2018 Coral UK Open - Qualifier 6 

Sunday 11th February 2018

Robin Park Tennis Centre, Wigan

Rob Cross completed a decent weekend by making the semi-finals of the Coral UK Open Qualifier 6 at the Robin Park Tennis Centre in Wigan with wins against Paul Phillips, Lee Evans, Chris Quantock, Ted Evetts and John Goldie 6-3. In the semi-finals, Cross battled back from 5-1 down to force a decider against Krzysztof Ratajski.

Last 128 (vs Paul Phillips)

Paul Phillips made the last 128 with a 6-5 win against Ryan De Vreede, taking out a 145 finish in the deciding leg. Phillips hit two 180s and averaged 87.02.

Cross made another good start to the day by winning this tie 6-0, hitting six doubles in six attempts. The opening leg was won in 15 darts with an 89 finish (19, 20, bull) with Phillips back on 109 having thrown 12 darts. The lead was doubled with the best leg of the match. Scores of 180, 123 and 138 leaving a 60 finish (20, D20) for an eleven darter. Scoring in the third leg wasn't as high and it was won in 16 darts by hitting double sixteen. A fifteen darter with a 64 finish (16, 16, D16) made it four-nil then a 180 and double top were hit in a 13 dart fifth leg. The last leg was won with Cross' third 180 of the match to set up a 42 finish (10, D16). Cross averaged 107.36. Phillips hit one 180 and averaged 86.89.

Last 64 (vs Lee Evans)

Lee Evans made the last 64 with wins against Nathan Treadgold 6-0 and James Hadjar 6-1, averaging 84.28 and 83.69.

'Voltage' was not as sharp on his doubles at the start of this match, missing four chances before Evans broke throw with a 90 outshot (T20, x, D15) in an 18 dart leg. Evans got off to a good start in the next leg by hitting a 180 followed by a 140 and doubled his lead by taking out double eight for a 14 darter. Cross fired back in the next, hitting double top for a 16 darter. Evans missed a dart at double sixteen to go three-one up with Cross taking out 56 (18, D20) for a 16 darter. Cross made it 3-2 by finishing off 25 (9, D8) in a 17 dart leg. Evans then levelled with a 13 dart leg, finishing on double eighteen. Cross matched the 13 darter with a double fourteen finish to restore the lead then Evans came back with a 15 darter by taking out 78 (18, 20, D20) to make it 4-4. Cross won the next in 15 darts by taking out double four at the second attempt for a sixteen finish. The tenth leg sealed the victory for Cross as he broke throw in 12 darts with an 88 finish (20, 18, bull) with Evans on 42 after the same number of darts thrown. Cross hit four 180s and averaged 94.74. Evans hit three 180s and averaged 101.79.

Last 32 (vs Chris Quantock)

Chris Quantock made the last 32 with wins against Jim Walker 6-5, Paul Rowley 6-1, Martyn Turner 6-1 and Mark Webster 6-4 with averages of 88.96, 101.54, 91.24 and 95.82.

Cross won the opening leg of his match with Quantock in 15 darts by taking out an impressive 132 finish (25, T19, bull). He then missed double nineteen for a 158 finish in the next, taking the leg with his next arrow for a 13 darter. Quantock missed two darts at the same double as Cross made it 3-0 by taking out double four for an eighteen finish in an 18 dart leg. A 15 darter with a 60 finish (20, 20, D10) made it 4-0 then Quanny got a leg on the board with a 70 finish (10, 20, D20) for an 18 darter. Cross won the last two legs to advance to the last sixteen in 17 and 14 darts with finishes of 60 (20, D20) and 64 (T8, D20). No maximums were hit in the match with Cross averaging 94.79 and Quantock averaging 82.54.      

Last 16 (vs Ted Evetts)

Ted Evetts made the last 16 with wins against Kelvin Self 6-4, Leo Hendriks 6-2, Steve Beaton 6-5 and Brett Claydon 6-3 with averages of 76.48, 82.68, 90.81 and 95.61.

