Express & Star

Jamie Hughes is through in BDO worlds

Tipton's Jamie Hughes comprehensively made it through to the second round of the BDO World Championship as he saw off Martin Atkins at Lakeside.

Published

The 30-year-old dropped a set after striking first blood early on but peeled away to secure his passage through on Sunday night,

writes Craig Birch.

The fourth seed kept his head and fired in four 180's along the way, averaging 94.38 to his fellow England international's 88.68.

After winning the bull and the throw in the practice room, Hughes' first three darts produced 140. Atkins responded with the game's first 180 in the first leg.

It was Atkins who broke the deadlock, taking out 98 on double 19 after treble 20. Hughes had missed double eight for 16 after treble 16.

Hughes replied on double 10, returning after missing tops for 91. He scored his first 180 with his first visit of the second leg.

He surged forward again on the back of another 140, before going ahead on double eight for 76. 'Yozza' peppered another 140, with Atkins landing his second 180.

Hughes narrowly missed tops for 116 after treble 20 and single 16, but settled the set in his next visit on double five after a big 10.

Atkins scored a third maximum in the first leg of the second set, but it proved to no avail again as Hughes got tops for 79. Double 20 again for 60 doubled that advantage.

Hughes landed his second 180 upon his return to the board, but conceded the leg to Atkins on tops. After two misses from Hughes in the same bed, another was given to Atkins on double 20 for 50.

Hughes missed tops again for 107, before Atkins restored sets parity on the bull for 71. It left matters all square going into the break.

A third 180 from Hughes put him in command upon their return and treble 20 set up double 10 to put him in front, perfectly erasing the 260 required. He missed the bull for 170 in the next leg.

He lost the leg on double 10, after missing double for 47 after an unsuccessful go at double 16. A smarting Hughes racked up 177 during the third leg, which he won on double 16 for 106.

Atkins went ahead again on the maximum count in the deciding leg of the third set, with a fourth 180. It proved to no avail.

Hughes nearly scrubbed out 144, two treble 20s preceding the one miss at double 12. He returned to make no mistake with his next dart.

The same bed put him ahead in the fourth set, as Atkins lost three legs in a row. Tops for 40, with his first attempt, took him to within a leg of match victory. Double eight for 70 kept Atkins alive.

Hughes' fourth 180 opened the following leg from which he eventually prevailed on tops, at the third attempt on a second visit, to settle the match.

The Black Country thrower will now take on Jim Williams, who whitewashed Tony O'Shea 3-0 in the first round for the second year in a row.

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