Express & Star

Jamie Hughes comes through at Lakeside

Tipton's Jamie Hughes is in the second round of the BDO World Championship for successive tournaments after a whitewash win at Lakeside tonight.

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The Black Country thrower removed Scotland's Ross Montgomery 3-0 in straight sets with the BT Sport cameras rolling live,

writes Craig Birch.

It was a real slow burner, though, and missed doubles were commonplace but it was Hughes who landed when it mattered most.

The 29-year-old took the sets 3-2 in the first and third affairs, with a 3-0 whitewash in the second before a furious Montgomery gave up and folded.

'Yozza' kept his cool to prevail, with Montgomery putting his coat on and leaving Frimley Green in a huff soon after the match.

Hughes, who landed two 180s on route, said: "We both should have done a lot better, it was an injustice to how we are capable of playing.

"Maybe we showed a bit too much respect for each other, we started badly and neither of us could snap out of it.

"This was billed as a big match and I cannot put my finger on why it happened. Darts is an easy game when you're playing well, but I found it very difficult up there. It was frustrating."

Hughes denied he'd fell out with his opponent, with next to no pleasantries between the two when matters were settled.

There appeared to be tension between the two when they returned after the break, due to Hughes' tapping Montgomery on the back of the head in friendly fashion as they left the stage.

But Hughes insisted: "I get on well with Ross, he's a great guy. There's no problem between us that I'm aware of."

As in yesterday's preliminary tie between Ted Hankey and David Cameron, the officials had to re-measure the board at the request of the players.

Hughes held his throw to strike first blood with his second attempt at double eight to take out 25, but Montgomery levelled the first set on double 16.

The advantage again went to Hughes on double 20, atoning for missing tops for the leg previously. Montgomery again restored parity in the same bed for 70.

A 180 in the third leg set Hughes up but he stuttered across the line, eventually landing double two with his second dart of his third visit initially requiring a pair of 16s.

A handy 177 in the first leg of set two kept Hughes in front and he could afford to miss tops for the leg, returning to erase 20 on double 10 against the throw.

Three darts went astray at tops for a 2-0 lead but Montgomery couldn't capitalise, allowing Hughes to return on double 10. He then took the second set with double 16 for a whitewash.

The Scot battled back against the throw in the first leg of set free, holding off a maximum from Hughes that cut 200 to 20, with double four on his third dart for 25.

Hughes redressed the balance with treble 16 and double eight for 64, before the latter bed put him to within a leg of victory.

Montgomery stayed alive on double five for 20, but frustration set in come the final leg as he threw his darts in haste at the board.

Hughes kept his cool and made sure of victory on tops at the second attempt. He'll play again on Wednesday against either Gary Robson or Madars Razma, who meet tomorrow afternoon.

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