ANDO AVOIDS A CHRIS GOODBYE
GARY ANDERSON produced another rescue mission last night to stay on course for a hat-trick of World titles.
The Scottish hero moved into the last eight at the Alexandra Palace by winning a pulsating clash against stablemate Chris Dobey.
Having survived a match dart in the previous round against Jermaine Wattimena, Anderson again sailed close to the wind in this showdown.
The two-time champion fought back from 2-0 down to win a thriller in a deciding set tie-break.
Anderson said: “I got myself comfy in the game and then Chris just kicked on again.
“I was 2-0 up in the fifth set and he won it 3-2 without blinking an eye.
“It’s at that point where you are thinking you are going to be getting some extra days off.
“I have known his dad longer than I have known him but he’s a good boy.
“The last 11 months he’s been a bit slack! But he’s been brilliant in this tournament.
“I wasn’t looking forward to the game because Chris is a great lad and he has all the talent in the world.
“You talk about the Premier League and having new faces? Well you can’t beat him.
“He’s getting chubby on the chops but he’s getting there. We’ll have to get him on a diet!
“I’m scraping it. Every time I’ve come here in the past I’ve played well and been banging the board but this year it seems a bit different.
“I’m really having to fight but we have seen shocks already and what do you expect? It’s the Ally Pally. They happen.”
Dobey played his part in a classic. The Geordie hit a staggering 15 maximums, a record for a last-16 tie at the Ally Pally, as he pushed his mentor all the way.
But a fatal slip when missing a big 15 to leave double 16 in the final leg was decisive in the final analysis as he was punished by Anderson.
Dobey said: “I’m gutted but I enjoyed the game. It was a fantastic match but missing the big number in the final leg killed me.
“I’ll go away and reflect on the fact that I am competing with the best in the world now.
“Gary is probably the best player on the planet at the minute and I gave him a fight, so my confidence is sky high and I’m going to take that into the new year.
“I wish Gary all the best. Good luck to him.”
Meanwhile, Peter Wright’s conqueror Toni Alcinas’s run at the Ally Pally ended earlier as he crashed 4-2 to Benito Van de Pas.
In the last of the third round clashes, Dutch ace Van de Pas saw off his Spanish rival to reach the last 16 for the fourth time in five years.
He will now face Northern Ireland’s Brendan Dolan for a place in the quarter-finals.