Evetts won the first leg of his match with the Cross by taking out double twenty in a 16 dart leg. Cross levelled with his fourth poke at a double, taking out double ten for an 18 darter. He then took the lead with a 12 darter finishing on 106 (T20, 14, D16). Cross then made it 3-1 by hitting double eighteen in a 13 dart leg. In the fifth leg the Sussex man left fifty after twelve darts only for Evetts to take out the big fish, a 170 for a 15 darter. Another 15 darter followed from Evetts with an 80 finish (20, 20, D20) to level the match at three apiece after Cross had missed a shot at double sixteen for a 146 finish and three further darts at double eight. Cross didn't mess about in the next one though as he took out double ten for a twenty finish and a 14 darter to go 4-3 up. Back came Evetts to make it 4-4 with back-to-back 180s and a double two finish in an 18 dart leg. This time Cross had missed darts at bull, double eight and double four.Cross then won the next leg in 15 darts with a 110 finish (T20, 18, D16) and claimed a 6-4 victory with an 11 darter producing scores of 100, 140 and 180 followed by an 81 finish (T19, D12). Evetts gave a creditable showing and was waiting on 152 after nine darts as Cross hit the winning double. Cross hit three 180s and averaged 103.68. Evetts hit two 180s and averaged 92.56.  

Quarter-Finals (vs John Goldie)

John Goldie had a great run to the quarter-finals with wins against Terry Temple 6-2, Carl Hamilton 6-3, Gerwyn Price 6-4, Nathan Aspinall 6-5 and Michael Smith 6-2, averaging 91.35, 88.69, 95.76, 96.49 and 105.60.

The first three legs of the quarter-final tie were won against the throw. Cross kicked off with a 180 and took the opener in 13 darts by hitting double sixteen at the second attempt, having missed it the first time for a 140 finish. Goldie hit back with a 64 finish (16, 16, D16) in a 15 dart second leg. Cross then won the next in 13 darts by taking out double eighteen and was soon 4-1 up with two bull finishes. 84 (T7, 13, bull) and 87 (17, 20, bull) for 15 and 12 dart legs. 'Voltage' almost made it three bull finishes in three legs but hit the 25 in an attempt to take out 95. Goldie won the leg with an 86 finish (T18, x, D16) for a 15 darter. He followed that up by hitting double nine for a 14 darter to trail 4-3. Cross won the next in 17 darts with a 52 finish (20, D16) and won the last leg with an eleven darter scoring 174, 180, 51 and checking out on 96 (T20, D18) for a 6-3 win. Cross hit two 180s and averaged 108.05. Goldie hit three 180s and averaged 92.33. 

Semi-Finals (vs Krzysztof Ratajski)

Krzysztof Ratajski made the semi-finals with wins against Eddie Dootson 6-0, Rene Berndt 6-4, Ian White 6-5, Robert Owen 6-4, Carl Wilkinson 6-4 and Corey Cadby 6-4 with averages of 92.02, 98.38, 100.51, 94.85, 101.02 and 93.43.

'Voltage' made an excellent start to this second meeting between the two players in three days by hitting maximums with hs first two throws and taking out 52 (20, D16) for an eleven darter. After a third maximum to start the second leg, Cross went off the boil a little as his polish opponent rattled off five straight legs in 14, 13, 16, 17 and 11 darts to storm into a 5-1 lead. The second leg of the match was won with a 68 finish (T12, D16) and the eleven darter consisted of scores of 140, 139, 140 and an 82 finish (bull, D16). Cross then seemed to wake up and fired in an 11 darter himself with scores of 140, 140 and 137 with an 84 finish (T16, D18). Ratajski missed a dart at double sixteen for a 152 finish in the next as Cross went out on double ten for a 20 darter and trail 5-3. Another 11 darter from Cross followed, this time with scores of 134, 180 and 137 and a 50 finish (18, D16). Cross then made it 5-5 with a 14 darter, hitting double top at the second attempt. The final leg went the way of Ratajski as he took out 112 (20, T20, D16) in a 15 dart leg with Cross waiting on 77 after 12 darts thrown. Cross hit five 180s in this match and averaged 98.01. Ratajski averaged 101.04 without hitting a 180.

Ratajski went on to beat Daryl Gurney 6-4 in the final, hitting three 180 and averaging 101.93.