith’s two previous appearances in the BDO World Championship have seen him reach the semi-finals and the final, and the Canadian got his bid to go one step further this year up and running with victory in the preliminary round.
After dropping the third set to see his lead cut to 2-1, Smith checked out 87 on the bullseye to win the third set 3-1 and set up a first round clash with 12th seed Brian Dawson.
Mark McGrath produced a brilliant comeback as he fought back from 2-0 down to edge past Roger Janssen 3-2 in the preliminary round.
In a battle of the debutants, Belgium’s Janssen made a flying start as he clinched the first two sets, both which went the distance to five legs.
But New Zealand’s McGrath went on to win nine of the next 11 legs as he battled back to win in a deciding set, and progress into a first round meeting with former world champion Scott Mitchell tomorrow afternoon.
Aileen de Graaf set up a quarter-final clash with defending ladies world champion Trina Gulliver, after easing past Rachel Brooks 2-0 in the first round.
The third seed lost just one leg as she won in straight sets to reach the quarter-finals at Lakeside for the third consecutive year.
De Graaf won the first set in straight legs, before Brooks won what would prove to be her only leg of the match at the start of the second set, but her Dutch opponent then reeled off three straight legs to seal a 2-0 win.
Lakeside World Professional Darts Championship
Saturday January 7
Evening Session (7pm)
Seigo Asada 1-3 Jeff Smith (P)
Roger Janssen 2-3 Mark McGrath (P)
Aileen de Graaf (3) 2-0 Rachel Brooks
Jim Williams (13) 3-0 Tony O’Shea
Click here for the latest results, updated draw and order of play
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