2018 Coral UK Open Finals 

Friday 2nd March - Sunday 4th March 2018

Butlins, Minehead

For the third year running Rob Cross lost to the eventual winner of the Coral UK Open Finals.This time around it was Gary Anderson who defeated Rob Cross at the quarter-finals stage at Butlins in Minehead, 10-5. It was the Hastings man's best run in the tournament, having reached the fourt round as an amateur and the fifth round last year. On the way to the last eight Cross had wins against Nathan Aspinall 10-8, Kyle Anderson 10-7 and Krzysztof Ratajski 10-3. 

Last 64 (vs Nathan Aspinall)

Rob Cross received a bye to the last 64. Nathan Aspinall made it to the last 64 with a 6-3 win over Andrew Pullen, taking out a 118 finish and averaging 91.81  

Former world youth finalist Nathan Aspinall made an impressive start to the match by taking the first two legs in 14 darts, checking out the opening leg on 90 (T20, D15) and the second on 54 (14, D20). Cross fought back by reeling off the next three legs in 13, 12 and 16 darts, taking out a 134 finish (T18, T16, D16) in the 12 darter. Aspinall then won three on the spin himself in 14, 17 and 17 darts after the first interval to lead 5-3 as Cross seemed to go off the boil a little. The ninth leg could have gone either way as both players missed a hatful of chances, 'Voltage' eventually taking it in 22 darts. Aspinall won the next in 17 darts to go 6-4 up going into the second interval after Cross missed a dart at the bull for a 66 finish. Cross then stepped up his game as he won the next leg in 11 darts, scoring 140, 177, 136 and taking out 48 (16, D16). A missed dart at double thirteen in the next allowed Aspinall to restore a two leg lead of 7-5 with a 15 darter. Cross then won the next three legs to lead 8-7 with legs of 14, 14 and 17 darts that included a 77 finish (T19, D10) in the middle of the three legs. Aspinall continued to battle and made it 8-8 with a 12 darter, taking out 125 (25, T20, D20). The Hastings man then produced his second 11 darter of the match with scores of 93, 180, 140 and an 88 checkout (T20, D14) and won the next leg in 15 darts with a 64 finish (16, 16, D16) to advance to the fourth round. Cross hit seven 180s and averaged 99.32, Aspinall hit one 180 and averaged 94.87

Last 32 (vs Kyle Anderson)

Kyle Anderson made the last 32 with a 10-7 win over Vincent van der Voort, hitting six 180s and averaging 92.10

Rob Cross started well by winning the opening three legs in 17, 13 and 15 darts. The third leg being won with a 72 checkout (20, 20, D16). The Hastings thrower missed two darts at a double to go further ahead as Anderson got his first leg on the board with a 17 darter. Cross then won the next three legs in 14, 16 and 13 darts to lead 6-1. Anderson took his second eg in 16 darts then Cross restored his five leg advantage by taking out 80 (T20, D10) for a 14 darter. Cross missed a dart at bull for a 126 finish in the next as Anderson took out 74 (18, 16, D20) for a 15 darter. This seemed to kick him into gear as he reeled off the following three legs in 14, 16 and 15 darts to trail 7-6. Back came Cross with a 12 darter, scoring 100, 140, 140 and taking out 121 (T20, T11, D14). A 15 darter followed to lead 9-6. Anderson then had a 15 darter himself, finishing on 109 (T19, 12, D20). The Aussie then missed a couple of darts at doubles in the next leg as Cross won it in 17 darts to seal a 10-7 victory. Cross hit six 180s and averaged 98.29, Anderson hit eight 180s and averaged 95.11 

Last 16 (vs Krzysztof Ratajski)

Krzysztof Ratajski made the last 16 with wins against Darren Webster 10-7 and Keegan Brown 10-5, averaging 92.28 and 92.95.

Having been beaten by Ratajski in their last meeting Rob Cross knew he would have to put in a decent performance to advance to the quarter-finals. He did that by making a good start to the match, winning the opening two legs with 14 darters. Ratajski won the third leg in 16 darts then Cross won the next in 13 darts to lead 3-1. The Polish Eagle then took out 110 (20, T18, D18) for a 15 darter to go into the first interval just the one leg behind. 'Voltage' made it 5-2 with two 16 darters and then extended his lead even further with a 12 darter, scoring 100, 139, 119 and checking out on 143 (T18, T19, D16). A missed dart at double eighteen allowed Ratajski in as he took the next in 20 darts then Cross fired back by taking the next four legs in 13, 13, 14 and 14 darts for an impressive 10-3 victory. Cross hit four 180's and averaged 103.88. Ratajski hit one 180 and averaged 92.63. 

Quarter-Finals (vs Gary Anderson)

Gary Anderson made the quarter-finals with wins against Robert Rickwood 10-3, Ricky Evans 10-3 and Jermaine Wattimena 10-6, averaging 97.41, 95.14 and 104.72.

Rob Cross started off his quarter-final tie against Gary Anderson in good fashion by winning the opening leg in 14 darts, taking out 48 (16, D16). Anderson fired straight back with a 12 darter, scoring 140, 120, 123 and checking out 118 (T20, 18, D20). Anderson followed up with a 15 dart winning leg to break throw, this time taking out 110 (T5, T19, D19) after Cross had missed one dart at double sixteen. Cross replied with an 11 darter, scoring 140, 180, 140 and taking out 41 (9, D16) to make it 2-2. Anderson scored poorly in the fifth leg as Cross won it by hitting double one for an 18 darter. The next five legs all went with throw, Anderson winning the even legs in 20, 14 and 14 darts, Cross winning the odd legs with two 17 darters. It was now 5-5 going into the second break. From there Cross didn't get another dart at a double as Anderson coasted to victory hitting five doubles in five attempts, taking out 89 (T19, D16) for a 14 darter, double top for a 16 darter, 130 (T20, T20, D5) for a 12 darter, 72 (16, 16, D20) for a 15 darter and then scoring 180, 96, 180 and taking out 45 in two darts (5, D20) for a 10-5 win.

Cross hit five 180s and averaged 95.53, Anderson took out finishes of 130, 118 and 110, hit two 180s and averaged 98.31

Anderson went on to win his first UK Open title by beating Cross' stablemate David Pallett 11-7 in the semi-finals and Corey Cadby by the same scoreline in the final.